NFL bettors continue to be bullish on the Buffalo Bills, especially in our home and native land.

Professional four-down football’s regular season opens tonight with a Super Bowl rematch between the league-champion Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots. For this edition, Gaming News Canada canvassed several operators offering wagering activity in Ontario and Alberta’s regulated markets and the betting patterns heading into the regular season were quite similar from the online sportsbooks responding to our inquiries.

Information provided by BetMGM, OLG’s Proline+ product and DraftKings, along with watching last night TSN’s NFL Season Preview Show powered by the network’ss official sports betting partner FanDuel paint a similar picture when it comes to Josh Allen and Co., who’ll play in the brand spanking new Highmark Stadium this season. (By the by, we raised a Spockian eyebrow when watching a Bills-centric segment on the TSN website only to see a Hard Rock Bet pre-roll ad appear before the FanDuel-sponsored segment.)

BetMGM media insights guru John Ewing emailed GNC to let us know that while the Los Angeles Rams are the most bet-on team to win the NFL championship in all markets including Canada, “we see more interest on the Bills to win the Super Bowl in Ontario/Alberta than in the U.S. In all markets, 8.1 percent of bets and 9.7 per cent of money is on the Bills to win it all. In Canada, 15.8 per cent of bets and 20.4% of money is on the Bills. Ewing also passed along that 37 per cent of bets and 61 per cent of money is on Buffalo to capture the AFC title while other markets lean towards the Denver Broncos.

OLG communications boss Tony Bitonti put on our radar a preseason odds boost being offered on Proline+ for the Bills to win the Super Bowl, although the Rams are listed as the favourites.

From Johnny Avello, the long-time dean of trading at DraftKings: “The NFL season always draws significant betting interest, and we expect to see robust engagement across Ontario and Alberta throughout the year. With high expectations for Canadian fan favorites such as the Bills, Lions and Seahawks, along with an action-packed schedule, there will be no shortage of compelling matchups for customers to follow and engage with on our platform.”

TSN sports betting expert Domenic Padula posted yesterday about the popularity of the Rams and Bills with FanDuel bettors in Ontario and Alberta.

Also from Proline’s trading team, courtesy of Bitonti:

• Sunday’s Jaguars-Browns game is a popular Week 1 game with 97 per cent of Proline+ customers taking Jacksonville.

• “Ontario’s other team”, the Detroit Lions, are a heavy favourite with Proline players in their season opener against the New Orleans Saints.

• Tonight’s Seahawks-Patriots tilt has attracted the most wagering on the over-under.

BetMGM is also touting more than 500 betting markets for each NFL game and expanded “cash out” options.

A dearth of information from operators and regulators makes it difficult to analyze the popularity of the NFL with sports bettors in Canada, the American Gaming Association announced last week that wagering on football is expected to be flat this season. Also, Eric Ramsey, has a terrific piece in The Closing Line that points to regulated football betting being “likely to contract this season for the first time in the post-PASPA era”. Ramsey points to tax increases in some states with regulated betting, and decrease in promotional spend by sportsbooks and, of course, the presence of prediction markets for the expected decline in wagering on football.

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FINTRAC’s latest monetary penalties come under criticism from Kinectify exec

On Sept. 3, just before breaking for the Labour Day Weekend, the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) announced it had issued two monetary penalties to provincial gambling outfits in Atlantic Canada.

FINTRAC reported it had hit the Nova Scotia Gaming Corporation (NSGC) with a $231,826 penalty on July 23 for three violations. FINTRAC said the NSGC:

1. Failed to report suspicious transactions where there were reasonable grounds to suspect they were related to money laundering.

2. Failed to develop and implement written anti-money laundering (AML) policies and procedures.

3. Failed to assess and document the risk on the above.

NSGC spokesperson Rachel Boomer told the Canadian Press, as reported by Devin Stevens, “there were two cases where reports were not issued to FINTRAC. She said the transactions were valued at $750 and $465 and there was no evidence of money laundering.”

In the other case, FINTRAC issued a monetary penalty of $399,712.50 on July 24 to the New Brunswick Lotteries and Gaming Corporation (NBLGC) for failing to “submit suspicious transaction reports where there were reasonable grounds to suspect that transactions were related to a money laundering or terrorist activity financing offence.”

Both the NSGC and NBLGC have paid their penalties in full.

GNC editor Steve McAllister reached out to Derek Ramm, the global head of advisory services at Kinectify Advisors for comment, and Ramm replied as follows:

“If the news reports are to be believed – the article you linked says the transactions in question were valued at $750 and $465 – then it seems to me that FINTRAC again is losing sight of the bigger picture,” Ramm wrote. “The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), of which Canada is a member, sets the minimum suspicious activity threshold at $3,000. Canada has not established a threshold but expending significant federal resources on a few hundred dollars seems a bit ridiculous.

“⁠These latest fines continue to demonstrate the fact that provincial lottery and gaming corporations are not the appropriate organization to be held responsible for anti-money laundering compliance and reporting. By my count, five Crown or First Nations agencies have received a penalty in the past year, and more will be coming. A quirk of Canada’s Criminal Code has created the ‘conduct and manage’ model, which translates poorly into the AML compliance world since most of these agencies have no interaction with customers and do not process the financial transactions. In addition, most Crown agencies have demonstrated that they simply aren’t up to the task and don’t prioritize financial crime prevention.”

Ontario, we have a failure to communicate

For the past month or so, your waffling editor-in-chief has been going back and forth so much on whether to pound the keyboard on this issue that we had to deal with a case of recurring vertigo.

Okay, the vertigo thing isn’t true. But we are going ahead with some thoughts on the shortcomings of leadership in Ontario’s regulated gaming industry when it comes to communications. That catalyst for our rant du jour? This X post – and this one - when the premier of the province expressed his gratitude for reporters not being present at a public announcement.

It also prompted us to go through the GNC archives and find an edition of the newsletter from 12 months ago when we offered some advice that leadership at the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and iGaming Ontario (iGO) should take on an expanded role in the conversation around regulated sports betting and online gaming.

Nothing has really changed and for now, we’ll put the blame on the people at the top – which would be the elected officials in the Douglas Ford government with a not-so-flattering silence-is-golden mandate. The premier suggesting there’s never been a more transparent government is hypocrisy of Mt. Kilimanjaro heights.

We place the blame at the feet of Ford and Co. because our experience with both senior executives and the communications staffs at the AGCO and iGO have been professional and cordial. When we have a question for our coverage of the industry, the communications teams respond in a timely manner and we’ve had respectful conversations over the past five years with Dr. Karin Schnarr, Dave Phillips, Brent McCurdy and Doug Hood at the AGCO, and with (former AGCO chaps) Joseph Hillier and Ben Valido at iGO.

That’s the good. The bad:

• Schnarr was hired in August 2023 as the commission’s CEO and registrar. Despite repeated requests, we’ve yet to have her join us on the Gaming News Canada Show. Meanwhile, Dan Keene has been our guest on the podcast twice since being placed in charge of the Alberta iGaming Corporation and named CEO in mid-May.

• When we were reporting on prediction markets in Canada last month, we reached out to the AGCO and iGO with a few questions. The AGCO’s communications person directed us to the Minister of Finance’s office and iGO steered us towards the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming office. The office in charge of gaming got back to us quickly. In Alberta, however, both AGLC and AiGC provided GNC with statements instead of directing us to the Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction’s office.

• The monthly market performance reports issued by iGO continue to be a source of frustration for media and industry stakeholders seeking more transparency around the numbers. Also, it’s a guessing game for reporters when the monthly reports become available since iGO stopped putting out news releases in the fall of 2024. (One member of the fourth estate told us this summer they put a reminder in their calendar every month to search for the market performance report.

• There’s a disappointing lack of activity on iGO’s communications vehicles. Five news releases since January 2025, not one X post since then, not one Instagram post since May 2025 although the organization does post in a somewhat-regular cadence on LinkedIn.

The regulating and conduct-and-manage organizations in charge of Ontario’s gaming industry are led by people with experience and expertise around the business of betting. At a time when there’s increasing scrutiny/criticism around problem gambling, advertising and marketing (including the promotion of fake online casinos on Instragram) and youth gambling, the voices advocating for a regulated industry are minimal. Also, it’s perplexing that with so many voices here in Canada and internationally lauding the Ontario model, the folks largely responsible for creating said model are kept under wraps.

Perhaps when a replacement is found for Stan Cho as the new gaming minister, a commitment to better communication will be made by way of removing the handcuffs from the people operating the industry on behalf of the provincial government.

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People on the Move

• Mira Mircheva is leaving Bally’s Corporation and her Chief Financial Officer position. Current president George Papanier will also serve as interim CFO.

• Jonas Ericson is named Chief Financial Officer at Avanti Studios.

• Michael Waterfield is appointed Chief Commercial Officer at Booming Games.

• Ruth Evans is the new Chair of the UK Gambling Commission, effective Sept. 30.

• The Western Canada Lottery Corporation promotes Adam Janssens to Vice President, Information Technology.

• Betty names Yulian Maslarski as Vice President of Live Ops for its UK business.

• Dror Damchinsky is appointed Vice President, Operational Excellence at Aristocrat Interactive.

• Midnite names Willie Lok as Vice President of Casino and Loyalty Products.

• Robert Christopher is appointed Vice President, Marketing at Fairmount Park Casino & Racing.

• Stuart Banks is departing Light & Wonder and his role as Managing Director, Global Partnerships.

