Fennica Gaming has announced that it has been granted a gaming supplier license in Ontario, Canada. This milestone marks a significant step in the company’s expansion strategy, allowing it to offer its cutting-edge gaming experiences to gaming operators in one of North America’s most dynamic regulated markets.

The supplier license, granted by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), enables Fennica Gaming to introduce its portfolio of entertaining and high-quality games to gaming operators across the province. This registration empowers Ontarian operators, whether online or land-based, to access the omnichannel offerings developed in the Nordics.

“We are thrilled to receive our B2B supplier license in Ontario and to offer our advanced gaming solutions to operators in the region. After a thorough application process, we can now proudly and prominently display our registration and achievement. We have followed the market in North America for a long time and Ontario is an excellent example of market that is well organized. It represents an exciting market with immense potential, and we are committed to delivering secure, entertaining, and trustworthy gaming experiences tailored to local preferences,” Timo Kiiskinen, Managing Director of Fennica Gaming, said.

Fennica Gaming’s Nordic gaming experience and heritage as an omni-channel gaming operator through its parent company Veikkaus offers a broad range of entertainment for Ontarian operators with a player-first attitude. This registration supports Fennica Gaming’s commitment to a sustainable industry, enabling operation in compliance with Ontario’s local regulatory framework.

The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) has taken decisive action against five offshore online casinos, sending cease-and-desist letters for violating state gaming laws. These websites offer a variety of casino games, such as slots, poker, blackjack, Keno, bingo, and game show games, in addition to sports betting.

The following unlicensed operators are now under scrutiny following the MGCB’s action:

BetWhale Casino, Curaçao

Black Lotus Casino, owned by TD Investments Ltd., Belize

Coins Game Casino, Curaçao

Love2play Casino, Curaçao and Costa Rica

Orion Stars 777 Players, Sichuan Province, China

“These illegal platforms not only violate Michigan’s gaming regulations but also put consumers at risk by offering unreliable withdrawal options and lacking essential consumer protections. Our top priority is safeguarding Michigan residents by ensuring that all online gaming activities are conducted legally and safely. These operators must stop their activities or face additional legal consequences,” MGCB Executive Director Henry Williams said.

Investigations into these illegal activities have revealed that the operators are in violation of multiple Michigan state laws.

Advertisement

Despite offering various payment options like Visa, MasterCard, PayPal, and cryptocurrencies (e.g., Bitcoin and Ethereum), these illegal operators impose strict withdrawal conditions, often requiring players to wager their initial deposits multiple times before they can access their winnings.

The MGCB has given these operators 14 days from the date of receipt of the cease-and-desist letters to halt their illegal activities.

The NCAA and EPIC Global Solutions announced an extension of their gambling harm education program collaboration. This extended collaboration reinforces the NCAA’s long-standing commitment to protecting student-athlete well-being and the integrity of college athletics.

Educating student-athletes on the dangers of sports betting continues to be a key priority for the Association. EPIC’s sessions have been a crucial piece of this education since January 2022.

“EPIC has been a great collaborator for us in this space. Their lived experience education model is helpful for our student-athletes to hear stories about the pitfalls of sports betting from people who were once in their shoes as elite athletes. Protecting student-athletes, giving them the tools necessary to safeguard themselves from bad actors and maintaining the integrity of competition have been and will continue to be priorities for us,” NCAA President Charlie Baker said.

The NCAA and EPIC Global Solutions have partnered to educate over 80,000 student-athletes through in-person, experiential sessions at more than 270 campuses nationwide across all three divisions, making it the largest program of its kind globally.

The effectiveness of existing sessions has been demonstrated through postevent surveys, in which 96% of student-athletes and 98% staff members report that they have good or excellent awareness of the potential harms of gambling as a result of EPIC’s talks in the past year. Additionally, EPIC has hosted focus groups with student-athletes and staff to ensure that future sessions are tailored to the live needs of those active in NCAA sports.

The new agreement will allow NCAA members to receive in-person educational sessions fully funded by the NCAA national office through the end of 2027. Sessions will expand into topics like handling social media harassment, promoting competition integrity and the mental health impacts of sports betting.

“At a time of unprecedented growth of gambling in the USA, it is imperative that higher-risk populations receive high-quality education and awareness around the potential of harm. This will help to protect the student-athletes and also the integrity of the events. We applaud President Baker, and the NCAA as an organization, for prioritizing this program and committing long term to EPIC as the provider,” Paul Buck, CEO of EPIC Global Solutions, said.

The national office and representatives from member schools continuously work together to determine best practices for addressing the sports wagering landscape. The Association will continue to enhance and expand its offering of resources and initiatives to ensure the protection of student-athlete well-being and the integrity of college athletics.