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”. |
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.”
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.
Canada
Online casino with a Nordic twist enters yet another market as it continues to deploy its ambitious international expansion plans
Winlandia.com, the online casino brand with a distinctly Nordic feel, has made its debut in Canada as it continues to expand its reach into international markets.
Winlandia is celebrating ten years of Nordic excellence and is now available for Canadian players, with its website available in both English and French.
Canadian players will get a real sense of Finnish Sisu when they sign up to Winlandia for the first time with a generous welcome bonus that is up for grabs.
When it comes to depositing, Winlandia has a well-stocked cashier including Visa, Mastercard, MuchBetter, Paysafecard, Payz, AstroPay and of course, Interac.
Players can expect instant deposits and fast withdrawals, so they get their winnings without delay.
The cool Nordic vibes extend to the online casino lobby where players can explore a vast portfolio of more than 9,000 slot, table, instant win, bingo, Slingo, arcade and live dealer titles.
Just some of the providers available include Pragmatic Play, NetEnt, Microgaming, Red Tiger, Play’n GO, Blueprint Gaming, IGT, Scientific Games, Nolimit City and Evolution Gaming.
Winlandia players will be able to benefit from its Personalization Platform that was implemented at the beginning of last year. This means players will get individual game recommendations based on real-time data, a bit like Netflix but for casino games, not movies.
Canadian players can also enjoy some of the most generous promotions in the market, including Daily Picks which sees free spins and other bonuses added to their account each day.
They can also take part in thrilling slot tournaments and go head-to-head with other players and where if they place high on the leaderboard, there are big prizes to be won.
Winlandia is powered by SkillOnNet and has quickly emerged as a top online casino brand in competitive markets such as Finland, Denmark and the UK.
The team behind the site is confident that Canadian players will be drawn to its comprehensive offering and unique Nordic flavour.
Winlandia has extended its collaboration with its premium affiliate partner, Gambling.com, as their exclusive launch partner for the Canadian market. Via their site assets like Gambling.com/ca, players will get an exclusive offer of 100% up to $5,000 + 150 Free spins on Big Bass Bonanza.
Christoffer Grönlund, Head of Acquisitions & PR at Winlandia, said: “Players in Canada can now enjoy an authentic Nordic online casino experience that includes thousands of casino games from the biggest providers offered alongside generous bonuses and promotions.
“Despite being an international brand, localisation is very important to us and that’s why we implemented the payment method Interac to our cashier and ensure we have the most popular game providers for the Canadian market in our game lobby.
“Canada is a big market and one that we are incredibly excited to enter this market together with our Premium Affiliate Partner Gambling.com/ca. We truly believe that their high volume of quality traffic of players will enjoy what we have to offer at Winlandia.”
Gary Connolly, Senior Key Account Manager at Gambling.com Group, added: “I’m excited to welcome Winlandia Casino as they prepare for their Canadian launch.
“With 10 years of Nordic excellence and trust, a standout design, and an impressive portfolio of over 9,000+ games, Winlandia is well-positioned for success in this market. Following strong results in the UK, I look forward to a successful partnership in Canada, where their fresh player base offers great conversion potential.”
-
Canada7 days agoOnline casino with a Nordic twist enters yet another market as it continues to deploy its ambitious international expansion plans
-
eSports7 days agoPlayVS Announces Multi-year Partnership with Zenni Optical
-
Compliance Updates7 days ago4ThePlayer Games Secures Certification for the Brazilian Market!
-
partnerships6 days agoDelaware Park Converts from VizExplorer to Quick Custom Intelligence’s (QCI) Enterprise Platform
-
Latest News6 days agoBlokotech appoints Nicolas Castearena as Commercial Director LATAM
-
Canada6 days agoBCLC Launches “What’s played here stays here” Campaign
-
Latest News7 days agoConfut USA and BetExpo explore the football and iGaming market
-
Latest News7 days agoEugene Ravdin from SEOBROTHERS joins the SiGMA Awards Americas jury