• David Coletti is named Head of Global Research & Measurement at DAZN.

• North Star Network appoints Viviane Wirthmann as Head of Content.

• Louise Colclough, ex of bet365, joins Betfred as Head of Retail Compliance.

• Tamsin Suarez is named Legal Counsel at Relax Gaming.

• BetMGM appoints Darren Lynch as Senior Director, Commercial Revenue.

• Lauren Orwoll joins Sportradar as Senior Director, People Partnering, Corporate Functions & Talent Acquisition.

• Simone Gambardella, ex of PG Esports, GGTech Entertainment and Dentsu Creative Italy, joins SportFive as Senior Director, Global Brand Partnerships, Gaming & Esports.

• Mitch Bloch has a new gig at DraftKings as Director, Analytics. Jordan Moore is promoted to Social Marketing Specialist and Madison Hentosh is promoted to Senior Social Marketing Associate. Cole Koeppel is now Senior Associate, Busines Development (Teams & Leagues).

• Former SIS head of competitive gaming product Peter Camden is named Director of Fast Betting Content at Oddin.gg.

• Lance Xuereb joins Play’n GO as a Global Account Director.

• David Bearman joins the United Football League as a Sports Betting Strategist.

Classified (Jobs) Information

On the Home Front

• In the city below Terra Cotta, Legend is hiring a Vice President, Product – Sports.

• There’s an opportunity at Pinnacle for a Senior Software Engineer.

• In Victoria, Blastworks is searching for a Senior Product Manager (Games/Live Ops).

• Bet99 is looking for an IT Systems & Security Administrator.

• The folks in charge of finance at Loto-Québec are seeking a Financial Operations Administration Technician.

• Canucks Sports & Entertainment is hiring a Vice President, Ticket Sales & Service.

• The OHL Brampton Steelheads are on the lookout for a Manager, Brand Partnerships & School Programs.

On the South Side of Lake Ontario

• Wanted at MGM Resorts International: an Executive Director, Tech Gaming Compliance.

• Caesars Entertainment is searching for a Lead Game Server Developer, iGaming.

• In New York, DAZN is hiring a Senior Paid Media Manager.

• There’s an opening at IGT for a Manager, Business Unit Finance.

• In Jacksonville, Fla., Paysafe is seeking a Product Manager.

• Wanted by the NFL Players Association: a Senior Director, Strategy and Operations.

• Among the current job postings at Bauer Hockey/Cascade Maverik are several marketing positions around social media and content creation.

• In Los Angeles, Lululemon is looking for a Senior Manager – Influencer Marketing.

Across the Ponds

• DraftKings has an opening in London for a Sportsbook Operations Senior Associate.

• Rhino Entertainment is on the lookout for a Treasury & Finance Specialist.

• EPIC Global Solutions is in the market for a Senior Finance Manager.

• Fanatics has an opening in the UK for an Editor.

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Reading and Reflecting

1. Tom Nightingale of Canadian Gaming Business sets the table for next month’s scheduled Supreme Court of Canada hearing into cross-border online gaming between Alberta and Ontario.

2. While we continue our efforts to have Richard Rawlinson join us on the Gaming News Canada Show, the managing director of DAZN Bet Canada did the Q and A thing with Yogonet.

3. Royal Vegas Casino joined the roster of regulated gaming websites in Alberta last week, bringing the number to 30.

4. The North American expansion of Games Global’s business includes Alberta.

5. A whole lot of free gas was pumped into cars at gas stations in five cities across Ontario and Alberta last week, courtesy of DraftKings’ Gameday campaign.

6. Speaking of DK, it has expanded its partnership with IC360.

7. Data released by the Bank of America Institute shows a sharp hike in online betting users this summer with Gen Z and Millennials responsible for 88 per cent of online betting activity in July.

8. Regulus Partners guy Dan Waugh pointed out the “elementary problems” with data released by the UK Gambling Commission.

9. American sports media personality Bill Simmons has learned his lesson from proxy betting.

10. Stefan Velikov of Gambling News examined the increase in American women dealing with problem gambling.

11. Paddy Power, reported the Racing Post, is closing up to 100 betting shops in the UK.

12. A case of premature compensation delivered by Kalshi from the Michigan-Western Michigan gridiron thriller on Saturday.

13. Politico’s Declan Harty delivered a thorough catch-all on the “nationwide brawl” between U.S. states and prediction markets.

14. The USTA’s new partnership with Kalshi incurred the wrath of long-time tennis scribe Ben Rothenberg.

15. The U.S. Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority has suspended a trainer after two of his horses tested positive for a banned substance while an investigation into unusual betting is ongoing.

16. ESPN’s Doug Greenberg went deep in reporting on NFL survivor pools.

17. Last week, Polymarket brought aboard Maria Sharapova and LeBron James as brand ambassadors.

18. Circa director Jeffrey Benson took the blunt route in an X post about prediction markets.

19. Continent 8 Technologies and Nutanix have expanded their technology partnership.

20. Dan Bernstein of Sportico has the details on Kalshi removing injury-related wagers from its sports offerings, at the request of the CFTC.

21. News Monday morning that Genius Sports is a partner in a new athlete-led sports media company.

22. Just before layoffs were reported on the UK side of the business, bet365 continues to grow its American footprint, announcing Monday a partnership with the Washington Capitals, Wizards and Mystics.

23. Erik Gibbs of NEXT.io reported that Star Entertainment is being closely watched by Australian gambling operators for below-average standards around responsible gaming.

24. Speaking of NEXT.io, Rory Calland reported on a . . . umm. . . report that suggests prediction markets are going to give regulators challenges when it comes to staying on top of things.

25. In a Labour Day edition of his Straight to the Point newsletter, Steve Ruddock called for stronger oversight of prediction markets south of Lake Ontario.

26. Bill Speros, tapping the letters on the keyboard for RotoWire, spent an hour interviewing Kalshi boss Tarek Mansour.

27. There’s another player joining the prediction markets. . . er. . . . market.

28. The University of Cincinnati has been cleared of wrongdoing in the Brendan Sorsby affair.

29. High Roller Technologies will begin next week testing of its prediction market product.

30. The union that represents New York Times journalists has a beef with a potential partnership between Kalshi and The Athletic.

31. Comedian/actor Kevin Hart has another endorsement deal in the gaming industry, with Pragmatic Play.

32. There’s a legal cage match going on between gaming influencers in the U.S. of A.

Stay up-to-date with the latest news by following us on LinkedIn and Twitter, ensuring you never miss out on breaking updates.

To discuss our coverage of your company’s news and announcements and to become an advertiser on Gaming News Canada, please contact steve@gamingnewscanada.ca.

On a new episode of the Gaming News Canada Show presented by Bede Gaming, Harley Redlick makes his return for a conversation with host Steve McAllister.

These days the Executive Director of the Canadian Addiction Recovery Association, Redlick explained the services provided by CARA – including its partnership with Connex Ontario - and the work he’s been doing since joining the organization in the spring.

Redlick also spoke about recent media coverage of youth gambling in Ontario, Massachusetts, the Netherlands and Sweden along with new(ish) programs by the Responsible Gambling Council to educate high-school students about the potential dangers of gambling. That led to a discussion about advertising and the use of athletes by sportsbook and online gaming operators in Ontario, where the Alcohol and Gambling Commission changed regulations around that use in 2024 and the lessons learned from four-plus years of regulated gambling in the province with Alberta’s regulated market approaching its two-month anniversary this weekend.

Finally, McAllister asked Redlick about the Osgoode Certificate in Gambling Law program he launched with lawyer and gaming industry veteran Don Bourgeois. The program will be offered again this fall with registration currently taking place.

Is your igaming platform truly driving your digital growth? Choose a provider that aligns directly to your ambitions. Click here to find out what other global operators have to say about the unparalleled partnership of Bede Gaming.

Worth A Watch & Listen

Our most popular Gaming News Canada shows from the past few months.

• The human cost of gambling in Canada 🎙️ 🎥

• How AI and regulation Are reshaping sports betting and iGaming 🎙️ 🎥

• Can Wealthsimple disrupt Canadian iGaming through prediction markets?🎙️ 🎥

• Canada’s gaming media roundtable dives into Alberta’s launch, PlayAlberta and Ontario’s evolving market🎙️ 🎥

• Is Alberta Canada’s biggest iGaming opportunity yet?🎙️ 🎥

• Inside Alberta’s Historic Gaming Market Launch with AiGC CEO Dan Keene🎙️ 🎥

• Alberta Goes Live: Inside Day One of Canada’s new gaming market🎙️ 🎥

Alberta’s move to a regulated iGaming model on the 13th July of this year represents a significant step forward for Canada’s digital gaming market, setting clear expectations for robust identity verification, fraud prevention and compliance from day one.

As the market takes shape, you can be confident you’re working with a proven partner. We already support more than 65% of licensed operators in Ontario, helping them meet FINTRAC‑compliant KYC requirements at scale, without compromising speed or player experience.

For more on GBG Plc, visit our website.

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As a partner of SBC, Gaming News Canada is offering a 30% discount code on VIP passes AND conference, networking, and business passes. Visit the summit website and use the PARLEHPARTNERVIP code when you register.

Stay up-to-date with the latest news by following us on LinkedIn and Twitter, ensuring you never miss out on breaking updates.

To discuss our coverage of your company’s news and announcements and to become an advertiser on Gaming News Canada, please contact steve@gamingnewscanada.ca.

