Canada
MediaTroopers Expanding Its Gambling Expertise to Ontario
MediaTroopers, a leading digital marketing agency that specializes in online gambling, announced this week that the company has launched its services to Ontario, promoting its customers on its various websites, portals, and media channels, providing access to millions of Canadian customers.
Thanks to new legislation, MediaTroopers can now deliver its decades of combined expertise in online gambling to betting operators and bettors within the province.
A Massive Step For Ontario
On April 4th, 2022, the gambling floodgates opened in the Land of a Thousand Lakes as online casinos and sports betting sites launched to eager bettors in Ontario. The Canadian province became the first in the country to launch its own regulated online gambling market, which is likely to shake up Canada’s gambling landscape and get the ball rolling in other territories.
While we’re yet to see how this launch may impact other provinces and their stances on regulated online gambling, Ontario bettors can now access top US brands and internationally licensed operators. More than 30 sportsbooks and casinos have applied for an Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) license to operate in the province. For example, FanDuel, PointsBet, and Unibet are just some of the renowned names to obtain regulation and launch in Ontario thus far.
In fact, MediaTroopers already has long-lasting partnerships with several US operators currently live in Ontario and many more likely to launch in the coming weeks and months. Therefore, the prominent marketing company can now promote its partners and all their great benefits in the Canadian province and deliver its top-quality services to brand-new markets.
An Exciting Time for Bettors and MediaTroopers
MediaTroopers’ CEO, Sam Segal, stated, “Now is an exceptionally exciting time, both for bettors and operators in Ontario and for us here at MediaTroopers. We are delighted to have been given this incredible opportunity to offer our innovative and high-value expertise and services to the legalized betting market in Ontario.”
While the addition of Ontario carrying MediaTroopers to the Great White North, the prominent digital marketing company already has years of success in the US. At the moment, MediaTroopers is operational in more than 16 states and Washington DC, including New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Iowa and Illinois.
“MediaTroopers currently operates in almost every US state where online gambling is legal,” Segal continued. “Therefore, expanding our services to Canada and adding Ontario to our portfolio is a huge milestone. This natural progression into exciting North American markets allows us to reach new audiences in the US’ neighbour to the north.”
“After several successful launches in the US throughout the first few months of 2022, we are looking forward to working in the province and bringing its people more excitement with safe online casino and sports betting. We also hope that this regulated gambling launch inspires other Canadian territories to rework existing legislation and change the iGaming industry for the better. This is only the beginning of regulated online gambling in Canada.” Segal concluded.
Enormous Gambling Potential in Ontario
Talking about the potential of the Canadian province, Segal said: “If we compare Ontario to the US, the province’s almost 15 million population would make it the fifth-most populous US state, behind only California, Texas, Florida, and New York. Early forecasts predict that regulated gambling in Ontario may generate millions, if not billions, of dollars in the coming months and years. This impressive revenue and expansion mean that the province has the potential to become one of the largest gambling markets in North America.”
On MediaTroopers’ vision for Canada, Segal commented: “With no limit on the number of operators who can launch in Ontario, there is no telling just how big the territory’s industry can become. As MediaTroopers serves some of the world’s biggest gambling brands, we aim to capitalize on this unique opportunity and bring quality marketing content to a previously unexplored area of North America.”
MediaTroopers’ prominent partnerships with leading operators explain why the digital marketing agency has managed to thrive in the past few years. Ultimately, we can expect great things from this regulated gambling launch, both from MediaTroopers and new operators in Ontario.
Hot on the heels of its most attended conference in history, the International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR) is excited to announce that its 2025 conference will take place in Toronto, Canada, from October 20 to 23, 2025.
The event will be held in partnership with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) at the Westin Harbour Castle, offering stunning waterfront views and a premier, downtown Toronto location.
‘Fresh off the success of our Rome conference, we’re thrilled to continue the momentum with next year’s event in Toronto,’ said Ben Haden, IAGR President.
‘The IAGR 2025 conference promises to be another unparalleled opportunity for our global community to come together, collaborate and shape the future of gaming regulation. We’re looking forward to working with AGCO to bring it all together.’
AGCO CEO and Registrar Dr. Karin Schnarr, added, ‘We’re excited to welcome IAGR and its members to Toronto. This partnership provides a great opportunity to share Ontario’s innovative regulatory practices and foster meaningful discussions that drive positive change in the industry.’
Stay tuned for registration details early next year.
ESE Entertainment Inc., a gaming company that provides a range of services to leading video game developers and publishers, has announced that it has acquired Bombee Global Entertainment Ltd. (Bombee Americas), the North American arm of Bombee Event Production AB, (Bombee), a global production company specialized in live production, special effects, broadcast, and event management for the gaming sector.
Bombee has successfully collaborated with ESE to bring its premier event production services and world class customer service to North America and beyond. The North American arm of Bombee, Bombee Americas, will continue to grow and scale in this new organizational structure under ESE, while maintaining its entire team and global support.
