Canada
GiG signs platform deal with renowned casino operator Kings Media Ltd in Ontario
Gaming Innovation Group Inc. (GiG) has today signed an agreement with brand new strategic partner Kings Media Ltd, best known for operating the ‘King Billy’ casino brand across .com markets, marking its arrival into the newly regulated Ontario province in Canada.
The deal will see GiG provide its award winning platform, and represents a continued strengthening of a targeted strategy to leverage GiG’s extensive experience in fast growing, complex regulated jurisdictions. The partnership is also notable as Kings Media’s first venture into Northern American markets, affirming GiG’s assertion that its platform and solutions are perfectly suited for similar online challengers keen to access and expand into regulated regions.
The agreement has been signed for an initial three year period with the opportunity to be further renewed. It is expected that, with decades of operational experience, the team from Kings Media will be able to call on their significant understanding within the Casino industry, helping to successfully launch and power the brand towards growth in Ontario.
The Canadian province of Ontario opened for iGaming as recently as April 2022, and is expected to grow to €2bn in gross gaming revenue (GGR) over the next three years, according to H2 Gambling Data. This will be the second deal in Ontario for GiG, with an existing customer expected to launch this quarter, with King Media expected to go live in H1 2023.
Volodymyr Harkusha, CEO of Kings Media Ltd, said: “In our quest to expand to the exponentially competitive Ontario market, we were looking for an industry-leading, future-ready partner. GiG fit the bill perfectly, not only by ticking and double-ticking all the boxes, but also by impressing us with their clear vision and dedication to the project. We are looking forward to working together with GiG on the mutual challenges ahead and we are certain that this collaboration will enable us to gain a significant foothold in the Ontario market.”
Richard Brown, CEO of GiG, said: “I am particularly delighted to partner with Kings Media, a prominent online casino operator and brand with a great deal of experience, who share our values around personalisation, responsible gaming and the importance of regulated markets. We see great potential in Ontario, particularly when we can harness the operational experience of operators like Kings Media. We look forward to working closer with the team to maximise potential through a successful launch into the market, and anticipate this to become a successful client for GiG.”
Canada
IAGR announces Toronto as host city for 2025 conference
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.
Canada
ESE Entertainment Completes Acquisition of Gaming Production Company, Bombee Americas
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.
-
Latest News6 days ago
ProntoPaga Transforms its Operating Model in Brazil to Ensure Risk-Free Transactions
-
Gambling in the USA4 days ago
Phoenix Link by Aristocrat Gaming Now Lighting Up Casino Floors
-
Latest News5 days ago
Carnival Corporation & PLC Fleet Go “All-In” With Galaxy Gaming’s Galaxy Table Games Progressives
-
Latest News5 days ago
Brazilian Ministry of Finance and Sportradar Join Forces to Strengthen Integrity of Sports
-
Compliance Updates6 days ago
Brazilian Ministry of Finance and IBIA sign sports betting integrity agreement
-
Latest News4 days ago
Panel on the benefits of regulation in the Mexican iGaming market
-
Compliance Updates6 days ago
Seminole Tribe of Florida and West Flagler Parties Announce End of Legal Challenges and Beginning of Partnership to Offer and Promote Jai Alai on the Hard Rock Bet App
-
Latest News6 days ago
SCCG Announces Strategic Partnership with Nanocosmos to Revolutionize Live Streaming Workflow in iGaming