One of North America’s biggest brands in the gambling game is taking it slow and steady when it comes to its strategy for Ontari-ari-ari-o.

Gaming News Canada learned yesterday morning that Fanatics has soft-launched its online casino product, becoming the 49^th operator to join the province’s regulated market. The company, which currently has its igaming offerings available in Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, has no timeline for launching its sportsbook here.

“We led with casino because it’s fastest to market. We will follow with sports,” Conor Grant, a 30-year veteran of the gambling industry who was hired by Fanatics two years ago to lead the igaming business, told Gaming News Canada.

Fanatics has been on almost everyone’s radar to come to Ontario since the province gave the green light to regulated gambling in April 2022. Grant told us there’s a method to the methodical approach.

“We only launched a (online) casino in January 2024,” he said. “When we launch our products, we want to make sure we get into the market for testing. There’s a large casino market in Ontario and Alberta with some really good operators and competitors there.

“We want to get our product into tip-top shape.”

For now, Fanatics Casino is offering, “hundreds of games across live dealer slots and table games” from well-known suppliers including IGT PlayDigital, Evolution and Playtech, with more to come.

Of course, we asked Grant about Fanatics’ plans for Alberta.

“That’s something we will do in 2027, and that’s all I can say right now,” was his response.

Opening your digital doors with igaming makes an awful lot of sense in Ontario, where – as Dave Briggs writes a little lower in this dispatch – last month 80 per cent of handle came from online casinos. For Fanatics, a known entity across Canada thanks in large part to its jersey partnership with the National Hockey League’s 32 teams, and a notable collectibles enterprise, there’s already brand recognition in the marketplace (as the Ivey leaguers say).

So, don’t expect to see a wave of advertising and marketing until later in the year.

“We have a lot of brand trust and equity, and we’re well-recognized in sports,” Grant said. “What we bring into this market is a challenger-brand proposition we believe will cut through.”

Fanatics, according to Grant, understands that a copy-and-paste approach to Ontario isn’t a winning strategy in one of the world’s most competitive regulated markets.

“We’ve seen in our research that if we treat this like our American business, we won’t be successful. You have to make sure the proposition resonates with Canadian customers.”

“We’re not treating Ontario as a 51^st state.”

Asked about the company’s player safety strategy, Grant pointed to Fanatics being among the first gambling operators in the U.S. to ban the use of credit cards. He added that the casino product has in place the iGaming Ontario-mandated BetGuard self-exclusion program.

“It’s hugely important you take a very responsible approach to how you grow and scale your business,” he said. “We want to do the right thing by our customers.”

As we were putting the finishing touches on the newsletter, the latest Eilers & Krejcik Gaming Betting Market Monitor landed in our inbox, pegging Fanatics as an “ascendant challenger” in the online sports betting space and wrestling for the No. 3 spot with BetMGM behind FanDuel and DraftKings.

Is your iGaming platform truly driving your digital growth? Choose a provider that aligns directly to your ambitions.

Click here to find out what other global operators have to say about the unparalleled partnership of Bede Gaming.

Saskatchewan extends online gambling agreement with First Nations

If you had a futures wager on the provincial government in Saskatchewan launching regulated gambling between now and 2029, we’re sorry.

The Scott Moe government announced Monday it has extended online gambling exclusivity to the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN), via the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA) for another three years, through September 2029.

“The gaming sector provides significant First Nations employment and supports economic development on- and off-reserve, while funding education, housing and many other priorities,” said Jeremy Harrison, the minister responsible for Lotteries and Gaming Saskatchewan. “Revenue-sharing arrangements agreed to in the GFA mean that both the province and First Nations in Saskatchewan have a vested interest in the success of the gaming sector.”

The deal also allows for a gaming centre pilot project on the Flying Dust First Nation in the northwestern end of the province. The project will allow for up to 49 slot machines.

According to SIGA’s 2025-26 annual report, mobile gaming accounted for 75 per cent of revenue, and the $31.6 million in gross gaming revenue generated by igaming was a 23.4-per-cent increase over the previous fiscal year.

Sports and entertainment won’t be regulated by securities/derivatives legislation: CSA

Well, that was quick, although we aren’t, in journalism parlance, putting a -30- on this story.

Less than 24 hours after reporting on the status of prediction markets in our home and native land, the Canadian Securities Administrators and Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization made public a “notice to provide guidance on the application of securities and derivatives legislation to certain products commonly described as event contracts, prediction contracts or prediction market contracts.”

The most relevant sentence in the CSA/CIRO release for the readers of this dispatch?

CSA staff’s view is that Event Contracts based on sports and entertainment events or outcomes should not be regulated within securities and derivatives legislation.

Canadian Gaming Association head honcho Paul Burns told us on a recent episode of the Gaming News Canada Show presented by Bede Gaming that, essentially, any activity around sports by a prediction market business is betting and should be overseen by gaming regulators.

“The Canadian Gaming Association welcomes today’s guidance from CSA and CIRO staff. It brings clarity to a question that matters a great deal to Canadian consumers, provincial governments, and the licensed gaming industry: sports wagering is sports betting, whatever the platform, and it belongs within the framework that provinces have built specifically to regulate it,” said Burns in a dispatch from the association.

Also:

Sports wagering carries risks that provincial gaming regulators are specifically equipped to manage. Robust know-your-customer checks, anti-money laundering controls, responsible gambling safeguards, and integrity monitoring to detect and deter collusion or match manipulation are not incidental features of a well-run sports betting market — they are the foundation of one. These protections have been built and refined over years by provincial regulators working directly with licensed operators, and they do not appear automatically simply because a product is labelled a “contract” rather than a “bet.”

The CGA has long held that sports wagering, in whatever form it takes, should be offered only through provincial gaming regulators, and that the framework governing a product should be determined by what it does, not by what it is called. Today’s guidance affirms that principle, as CSA and CIRO have drawn a clear and sensible line: the distinction between a sports contract and a sports bet should not be reduced to semantics.

In case you missed last week’s newsletter, a white paper created by Wealthsimple’s two senior legal beagles, the case was made for gaming regulators to steer clear.

. . . sports outcomes, should be assigned to gaming regulation while the rest stay under securities regulation. This is unworkable and does not reflect the structure of these contracts or markets. A contract on the outcome of a soccer match and a contract on the level of inflation are, mechanically, the same instrument. Each is a binary contract that derives its value from an underlying event, and each reaches a Canadian client through a chain of intermediaries.

Dividing up the regulatory oversight of derivatives instruments that operate in identical ways, and differ only by subject matter, is the wrong approach. It would be unprecedented in Canada. We do not operate in a system where securities issued by telecommunications companies or banks are regulated differently than securities issued by mining companies or technology companies. Securities are securities, and issuers must all follow the same set of rules, no matter the industry they operate in.

As of our deadline last night, we hadn’t seen a response from Wealthsimple to last week’s CSA/CIRO announcement.

The Logic’s finance reporter Claire Brownell, in a LinkedIn post, very nicely provided a trio of possibilities on what could happen next.

As of today, our . . . er. . . prediction is that Canadian stakeholders won’t take the same mud-packed path as its neighbours on the south side of Lake Ontario. Those waters were muddied even further last week with the legal wranglings around prediction markets likely headed to the Supreme Court and no end in sight to the fight between the gambling industry and PMs.

Oh yeah, and the NFL regular season is just around the corner.

Ontario online gambling market still exploding, sets revenue record for online casinos

More than four years in, Ontario’s online gambling market continues to boom, and online casinos are driving the explosion.

July figures released last week by iGaming Ontario show it was not only the second-best month in history based on gross gambling revenue, but the total of $413.6 million is also up more than $100 million – or 33 per cent – compared to July of 2025.

The record total of $425.4 million was set in December of 2025. July was the fourth straight month that exceeded $400 million and the seventh time in the last nine months.

Online casino revenue of $330.4 million in July was an all-time record for Ontario and accounted for 80 per cent of the total revenue in the month. It was the fifth straight month and the eighth time in the last 10 months that online casino revenue has $300 million.

Revenue for sports betting was $77.8 million in July, down marginally from $78.6 million in June. July is, typically, a slower month for sports betting. However, year-over-year, the July figure was up 48 per cent from $52.7 million in July of 2025. That is likely due to the World Cup being held this year in June and July. Still, the most recent month’s total is down significantly from the November through January period dominated by football, basketball and hockey. November of 2025 was the first and only time online sports betting revenue has exceeded $100 million.

Some other notable figures:

Year-to-Date (through July 2026 compared to first seven months of 2025)

• Total online gambling revenue of $2.7 billion up 26 per cent from $2.2 billion

• Total online casino revenue of $2.2 billion up 30 per cent from $1.7 billion

• Total online sports betting revenue of $533 million up 19 per cent from $449 million

Year-to-Date compared to the first seven months of 2023 (the first full year the market was open)

• Total revenue is up 118 per cent compared to January through July of 2023 ($1.24 billion)

• Online casino revenue is up 59 per cent compared to January through July of 2023 ($890 million)

• Online sports betting is up 69 per cent compared to January through July of 2023 ($315 million)

Lifetime totals:

• Total online gambling revenue: $12.97 billion

• Online casino revenue: $9.81 billion

• Online sports betting revenue: $2.9 billion

• Online poker revenue: $265 million

• Tax revenue from online gambling: $2.59 billion

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One month in: Reflections from Alberta’s newest regulated market

A month-plus after launching in Alberta, Betty is already seeing the value of entering Canada’s newest regulated iGaming market.