Konrad Wasiela, CEO of ESE, said: “Today marks the next stage of ESE—a 2.0 version of our company. With the acquisition of Bombee Americas, we are not only solidifying our presence in North America but also paving the way for growth and innovation in the gaming industry. This is a major step, positioning us to deliver even greater value to our partners and elevate the gaming experience for our clients globally. We’re thrilled about the opportunities ahead and the exceptional talent joining our team.”
Transaction Terms
The Acquisition was completed by way of a share purchase agreement (the SPA) among the Company, Bombee Americas, and the shareholders of Bombee Americas (the Vendors). Pursuant to the SPA, ESE acquired all of the outstanding shares of Bombee Americas in exchange for: (i) $750,000 in cash paid on closing, (ii) $375,000 in cash to be paid six (6) months following closing, subject to customary adjustments based on the working capital of Bombee Americas on closing, (iii) $375,000 in cash to be paid twelve (12) months following closing, and (iv) 30,000,000 common shares of ESE (the Consideration Shares), issued at a deemed issue price of $0.10 per share.
In connection with the Acquisition, the founders of Bombee Americas have signed three-year service agreements and will continue to run the business following the closing, along with the rest of the personnel of Bombee Americas who will remain in place, ensuring a smooth transition of operations. As part of the Acquisition, the Company has acquired the liabilities of Bombee Americas, mainly consisting of customary current obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business for Bombee Americas, which are not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s operations or financial position.
No finder’s fees were paid or payable in conjunction with the Acquisition.
The Acquisition was an arm’s length transaction within the meaning of the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange (the Exchange) and constituted an “Expedited Acquisition” in accordance with Exchange Policy 5.3 – Acquisitions and Dispositions of Non-Cash Assets. The Acquisition remains subject to the final approval of the Exchange.
Canada
Suspected Digital Fraud Coming from Canada Up Nearly 11% Since H1 2023, Reveals New TransUnion Analysis
In the first half (H1) of 2024, Canada saw a significant increase in suspected Digital Fraud attempts, with nearly 5.74% of all attempted digital transactions where the consumer was located in Canada involving suspected Digital Fraud, revealed a new TransUnion® (NYSE: TRU) analysis. This is nearly an 11% year-over-year (YoY) rate increase from H1 2023, and TransUnion also documented an 11% increase in the volume of suspected Digital Fraud from Canada during this period, despite a less than a one percent (0.7%) YoY increase in the volume of transactions.
According to a recent TransUnion survey,1 more than half (54%) of Canadians said they were recently targeted by email, phone call or text message fraud attempts. Phishing was the most common scheme type (45%), followed by smishing (42%) and vishing (39%).
The increasing use of digital transactions, combined with rising suspected Digital Fraud attempts are also impacting businesses as they potentially face revenue losses and increased operational costs due to fraud. According to a TransUnion business survey for the H2 2024 Update to the State of Omnichannel Fraud report, 200 Canadian business leaders said their companies lost approximately 6% of equivalent revenue – representing $78 billion – over the past year due to fraud. The most prominent causes of fraud loss cited by them were:
- Scam/Authorized fraud (31%): Dishonest scheme intended to trick a person into giving up something of value (e.g., account access, money, information)
- Account takeover (19%): Unauthorized individuals taking over someone’s online account (e.g., bank, social media, email) without their permission
- Synthetic identity fraud (18%): Use of a combination of personal information to fabricate a person or entity to commit a dishonest act for financial or personal gain
TransUnion also found that suspected Digital Fraud attempts – where the consumer was transacting in Canada and targeted businesses globally – increased on average by 10.5% YoY in H1 2024 compared to H1 2023 and impacted all industries.
Top Three Industries Globally with Highest Rate of Suspected Digital Fraud Attempts Coming from Canada in H1 2024
- Gambling (online sports betting, poker, etc.) – 9.6%
- Retail – 9.2%
- Government – 7.7%
Top Three Industries Globally with Highest YoY Increase (H1 2024 vs H1 2023) in the Rate of Suspected Digital Fraud Attempts Coming from Canada
- Logistics – 172.9%
- Gambling – 79.3%
- Video gaming – 67.8%
“Protecting customers and their businesses from fraud is essential to enabling safe and tailored consumer experiences. These findings reveal that despite the good-faith efforts that are being undertaken by companies to identify and prevent fraud to date, fraudsters continue to evolve and it’s vital that fraud prevention methods keep up with the changing times,” said Patrick Boudreau, head of identity management and fraud solutions at TransUnion Canada.
“Businesses that aren’t already doing so should ensure that they are taking advantage of fraud prevention technologies such as identity verification, IP intelligence, device reputation and synthetic identity detection as critical components of their fraud prevention programs,” he added.
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