Canada
Insider Knowledge at Canadian Gaming Summit: ‘Leaders’ Track Showcases Top Operators and Regulators
Apart from a vibrant exhibition showcasing various products and services and numerous networking opportunities, the Canadian Gaming Summit, the country’s premier gaming and betting event, will host a conference with an unrivaled line-up of first-rate speakers hand-picked by event organizer SBC.
The ‘Leaders’ conference track, which will take place on June 14 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, is an undisputed highlight of the event’s 26th edition, as it spotlights the most influential decision-makers, thought leaders and innovators in the Canadian gaming industry.
Attendees will gain unparalleled insights from Canada’s most successful operators, including representatives from PointsBet, BetMGM, Kindred and FanDuel. Furthermore, event visitors will have the opportunity to hear directly from regulators and exchange ideas with their peers in the gaming industry.
The opening panel of the ‘Leaders’ conference track will delve into Canada’s potential to become an international hub for iGaming innovation. Esteemed industry executives Scott Vanderwel (CEO, PointsBet Canada), Amanda Brewer (Country Manager Canada, Kindred), Dale Hooper (General Manager Canada, FanDuel) and Scott Woodgate (VP Canada, BetMGM) will explore how Canada can leverage its status as a well-established tech hub and center for global investments to emerge as a worldwide center for iGaming innovation.
Drawing upon their experiences as established operators who were among the first to obtain legal operator titles in the Canadian market, the panelists will compare Canada’s situation with that of US states and discuss how local operators can compete with larger organizations for market share. In addition, the speakers will discuss the prospects of regulatory collaboration across jurisdictions and examine the potential of other provinces outside Ontario to chart a course.
The second panel is dedicated to regulators, who will reflect on the key takeaways from the opening of the province of Ontario and explore how these lessons can be applied to other provinces and Canadian territories. The panel will feature Martha Otton, Executive Director of iGaming Ontario, a subsidiary of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) that was established to regulate the new market, and Tom Mungham, Chief Executive Officer of the AGCO.
The panelists will examine how various provinces across Canada can collaborate and align on best practices and expansion tactics. They will also analyze the accuracy of the predictions that were made when the market opened in Ontario. With their first-hand experience in the regulation of the industry, the speakers will provide invaluable insights into how Canada’s gaming sector can continue to thrive in the years to come.
The closing keynote fireside chat will feature Ray Pineault (CEO, Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment) and Ilkim Hincer (EVP & Chief Legal Officer, Hard Rock International). The experts will explore the convergence of iGaming, land-based gaming and provincial lotteries and elaborate on how the established land-based businesses and lotteries can capitalize on their knowledge by translating their core values to digital platforms. The speakers will also discuss the importance of partnerships with regulators and First Nations and the potential of simultaneously fulfilling the needs of various audience clusters through omnichannel experiences.
“There’s a lot to learn in Canada, especially since Ontario became the first province in Canada to regulate online gambling, legalizing what was previously a grey market,” Rasmus Sojmark, CEO & Founder of SBC, said. “Ontario’s regulation of online gambling has set the stage for the Canadian gaming industry’s growth and has already provided valuable insights that could be applicable to other provinces and territories in Canada.
“There are no better candidates to educate the industry on the potential and the lessons learned than industry leaders representing some of the biggest players in the region and the regulatory bodies who hold registered operators to high standards of responsible gambling, player protection and game integrity. We’re excited to host some industry titans who will share their insights with the audience.”
There will be three conference stages running simultaneously at the Canadian Gaming Summit. The first stage will host the following tracks: ‘Leaders’ and ‘Land-based’ on June 14 and ‘Growth and Leadership’ on June 15. The second stage will host the ‘Sports Betting’ track on June 14 and the ‘Affiliates and Advertising’ track on June 15 while the third stage will focus on ‘iGaming’ on June 14 and ‘Payments & Compliance’ on June 15.
Visit the Canadian Gaming Summit website to access the conference agenda and purchase your tickets at the Early Bird discount of CA$795, a CA$200 saving from the regular full event ticket price. The Early bird deal expires on April 14, 2023. Operators and affiliates with an interest in the Canadian gambling market can register for free. To qualify, operators must fill in this form while affiliates need to fill in their information at the following link.
BetVictor Canada has launched its new out-of-home advertising campaign across the streets of Toronto to promote NBA legend Tracy McGrady as its Safer Gambling Ambassador.
Two mobile digital trucks strategically targeting high-traffic areas near Scotiabank Arena, Rogers Centre, and major sporting events will provide prime audience exposure for the campaign, scheduled around Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Raptors, and Toronto Blue Jays home games.
To further enhance the campaign’s reach, BetVictor Canada has partnered with Clear Media Group to leverage digital taxi tops across Toronto, providing city-wide exposure with 100 taxis displaying key brand messaging. These digital taxi tops will run during peak evening hours (5:00pm – 9:00pm) on select dates until April 5th, 2025.