From conversations with players to community activations and day-to-day engagement, the first month has reinforced the importance of understanding local audiences while continuing to deliver an experience rooted in trust, transparency and responsible gaming.

While it’s still early days, Alberta has demonstrated many of the characteristics of a modern regulated market, giving operators an opportunity to build meaningful relationships with players from the outset.

“The first month in Alberta has reinforced the importance of listening,” says Andrea Stodart, Vice President of Marketing at Betty. “Every conversation with players, whether online or in person, helps us better understand what they value and where we can continue improving the experience.”

As Alberta’s regulated gaming market continues to develop, Betty says those early learnings will help shape its approach to future innovation, player engagement and long-term growth in Canada.

AGCO monetary penalties to operators now exceed $1.5 million

Thanks to a $100,000 monetary penalty issued last week to NorthStar Gaming, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has now issued more than $1.5 million in such penalties to online gambling companies since Ontario’s market opened in April, 2022.

As we reported last week, in the last 52 months, the AGCO has issued monetary penalties to 17 different operators. It also issued a five-day suspension, but no financial penalty, to PointsBet.

The $100,000 penalty to NorthStar Gaming (Ontario) Inc. was for “alleged failures to comply with provincial anti-money laundering (AML) requirements,” read a press release. It was the second monetary penalty NorthStar has been handed by the AGCO.

In the most recent case, “NorthStar Gaming’s own AML policies identified a player’s disclosed occupation as high risk and required the player to be classified as high risk and undergo Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD), including verification of source of funds, once the player’s lifetime deposits reached $25,000.

“The player opened an account with NorthStar in March 2024 and reached the $25,000 deposit threshold within the same month. Despite the player’s disclosed occupation and the threshold being reached, NorthStar did not classify the player as high risk, initiate the required EDD assessment or verify the player’s source of funds.

“The AGCO’s compliance review was prompted after the player was charged by police in connection with Project Outsource, a joint law enforcement effort targeting criminal activity, including extortion and violence, in the towing industry.”

The commission’s latest disciplinary act caught the attention of Derek Ramm, the global head of advisory services for Kinectify and a Canadian Gaming Association board member, whose LinkedIn post prompted some debate.

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People on the Move

• After 52 months in the Vice President, Brand & Marketing Officer’s chair at OLG, Maxine Chapman is leaving to become President and CEO at Destination Ontario.

• Fredrik Ogren is leaving Betsson Group and his Chief Technology Officer post.

• Former Continent 8 Technologies North American sales head Aidan Rees-Williams is appointed Chief Revenue Officer at Viadex Global.

• Oksana Tsyhankova takes her leave from Soft2Bet as Chief Commercial Officer to join Cyprus-based NDA in the same role.

• Booming Games appoint Michael Waterfield as Chief Commercial Officer.

• Josh Champion, ex of Betting Hero, is the new Head of Growth at PlayerProps.ai.

• Marissa Carbone Hayes is named Head of Marketing at GamesBeat.

• Tanya Kane has a new title at Flutter Studios as head of Studio Operations.

• Cecilia Scott is leaving the American Gaming Association and her role as Senior Director, Marketing & Industry Communications.

• Ian Rowe has a new title at BCLC: Director of Lottery.

• Paul Adams leaves his Senior Manager, Casino Operations role at BetMGM to join Hard Rock Digital as Director of Revenue for its Ontario enterprise.

• Jay Berger is promoted to Director of Product at FanDuel and Tom Winrow-Jones is named Director, Trading Operations & Protection.

• Jorge Morales is named Director of Americas at Games Valley.

• Graeme Savill is appointed Head of Business Development at Backseat Gaming.

• DraftKings appoints Caitlin Brosque-Hewitt as as Financial Crimes Investigations Senior Associate.

• David Del Bianco bids adieu to Playtech to become Money Laundering Reporting Officer at SuprNation.

• Fanatics promote Anil Ramchand to Senior Treasury Manager.

• Masooma Dhoajiwala is named a Responsible Gaming Officer at Momentum.

• Mike Breen joins the Editorial team at NEXT.io.

• Quinn Allen has a new position at Legend as an Editor with Sportsbook Review.

• Seth Waterhouse comes on board at Games Global as a Senior Market Strategy Manager.

• We Are Social introduce Josh Stein as Chief Creative Officer and Curtis Diggins as Group Director, Sport.

• The Hockey News appoints Shannon Ross as Deputy Publisher.

• USports, the national governing body for Canadian university sports, promote Tara Hahto from her current position as Director of Compliance and Eligibility to Chief Operating Officer.

Classified (Jobs) Information

On the Home Front

• There’s a remote opportunity for a Chief Compliance Officer to help a business with its work in Finland and Canada.

• Lahal Management has an opening in Coquitlam, B.C., for a Director, Compliance – Casino Management.

• FINTRAC Canada is hiring a 10-pack of Risk Oversight Analysts.

• The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario is searching for a Legal Counsel.

• Canadian media outlet The Logic is looking for a Manager of Client Partnerships.

On the South Side of Lake Ontario

• Wanted by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority: a Vice President of Digital and Content Marketing.

• FanDuel has room for a Senior Product Analyst at its New York offices.

• DraftKings has a remote opportunity in Massachusetts for a Lead Analyst, People Analytics.

• In Hollywood, Fla., Hard Rock Digital is hiring a Manager, Corporate Strategy – Hispanic Audience.

• Red Bull has a position available for a Senior Manager, Gaming Player Marketing.

• Microsoft is seeking a Senior Director, Gaming – Measurement and Insights.

• NFL HQ is on the hunt for a Vice President, Product & Design.

• In New York, Jomboy Media is hiring a Brand Sponsorship Manager.

• Wanted at The Seattle Times: a Sports Multiplatform Editor.

• Abe Madkour and the gang at Sports Business Journal are seeking a Reporter, College.

• Sports Illustrated in on the lookout for a Sportswriter to cover the WNBA and NCAA women’s hoops.

Across the Ponds

• Among the current openings at Betty are a Head of LiveOps, a Head of Payments, and a Head of AML, and also for a Senior Data Scientist.

• Relax Gaming in searching for a Head of Product.

• Entain is in the market for an AI Director and an AI Transformation Manager.

• Better Collective is looking for a Sales Director, Gaming, Esports & Sports Partnerships (UK & Europe).

• In Melbourne, BetMakers Technology Group is searching for a Marketing & CRM Specialist.

• In Gibraltar, BVGroup is hiring an E-Gaming Content Manager.

• TikTok has an opening in Israel for a Business Partnerships Lead (Gaming).

• West Ham United is in hiring mode for a Head of Content.

• The International Olympic Committee is seeking a Sports Data Specialist.

Reading and Reflecting

1. Just as we hit the Send button on the newsletter this morning, a media advisory landed in our inbox. “Toronto drivers can fill up for free today as DraftKings brings its Gameday Fuel initiative to Danforth Gas & Wash in Scarborough.

   DraftKings will provide free gasoline for passenger vehicles from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. ET, while supplies last.”

2. Mark Keast reported for Casino.org the pointed words from the elected official in charge of Alberta’s regulated market for the chair of the BCLC about his criticism of the Ontario and Alberta regulated gambling models.

3. In his just-released autobiography, Canadian media personality Rick Campanelli opens up about his addiction to gambling.

4. A nice bit of chronicling by Tom Nightingale on the most popular sports and online casino games in the early weeks of Alberta’s regulated market.

5. In his Not The Public Broadcaster blog, Bruce Dowbiggin points at sports betting as the catalyst for the end of “absolute” sports fandom.

6. Financial Post columnist Jack Mintz had an at-times confusing take on legal gambling in Canada and taxation. To clarify the situation in Ontario’s regulated market, the provincial government has in place a 20-per-cent gross gaming revenue share with operators (excluding OLG), which also pay federal and Ontario corporate income tax on profits.

7. Courtesy of Geoff Zochodne’s X account, Circa Sports boss Derek Stevens had an update on Canadian visits to Vegas.

8. ESPN gambling beat reporter David Purdum delivered last week a must-read feature on a University of Cincinnati student who became addicted to betting.

9. American sports media personality Bill Simmons admitted on his podcast last weekend to using his daughter’s boyfriend to place wagers – a no-no.

10. In the latest poll conducted by The Athletic, Zack Meisel reported on the experience of MLB players with backlash they receive from social media and betting buffoons.

11. It took longer than expected but the NFL has its sports betting partnerships in place for the 2026 season and beyond.

12. The Australian government is putting more teeth into its rules around sport integrity.

13. According to reporting and analysis by CNN, young American adults between 18 and 21 have traded an estimated $5.4 billion with Kalshi this year.

14. There’s new research in the U.S. that the number of diagnosed gambling disorder cases has risen more than 60 per cent in states with legal sports betting.

15. There’s reporting in New York Times on the road towards the elimination of skill games in Pennsylvania.

16. There was reporting of the exclusive variety Monday by Front Office Sports scribe Ben Horney of the United States Tennis Association’s new U.S. Open partnership with Kalshi. Count long-time tennis journalist and CBS 60 Minutes correspondent Jon Wertheim among the non-enamoured crowd with the announcement.

17. A PGA Champions Tour player was suspended last week for betting on. . . . golf. As my much, much better half says, you can’t fix stupid. By the by, Covers is tracking incidents involving athletes and betting on sports.

18. On a somewhat related note, can’t we all agree that offering bets on a sporting event played by children goes beyond the pale?

19. Kindbridge Research Institute has released a new report examining gambling behaviours and other issues among first responders in the U.S.

20. Scott Longley made a guest appearance on iGaming Business.com to do some keyboarding about the rise of the betting development “shop”.

21. It’s full steam ahead for DraftKings’ prediction markets product in California, where sports betting is verboten.

22. Speaking of DK, it has launched a new marketing campaign featuring Kevin Hart and Nick Jonas getting together for a road trip.

23. BetMGM’s new “It Happens Here” campaign features Don Draper/Paul Marks/Roy Tillman/Vice Admiral Cyclone Simpson/St. Louis Blues super fan.

24. Also, exclusive reporting from Fortune’s Camila Grigera Naon on DraftKing co-founder Matt Kalish receiving a multimillion-dollar marketing deal from the operator for his new business.

25. Daniel O’Boyle reported for InGame on BetMGM’s new app containing a few features from prediction markets.

26. Dave Michaels of The Wall Street Journal has the latest on insider trading concerns on prediction markets.

27. Someone isn’t all that excited about the San Francisco Giants’ partnership with Kalshi.

28. Jeff Edelstein dug deep for InGame into the ties between prediction markets and the business of sports betting information.

29. Fanatics is a little lighter in the digital wallet for its dealings in Colorado with a self-excluded gambler.

30. The owners of Bede Gaming are keen to do business in the land-based casino market in France.

31. Bet365 is up and running in West Virginia.

Stay up-to-date with the latest news by following us on LinkedIn and Twitter, ensuring you never miss out on breaking updates.

To discuss our coverage of your company’s news and announcements and to become an advertiser on Gaming News Canada, please contact steve@gamingnewscanada.ca.

On a new episode of the Gaming News Canada Show presented by Bede Gaming, investigative journalist/author Rob Csernyik joined host Steve McAllister.

Csernyik’s book A Losing Hand: The Human Cost of Canada’s Gambling Epidemic was released earlier this summer and is the result of his reporting on the economic and social consequences of gambling – and researching gambling-related suicides after being awarded a Michener-Deacon Fellowship for Investigative Reporting in 2022. The Nova Scotia native also recently tweaked a section of his book for a an op-ed piece in The Globe and Mail on gambling among Canadian youth.

McAllister asked Csernyik what motivated his work on gambling and his investigation into the links between gambling and suicide across Canada. The book also includes telling the history of gambling in this country and the role of governments in legalizing sports betting, casino gaming, lottery and online gaming.

Csernyik also spoke about the final chapter of the book - A Path Forward - which includes a call for “provincial and national stakeholders (to) create solutions to limit the human costs of gambling”.

Is your igaming platform truly driving your digital growth? Choose a provider that aligns directly to your ambitions. Click here to find out what other global operators have to say about the unparalleled partnership of Bede Gaming.

Worth A Watch & Listen

Our most popular Gaming News Canada shows from the past few months.

• How AI and regulation Are reshaping sports betting and iGaming 🎙️ 🎥

• Can Wealthsimple disrupt Canadian iGaming through prediction markets?🎙️ 🎥

• Canada’s gaming media roundtable dives into Alberta’s launch, PlayAlberta and Ontario’s evolving market🎙️ 🎥

• Is Alberta Canada’s biggest iGaming opportunity yet?🎙️ 🎥

• Inside Alberta’s Historic Gaming Market Launch with AiGC CEO Dan Keene🎙️ 🎥

• Alberta Goes Live: Inside Day One of Canada’s new gaming market🎙️ 🎥

Alberta’s move to a regulated iGaming model on the 13th July of this year represents a significant step forward for Canada’s digital gaming market, setting clear expectations for robust identity verification, fraud prevention and compliance from day one.

As the market takes shape, you can be confident you’re working with a proven partner. We already support more than 65% of licensed operators in Ontario, helping them meet FINTRAC‑compliant KYC requirements at scale, without compromising speed or player experience.

For more on GBG Plc, visit our website.

SBC Summit brings together the most senior decision-makers from across the global gaming industry, including operators, regulators, suppliers, affiliates, investors and media leaders.

As a partner of SBC, Gaming News Canada is offering a 30% discount code on VIP passes AND conference, networking, and business passes. Visit the summit website and use the PARLEHPARTNERVIP code when you register.

Stay up-to-date with the latest news by following us on LinkedIn and Twitter, ensuring you never miss out on breaking updates.

To discuss our coverage of your company’s news and announcements and to become an advertiser on Gaming News Canada, please contact steve@gamingnewscanada.ca.

If your humble correspondent had put aside a loonie for every time prediction markets have been mentioned in this weekly dispatch throughout the first eight months of 2026, we would have the monetary means to treat our much, much better half to a five-star dinner at Don Alfonso 1890 in T.O. And if we had deposited in our digital wallet another loonie for every time there’d been a lawsuit filed in the U.S. involving a PM, well . . .

The past fortnight or so we’ve reached out to several parties on this side of the border to try and deliver to our loyal readers as clear as possible a look at prediction markets in Canada – today and tomorrow. They are here now, although sports, politics and elections are verboten under the regulations set by the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO) and the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA, and overseers of the provincial securities commissions across the country). The Globe and Mail’s Alexandra Posadzki recently delivered a well-reported piece on the arrivals of PMs, Canadian style.

Unlike the chaos that prediction markets have unleashed in the U.S. (a phrase that rhymes with buster buck comes to mind), there appears to be a common-sense approach that will most likely lead to companies such as Wealthsimple being able to offer action around sports and entertainment. ICYMI, the financial tech/online brokerage business has released its Wealthsimple Predict app with back-end support from U.S. PM business Kalshi.

When Paul Burns joined us on a recent episode of the Gaming News Canada Show presented by Bede Gaming, the Canadian Gaming Association president/CEO pointed out that there’s a clear regulatory path regarding prediction markets here, unlike the quagmire in the U.S. involving federal and state governments, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and, of course, the current White House administration.

Gaming News Canada reached out to several stakeholders over the past three weeks about the regulation of prediction markets. The Canadian Securities Administrators wouldn’t get into specifics about whether it has had conversations/correspondence with Wealthsimple and/or other prediction market businesses and directed us to an advisory it posted back in April with the current rules around PMs.

Our email requests to speak with someone at Wealthsimple have gone unanswered. In Alberta and Ontario, the only two Canadian provinces with regulated online gambling, GNC contacted AGLC, the new Alberta iGaming Corporation, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and iGaming Ontario. The two Ontario agencies responsible for the province’s competitive market both passed the proverbial buck to the offices of the finance minister and the minister of tourism, culture and gaming.

From AGLC:

AGLC is committed to offering Albertans innovative choices while ensuring that operators are held to a high, regulatory standard. As the market continues to evolve, we are working with industry partners to determine where prediction markets and event contracts align with provincial gaming legislation.

The AiGC emailed GNC a statement from CEO Dan Keene:

“AiGC continues to follow conversations around prediction markets, and we look towards our regulators AGLC and ASC for any direction that may arise,” Dan Keene, CEO AiGC.

And this from the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming:

“We continue to monitor developments related to prediction markets along with reviewing the applicable legal and regulatory frameworks.

“To be part of Ontario’s regulated online gaming market, operators must enter into an operating agreement with iGaming Ontario and be registered with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario before offering games to players.”

The CGA has met with Wealthsimple and other businesses either offering or wishing to offer prediction markets. As Burns told us on the podcast, PMs are coming and there needs to be proper regulation of them.

“What’s gone on in the U.S. is that prediction market players are building their compliance and regulatory models as they go,” he said. “It’s like building a car on the freeway.

“I’ve seen some positive signs from Wealthsimple. They’re coming at it from a better place than some of the other players in the market, but they’re one, and there will be others. That’s why we need to have standards.”

Among the issues up for debate these days is regulating the sports side of prediction markets. In a recently released white paper authored by the company’s chief legal beagle and deputy general counsel, Wealthsimple makes it crystal clear its PM product should come under the purview of securities, and not gaming, regulators.

From the white paper:

“. . . . a gaming operator taking the other side of a bet against its customer does not pose such a risk to the financial system that derivatives data reporting is required, and gaming regulation is designed for that bilateral relationship. However, as noted above, prediction markets are not “bets” against a house. They are two-sided markets that require capital adequacy, segregation of funds, clearing integrity, and market surveillance. These are financial derivative risks, which securities regulators are uniquely equipped to manage. A gaming regulator has no framework for them.

This brings us to the specific proposal that certain contracts, such as those on sports outcomes, should be assigned to gaming regulation while the rest stay under securities regulation. This is unworkable and does not reflect the structure of these contracts or markets. A contract on the outcome of a soccer match and a contract on the level of inflation are, mechanically, the same instrument. Each is a binary contract that derives its value from an underlying event, and each reaches a Canadian client through a chain of intermediaries.

The CGA’s Burns sees it differently. “Sports should remain part of the gaming regulatory regime.”

Other issues include:

• Are securities commissions equipped to properly monitor/regulate putting down money on sporting events?

• Will there be protections put in place for safe use of these products?

• What are the parameters around this new type of gambling? Geoff Zochodne reported last week on a company called Volatility Shares that is “proposing exchange-traded funds that would invest in future contracts tied to indexes measuring NHL team performance.”