The campaign coincides with Problem Gambling Awareness Month, a nationwide grassroots campaign held each March that seeks to increase public awareness of problem gambling and promote prevention, treatment, and recovery services.
BetVictor Canada offers an array of tools and services to help its Canadian customers bet and play safely and responsibly, across a host of sports betting markets and online casino games.
Mark Harper, Head of Emerging Markets at BV Group, said: “BetVictor is delighted to be participating in the National Council of Problem Gambling campaign in March, to help increase public awareness of problem gambling and the need to promote prevention, treatment and recovery services.
“In using our Safer Gambling Ambassador, Tracy McGrady, to raise awareness about BetVictor’s safer gambling tools such as loss limits, time alerts and product restrictions we are dedicated to ensuring all players have a safe gambling experience. #PGAM2025.”
Canada
AGCO issues $110,000 in penalties to BetMGM Canada for offering cash to induce new gambling customers
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has served BetMGM Canada Inc. with an Order of Monetary Penalty (OMP) of $110,000 for violations of the Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming.
In two separate incidents in 2024, BetMGM engaged marketing companies who offered cash to members of the public in return for opening new BetMGM accounts. The marketing activities occurred in public forums, such as a major national trade conference. Under AGCO’s Standards, operators are responsible for the conduct of their third-party suppliers who are contracted to support the operator’s Ontario gaming business, and must require their third-parties to meet Ontario laws, regulations and standards (Standard 1.19).
Ontario is one of the first jurisdictions in the world to establish and enforce rules that strictly limit high-risk inducement advertising and marketing in the online gambling industry. Registered iGaming operators are prohibited from offering gambling inducements, bonuses and credits as part of their broad public advertising and marketing activities (Standard 2.05). These Standards exist to protect Ontarians from predatory advertising and promotional marketing practices in order to limit the risk of gambling-related harm.
A registered operator served with an OMP by the AGCO has the right to appeal the Registrar’s decision to the Licence Appeal Tribunal (LAT), which is an adjudicative tribunal independent of the AGCO and part of Tribunals Ontario.
QUOTE
“Responsible gambling safeguards and the protection of Ontarians on registered gaming sites is among our key priorities. The AGCO monitors the activities of all registered operators and their third-party suppliers to ensure they are meeting our high standards and we continue to take strong action to ensure they operate within the public interest.”
Dr. Karin Schnarr, Chief Executive Officer and Registrar – AGCO
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
BetMGM Canada Inc. failed to comply with the Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming. Specifically, the licensee failed to comply with the following provisions of the Standards:
- 1.19 Operators are responsible for the actions of third parties with whom they contract for the provision of any aspect of the Operator’s business related to gaming in Ontario and must require the third party to conduct themselves in so far as they carry out activities on behalf of the operator as if they were bound by the same laws, regulations, and standards.
- 2.05 Advertising and marketing materials that communicate gambling inducements, bonuses and credits are prohibited, except on an operator’s gaming site and through direct advertising and marketing, after receiving active player consent.
Contrary to the Standards, BetMGM Canada Inc. and/or their affiliates allegedly engaged in the following activities:
| a) | On or about January 13 and 14, 2024, BetMGM representatives were alleged to have attended the National Franchise Show and were offering $100 in cash to new players for opening a new account and depositing $15. |
| b) | On or about March 11, 2024, BetMGM acknowledged that its marketing affiliate “Above the Street” had engaged in prohibited inducement marketing. The conduct resulted in 377 player sign-ups and $127,180.00 in commissions to “Above the Street”. |
| c) | On or about April 13, 2024, another BetMGM marketing affiliate “Maple Leaf Marketing” engaged in prohibited inducements and marketing to induce on-site activations and acquire new players. The conduct resulted in 94 player sign-ups and about $34,000.00 in commissions paid to “Maple Leaf Marketing”. |
BCLC’s new “What’s played here stays here” campaign is issuing an important reminder to British Columbians who choose to gamble – specifically that all net profit its operations generate stays in B.C. to help fund critical services like education, health care and community programs.
The campaign also reinforces that all other gambling websites operating in B.C. are illegal and take away funds from critical community programs and services.
“Across B.C. and Canada, we’ve seen incredible groundswell around the importance of buying and supporting local, and that’s no different for British Columbians who choose gambling for their entertainment. We want our B.C. players to know they can find a world-class gambling experience in their own backyard, whether it’s at one of our 33 casinos, 3,400 lottery retailers, or online at PlayNow.com, and that the proceeds from their play with BCLC make a positive impact at home in their community,” Pat Davis, President and CEO of BCLC, said.
Along with illegal online gambling websites, BCLC also competes with Washington State and Las Vegas casinos, all of which aggressively market to B.C. residents.
“BCLC continues to raise awareness that these gambling options do not support B.C.’s economy and take away funds from vital provincial and community-based programs and services. In a time when British Columbians are standing united, we want to reinforce that playing together with BCLC helps make B.C. even better,” Pat Davis added.
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