• There’s been a flurry of sponsorship deals in the U.S. involving prediction market operators and the sports industry – with the NHL and MLB taking the lead. Media companies continue to yearn for new streams of advertising revenue. There are sports betting operators now offering prediction markets in the U.S. including DraftKings, FanDuel and Fanatics. Will any/all of those factors influence a race to expanded prediction markets without the necessary guardrails in Canada?

We will continue to follow the proverbial bread crumbs that drop regarding this story.

Is your iGaming platform truly driving your digital growth? Choose a provider that aligns directly to your ambitions. Click here to find out what other global operators have to say about the unparalleled partnership of Bede Gaming.

CAMH study: Ontario youths report dramatic increase in online gambling

The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) is reporting that Ontario students are reporting slightly reduced rates of mental distress but, at the same time, indicated a dramatic increase in online gambling.

CAMH has conducted the Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey on students between grades 7 and 12 every two years since 197. The latest findings, released Monday, are from its 2025 survey and show 46 per cent of respondents reported a “moderate to serious level” of psychological distress in 2025. That’s serious, but it is down from 51 per cent in 2023.

Also down is reported alcohol and drug use. Students also reported they are waiting longer before trying alcohol or drugs.

The survey revealed, however, one in 10 students had placed online sports bets in 2025. That’s up sharply from one in 100 in 2017.

Also, almost one-quarter of students reported seeing or hearing advertising for online gambling sites every day.

About seven per cent of respondents reported betting money on gambling activities other than sports betting – such as online casinos or poker.

Finally, some 20 per cent of respondents said they had gambled in some fashion in the past year.

Lead investigator Hayley Hamilton said the increase in online gambling comes in the same time frame in which the province launched an open online market and, despite age restrictions on sites, “the students are finding a way to gamble.”

The 2025 survey included 11,108 students in grades 7 to 12 in 1,147 classes in 246 schools in 42 school boards. The students completed anonymous online questionnaires between December 2024 and June 2025.

AGCO operator fines since launch approaching $1.5 million

The latest fine issued by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) had us doing some quick math. The $70,000 fine issued on Aug. 20 to Booming Games (Malta) Limited, “after prohibited auto-play functionality was made available to Ontario players on multiple slot games for several months” pushes total AGCO fines since the open market launched in April, 2022 over $1.4 million to $1.405 million.

In the last 52 months, the AGCO has issued fines to 17 different operators. It also issued a five-day suspension, but no monetary penalty, to PointsBet.

Keep in mind, some of these monetary penalties may have been reduced or eliminated in the appeals process. These figures just reflect the AGCO’s original notice of penalties being issued for a variety of offences:

Date Operator Fine

03-May-22 BetMGM and PointsBet $78,000

30-Jun-22 DraftKings $100,000

25-Aug-22 Unibet $48,000

20-Apr-23 Bunchberry, Mobile Inc., LeoVegas $70,000

20-Jun-23 BV Gaming and Fitzdares $30,000

10-Aug-23 Apollo Entertainment $100,000

09-Nov-23 PointsBet $150,000

16-Oct-24 NorthStar $20,000

26-Mar-25 BetMGM $110,000

26-Jun-25 Casino Days $54,000

07-Oct-25 theScore $105,000

08-Jan-26 FanDuel $350,000

12-Feb-26 PointsBet 5-day suspension

06-Aug-26 Betty Gaming $120,000

20-Aug-26 Booming Games $70,000

TOTAL $1,405,000

As for Booming Games, the AGCO said the violation involved an Auto-play feature which, “allows a player to automatically play an online slot machine without the player having to manually initiate each spin. Ontario prohibits auto-play on slot games because removing the need for a player to actively initiate each wager can reduce opportunities to pause, assess their play and decide whether they want to continue gambling.”

According to Canadian Gaming Business reporter Tom Nightingale, Booming Games will not appeal the fine.

Alberta’s move to a regulated iGaming model on the 13th July of this year represents a significant step forward for Canada’s digital gaming market, setting clear expectations for robust identity verification, fraud prevention and compliance from day one.

As the market takes shape, you can be confident you’re working with a proven partner. We already support more than 65% of licensed operators in Ontario, helping them meet FINTRAC‑compliant KYC requirements at scale, without compromising speed or player experience.

For more on GBG Plc, visit our website.

Midnite hires former FanDueler to lead incoming Canadian business

Midnite is about to strike in Ontario.

OK, OK, perhaps a week away from the keyboard delivered a case of writer’s block. But we digress.

The UK sportsbook and casino operator wants to expand beyond His Royal Highness’s home – and Ireland – with a special focus on our home and native land. And it will do so with the help Dale Tang, who this week was named as Midnite’s general manager for Canada. Tang was a Day One’er with Dale Hooper and the gang at FanDuel Canada, leading the operator’s commercial, analytics and retention initiatives and being in the middle of FanDuel’s Alberta launch last month.

According to a news release that landed in our inbox yesterday: “Tang will lead Midnite’s Canadian market strategy, overseeing the operator’s plans to launch the brand in regulated Canadian markets, pending licensing approvals. His appointment represents an important step in Midnite’s international expansion as the company looks to build on its momentum in the UK and Ireland.”

“Dale’s appointment marks an exciting milestone in Midnite’s journey to disrupt the industry,” said Midnite founder and CEO Nick Wright. “The regulated Canadian market is a huge opportunity for us to expand beyond the UK and Ireland, and bringing Dale on board is a clear signal of our ambition to build a truly localized, next-generation sports betting and casino experience that puts player protection at the front and centre.”

From Tang, who will be based in Toronto, and before FanDuel spent three years at OLG:

“The opportunity to build something new in a market I know and care deeply about was simply too exciting to pass up. Midnite has established itself as a brand with a clear vision on how to deliver an exciting proposition for players. I’m looking forward to being a part of the team that helps establish Midnite as a responsible and trusted brand that resonates with Canadian consumers.”

According to reporting by David Bartram at Casino.org, Midnite has yet to receive its licence from the AGCO and AGLC. As of today, there are 48 operators delivering 83 online gambling websites to Ontarians and in Alberta there are 29 sports betting and igaming brands now up and running. Those numbers don’t include OLG and AGLC’s digital gaming products.

What Betty learned from meeting Canadians face-to-face this summer

For digital-first brands, some of the most meaningful player interactions don’t happen online.

This summer, Betty connected with thousands of Canadians through activations at Rock the Park, Bluesfest and sampling events across Alberta. Each event reinforced the importance of meeting people where they are, creating opportunities for authentic conversations, answering questions and introducing the brand in a more personal way.

Rather than focusing solely on reach, Betty views in-person events as an opportunity to better understand player expectations and strengthen connections that extend beyond a single interaction.

“As a digital-first brand, some of our most valuable conversations happen face-to-face,” says Andrea Stodart, Vice President of Marketing at Betty. “Meeting players at community events gives us a deeper understanding of what resonates, what questions people have and how we can continue creating experiences that feel approachable, transparent and relevant.”

As Canada’s regulated gaming market continues to evolve, those real-world conversations are helping inform how Betty approaches marketing, community engagement and the overall player experience.

Fanatics coming to Ontario

More than four years after Ontario launched an open, regulated online gambling market, big names are still choosing to enter the sector.

The latest is Fanatics. Tom Nightingale reported for Canadian Gaming Business that Fanatics has been approved by the AGCO and will enter the Ontario market after completing an operating agreement with iGaming Ontario.

Once it does, it will become the 49th operator while providing the 84th legal online gambling platform in the province.

People on the Move

• Corey Goodman has the “interim” removed from his Chief Executive Officer’s title at NorthStar Gaming. Chin Dhushenthen resigns as Chief Financial Officer and Ben Powell is named interim CFO. Also, former absolutebet exec Krisztina Kalla is appointed Vice President of Compliance.

• We reported a fortnight or so ago that Lindsay Slader was departing GeoComply. The former GC veep announced last week she’s joining UBank as Chief Growth Officer.

• Karen Moorhouse will walk away at month’s end from her Chief Executive Officer position with the International Tennis Integrity Agency.

• Ana Vrabic Verdir is appointed Group Chief Executive Officer at Hacksaw Gaming.

• Francesco Rodano says arrivederci from Playtech and his Chief Sustainable Gambling Officer post.

• Alon Eshed is named Chief Commercial Officer at Aloplay.

• High Roller Technologies appoint Thomas Scaria as Chief Product Officer.

• Eric Thomson is the new Senior Vice President of Marketing & Partnerships at Churchill Downs Racetrack.

• Finnish operator names Craig Armes as Executive Vice President, Gaming Technologies.

• Former FanDuel executive Fiona Power is the new Chief Commercial Officer for The Unit. Mark O’Hare is promoted to Chief Revenue Officer.

• Light & Wonder promotes Stacy Phillips to Senior Vice President, Global Operations & Supply Chain.

• Fanatics appoints Mike Swisher as Vice President, Media Strategy.

• Taylor Gebron is promoted to Vice President, Trading at Betr.

• Aristocrat Interactive appoints Alice Timson as Vice President, Aggregation.

• ALT Sports Data promotes Emily Reyes to Vice President, League Solutions.

• Craig Turner will leave Entain and his Head of Studio role at the end of next month.

• Stephen Welch is named as Head of Advertising at iGaming News and Roxanne Harding comes on board as an Editorial Assistant.

• Aiden O’Sullivan is named Head of Business Development at OpenBet.

• Genius Sports appoints Alexis Zinberg as Director of Global Events and Angela Hoye as Vice President, Communications. Also, Jessie Cooper is named Senior Vice President, AI & Platforms.

• Savannah Davis is the new Director of Business Operations at OpTic Gaming. Grace Tye is named Manager of Partnership Activations.

• Giannis Papakonstantinou is appointed Director of Sportsbook Product at Altenar.

• Pawel Blazejewicz is named AI Enablement & Adoption Lead at Continent 8 Technologies.

• Allie Rask bids farewell to the Responsible Gambling Council and her Senior Program Analyst role.

• Ryan Whelpley is appointed Corporate Counsel, Gaming Regulations at DraftKings. Christopher Paquin comes aboard as Financial Crimes Specialist.

• Monish Bhambhani, ex of PointsBet, joins Blazesoft as a Senior Product Manager.

• Neal Bellinger has a new role at Hard Rock Digital as Manager of Fraud Analytics.

• Former Uber veep Travis VanderZanden joins Polymarket as Chief Growth Officer.

• Robbie Middlestadt bids adieu to BetMGM and his role as Senior Digital Marketing Associate to join Google as an Account Strategist.

• Former SBCer Erin Gallagher joins Press Box PR as a B2B Account Director.

• Adam Kaufman is hired by USA Today to lead its sports betting coverage.

• Ex-Nike director Daniel Switzer is named Vice President, Global Marketing at MLB HQ.

Classified (Jobs) Information

On the Home Front

• Big gig alert at Woodbine Entertainment for a Vice President, Marketing, Brand Content and Live Experiences.

• Wanted by the Responsible Gambling Council: a Director, Prevention Programs and a Senior Manager, CRM & Audience Operations.

• There’s an opening at iGaming Ontario for a Senior Advisor, Strategy and Corporate Affairs.

• FanDuel has an opportunity in Toronto for a Communications Senior Associate.

• In Toronto, Entain is hiring an AML/ATF Compliance Officer – Canada.

• The Alberta iGaming Corporation is searching for a Cybersecurity Analyst and a Junior Accountant.

• The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario is seeking an Information Management Lead and a Specialist, Payroll and Benefits Administrator.

• DraftKings has a spot available for a Sportsbook Operations Senior Associate.

• Bet99 is looking for an Affiliate Associate.

• The Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority is seeking a Data Analyst.

• Red Bull Canada is on the hunt for a Brand Specialist, Events & Creative.

• The Globe and Mail is hiring a Reporter to cover stories around the impact of artificial intelligence on the world.

• Reuters has a hybrid opening in Toronto for a Sports Reporter.

• There are several job postings with Bauer Hockey/Cascade Maverik Lacrosse.

• The Edmonton Oilers are hiring a Team Reporter and Producer.

• Wanted by the Ottawa Senators: a Senior Fullstack Developer.

• True Sports is in need of a Creative Designer.

South of the Border

• DraftKings has an APB out for a Vice President, iGaming Revenue Operations and is also looking for a Senior Associate, Digital Casino Partnerships.

• Aristocrat is seeking a Vice President, Data Science.

• ProphetX has a hybrid opportunity for a Director, Solutions Engineering.

• Riot Games wants to hire in Los Angeles a Principal, Growth Lead.

• BetMGM is searching for a Senior Gaming Analyst.

• Hard Rock Digital is in the market for a Senior Manager – Social Media.

• DraftKings is on the lookout for a Senior Associate, Digital Sports Partnerships.

• In Vegas, Caesars Entertainment has an opening for a Product Compliance Manager.

• Better Collective is hiring a Manager – Affiliate Partnerships, U.S.

• Wanted at NBA HQ: a Senior Manager, Gaming Product & Creator Programs.

• DAZN has a hybrid opportunity in New York for a Chief Editor.

• Puma is searching for a Senior Director, Global Entertainment & Influencer Marketing.

• In New York, Minute Media is seeking a Senior Product Manager, Consumer Growth & Fan Engagement.

Across the Ponds

• Legend is looking for a Group Head of Finance.

• In Sliema, bet365 has an opening for a Head of In-House Games.

• NEXT.io is searching for a Director, Artificial Intelligence.

• Betty has a whole bunch of openings on its London team.

• Boyle Sports has a hybrid position available in Ireland for a Safer Gambling Officer.

• Genius Sports has an opportunity in London for a Product Marketing Manager, Betting.

• The International Testing Agency in Lausanne, Switzerland, is hiring an Intelligence Analyst.

SBC Summit brings together the most senior decision-makers from across the global gaming industry, including operators, regulators, suppliers, affiliates, investors and media leaders.

As a partner of SBC, Gaming News Canada is offering a 30% discount code on VIP passes AND conference, networking, and business passes. Visit the summit website and use the PARLEHPARTNERVIP code when you register.

Reading and Reflecting

1. Your collegial dispatcher was Mike Eppel’s guest on the In This Economy podcast for a chin wag about the business of gambling in the true north strong and free.

2. On the one-month anniversary of Alberta’s new market, the AiGC delivered some thoughts and layers from head honcho Dan Keene.

3. There’s an update from Covers journalist Jori Negin-Shecter on the Douglas Ford government’s strategy for casinos in the Niagara region.

4. The August 17 King’s Plate delivered some bullish metrics on the betting side for Woodbine Entertainment including a $1.24 million win pool.

5. Canadian Gaming Business chronicler Tom Nightingale interviewed Pure Casino Entertainment boss Brad Belhouse about the company’s entry into Alberta’s regulated igaming market.

6. For now, NorthStar Gaming CEO Corey Goodman told Nightingale, the company’s business is focused on strengthening its Ontario operations.

7. Speaking of Nightingale, he caught up with some igaming advocates south of the border for an update on efforts to expand legal sports betting and online gaming.

8. Speaking of which, the never-ending chase of regulated online gaming in New York continues to be of the elusive sort with no end in sight.

9. In its interim Q2 report, Better Collective announced “broad-based growth” led by North America and the men’s World Cup also delivering an expected boost in revenue.

10. Joe Streeter of iGaming Expert caught up with Bet99 boss Jared Beber and asked him about Alberta and channelization.

11. Davis Giangiulio and Ananya Chetia did the double-byline thing for CNBC reporting on hedge funds joining the prediction markets maze.

12. Political writer David Moscrop had a Substack piece about sports betting now being used by Gen Zers as an “investment” strategy.

13. FanDuel is a little lighter in the digital wallet, compliments of Iowa’s gambling regulator.

14. Steve Ruddock, in his Straight to the Point newsletter, summarizes the ham-handed handling of prediction markets so far by the Commodities Futures Trading Commission.

15. A Gallup poll reveals Americans are betting less than they did a decade ago. The aforementioned Ruddock provided his own thoughts on the survey.

16. There’s a report now available courtesy of Taylor & Francis on “understanding funding-related bias in gambling research”.

17. Casino Reports journalist Brian Joseph has a five-part series looking at money laundering in Nevada.

18. Good reading from Covers guy Geoff Zochodne on the overwhelming number of options available in the U.S. today for sports bettors.

19. Speaking of worthy perusing, we recommend Marcus DiNitto’s weekly wagering roundup for Gambling Insider.

20. ESPN’s David Purdum had reporting on an investigation by the U.S. Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority into unusual betting on five races in New Jersey and New York.

21. Luke Miller reported for The Federalist on money being spent by online gambling operators in advance of U.S. state elections.

22. Everton footy player has been charged with violating the UK Football Association’s betting rules.

23. You’ll need a subscription to read Neil Clark’s op-ed for The Spectator making the case for betting shops in the UK.

24. Earlier this month, the IRS put out a news release that linked illegal gambling offences to $126 million in laundered money over the past 12 months.

25. Fanatics is getting together with the NFL as an official sports betting partner.

26. Speaking of the NFL, Yahoo senior sports betting analyst has a fun read on the biggest winning wagers over the past eight years.

27. A second investigation has been opened into the alleged betting activity of a former Arizona Cardinals scout.

28. Bet365 this week unveiled its new “We know betting” marketing campaign.

Stay up-to-date with the latest news by following us on LinkedIn and Twitter, ensuring you never miss out on breaking updates.

To discuss our coverage of your company’s news and announcements and to become an advertiser on Gaming News Canada, please contact steve@gamingnewscanada.ca.

On a new episode of the Gaming News Canada Show presented by Bede Gaming, host Steve McAllister took a virtual trip down under to speak with Waterhouse VC’s Chief Investment Officer, Tom Waterhouse.

Waterhouse, whose family has been involved in the business of betting for more than a century, spoke about his own personal path through the industry and what led him down the road from a 20-year-old bookmaker in 2003 to delivering value for investors through the gambling industry and authoring the regular Waterhouse VC Update on NEXT.io.

Among the topics discussed was the current state of the global economy and its impact on the sports betting and gaming industry, the shifting sands of regulated gambling jurisdictions, the role of artificial intelligence within the industry, and Waterhouse’s take on Ontario and Alberta’s regulated markets. And oh yeah, we asked Waterhouse to weigh in prediction markets.

Is your igaming platform truly driving your digital growth? Choose a provider that aligns directly to your ambitions. Click here to find out what other global operators have to say about the unparalleled partnership of Bede Gaming.

Worth A Watch & Listen

Our most popular Gaming News Canada shows from the past few months.

• Can Wealthsimple disrupt Canadian iGaming through prediction markets?🎙️ 🎥

• Canada’s gaming media roundtable dives into Alberta’s launch, PlayAlberta and Ontario’s evolving market🎙️ 🎥

• Is Alberta Canada’s biggest iGaming opportunity yet?🎙️ 🎥

• Inside Alberta’s Historic Gaming Market Launch with AiGC CEO Dan Keene🎙️ 🎥

• Alberta Goes Live: Inside Day One of Canada’s new gaming market🎙️ 🎥

Alberta’s move to a regulated iGaming model on the 13th July of this year represents a significant step forward for Canada’s digital gaming market, setting clear expectations for robust identity verification, fraud prevention and compliance from day one.

As the market takes shape, you can be confident you’re working with a proven partner. We already support more than 65% of licensed operators in Ontario, helping them meet FINTRAC‑compliant KYC requirements at scale, without compromising speed or player experience.

For more on GBG Plc, visit our website.

Stay up-to-date with the latest news by following us on LinkedIn and Twitter, ensuring you never miss out on breaking updates.

To discuss our coverage of your company’s news and announcements and to become an advertiser on Gaming News Canada, please contact steve@gamingnewscanada.ca.

On a new episode of the Gaming News Canada Show hosted by Bede Gaming, host Steve McAllister welcomed back the Global Gaming Director for GBG Plc, Rebekah Jackson.

Jackson spoke with McAllister about GBG’s involvement in the launch of the new regulated gambling market in Alberta, including a conversation she had with AGLC Chief Regulatory Officer Dave Berry back in May at the SBC Summit Canada. GBG also has some early numbers on the work it’s doing in the western Canada province. GBG, which has also been a very active participant in Ontario’s regulated marketplace, is also lending a hand to operators preparing for launches in Finland’s incoming regulated sports betting and online gaming industry, and other countries.

Also discussed was GBG’s latest products, including Loquate, and the company’s work in other sectors around the world. And, not surprisingly, that segment included much talk about the use of artificial intelligence.

Is your igaming platform truly driving your digital growth? Choose a provider that aligns directly to your ambitions. Click here to find out what other global operators have to say about the unparalleled partnership of Bede Gaming.

Worth A Watch & Listen

Our most popular Gaming News Canada shows from the past few months.

• Can Wealthsimple disrupt Canadian iGaming through prediction markets?🎙️ 🎥

• Canada’s gaming media roundtable dives into Alberta’s launch, PlayAlberta and Ontario’s evolving market🎙️ 🎥

• Is Alberta Canada’s biggest iGaming opportunity yet?🎙️ 🎥

• Inside Alberta’s Historic Gaming Market Launch with AiGC CEO Dan Keene🎙️ 🎥

• Alberta Goes Live: Inside Day One of Canada’s new gaming market🎙️ 🎥

Alberta’s move to a regulated iGaming model on the 13th July of this year represents a significant step forward for Canada’s digital gaming market, setting clear expectations for robust identity verification, fraud prevention and compliance from day one.

As the market takes shape, you can be confident you’re working with a proven partner. We already support more than 65% of licensed operators in Ontario, helping them meet FINTRAC‑compliant KYC requirements at scale, without compromising speed or player experience.

For more on GBG Plc, visit our website.

What Ontario’s experience can teach Canada’s next regulated market

More than three years after the launch of Ontario’s regulated online gaming market, the industry has evolved significantly. Increased competition, greater player choice, and enhanced responsible gaming measures have helped shape one of North America’s most closely watched iGaming jurisdictions.

For Betty, those lessons are especially relevant as Alberta prepares to open its own regulated market.

“Ontario has shown what’s possible when operators compete on product, experience, and player trust,” says Chavdar Dimitrov, CEO of Betty Gaming Canada. “The market has matured considerably over the past three years, and we’re excited about the opportunity to bring those learnings to Alberta as the province prepares to enter its next chapter.”

As Canada’s regulated gaming landscape continues to evolve, operators, regulators, and players alike will be watching closely to see how Alberta builds on the foundation Ontario has established.

Stay up-to-date with the latest news by following us on LinkedIn and Twitter, ensuring you never miss out on breaking updates.

To discuss our coverage of your company’s news and announcements and to become an advertiser on Gaming News Canada, please contact steve@gamingnewscanada.ca.

The King’s Plate, one of Canada’s great sporting and gambling events, will go to post Saturday at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, and the 167^th edition has a favourite that is sure to be popular with the fancy hat crowd.

On Tuesday at the draw for the $1 million race, Luster was installed as the even-money favourite in the 12-horse field to be contested over 1 ¼ miles on the main tapeta tracks. That Luster is both grey and a filly taking on boys should make her a sentimental favourite, too. Those are two soft spots for those that follow the ponies.

Luster is trained by three-time Plate-winning trainer Josie Carroll, a woman who is enshrined in the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame. The filly will be ridden by John Velazquez, the leading jockey in racing history with earnings approaching $527 million.

She also has an everyman’s back story courtesy of her breeder, Ravi Sugrim of Ottawa, who bought Luster’s dam (mother) for just $3,500, bred her to a two-time Breeders’ Cup champ and ended up with a filly that has already won the $750,000 Woodbine Oaks, the top race in the nation for fillies.

As betting handle is the main source of funding for horse racing in Canada, the King’s Plate is especially important in driving wagering. It is the single biggest wagering day on the Canadian horse racing calendar. It also drives the most attendance.

Last year, more than $17 million was wagered on the Plate card, the third-highest total in history. The massive Woodbine grandstand was also sold out to watch Mansetti win for trainer Kevin Attard, the father-son ownership team of Bill and Al Ulwelling and 20-year-old apprentice jockey Pietro Moran. Woodbine Entertainment has released its own “official wagering menu” for Saturday’s race.

(Full disclosure on this next part: I am the communications person for Ontario Racing, which represents the province’s horse racing industry.)

Horse racing, the original gambling game in Canada, is now facing stiff challenges for the wagering dollar in competition with online gambling in Ontario and Alberta.

Yet, in Ontario alone, live horse racing is still conducted at 14 racetracks and supports some 18,000 jobs. Based on Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) numbers, the horse racing industry in Ontario annually injects over $1.9 billion to the Ontario economy and provides approximately $330 million in provincial taxes. Horse racing drives economic activity in dozens of communities across the province, particularly in rural areas where economic opportunities may be limited.

That’s why the industry was pleased recently to receive a $35 million boost in funding in each of the next five years from the Ontario government. That money is strongly aligned with the government’s declared mandate to support jobs in Ontario.

That, in part, helps support terrific, homegrown sporting and gambling events such as the King’s Plate, which is older than the Kentucky Derby.

Is your iGaming platform truly driving your digital growth? Choose a provider that aligns directly to your ambitions. Click here to find out what other global operators have to say about the unparalleled partnership of Bede Gaming.

Betty responds to $120,000 fine handed down by AGCO

Online gambling operator Betty has responded to a $120,000 fine from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) announced on Aug. 6.

The AGCO issued the fine, “after failures in its age-verification and player eligibility controls allowed underage individuals to create online gambling accounts and, in several cases, deposit money and gamble on Betty.ca.”

A Betty spokesperson sent Gaming News Canada a statement that reads:

“In November 2025, we identified a vulnerability in our age-verification process that allowed some individuals under 19 to create an account. We reported it to the AGCO upon discovery and immediately closed the accounts. We have since implemented additional safeguards to strengthen our player eligibility controls and prevent such incidents.

“Betty Gaming Canada accepts the AGCO’s findings and the penalty issued. Our team remains committed to working with the AGCO to ensure Ontario’s regulated gaming market stays safe, and we will continue to invest in the systems and oversight needed to meet that responsibility.”

The AGCO reported that the glitch allowed nine individuals under the age of 19 to create accounts, deposit funds, and gamble on the site. An additional 14 underage individuals were able to create accounts but did not deposit funds.

Alberta’s move to a regulated iGaming model on the 13th July of this year represents a significant step forward for Canada’s digital gaming market, setting clear expectations for robust identity verification, fraud prevention and compliance from day one.

As the market takes shape, you can be confident you’re working with a proven partner. We already support more than 65% of licensed operators in Ontario, helping them meet FINTRAC‑compliant KYC requirements at scale, without compromising speed or player experience.

For more on GBG Plc, visit our website.

Taking a wee bit of a break

A heads-up to our loyal subscribers that there will be not a newsletter next week, so the Gaming News Canada editorial team can take a brief breather.

There will be a new episode of the Gaming News Canada Show presented by Bede Gaming landing in your inbox (or available for your viewing pleasure on the GNC YouTube channel) on August 18.

The Athletic’s hockey fan poll suggests not much betting, but concerns around integrity

The editor-in-chief of this dispatch will always be fond of media outlets that lean into its coverage of the sports world. We’re . . . sigh. . . old enough to remember the glory days of Sports Illustrated and publications such as The National and The Sporting News, and when newspapers sent an army of reporters, columnists, editors and photographers to the Olympics, and pro sports championship series involving their local sides.

But we digress.

The Athletic last week released the results of an NHL fan poll, having surveyed some close-to-21,000 lovers of pro puck in North America. The questions included whether it’s time for Gary Bettman to step away as league commissioner, if the fans are excited by today’s product and what the league can do to better promote its best players.

Not surprisingly, there were a couple of questions with sports betting bents:

The overwhelming “No” response by hockey fans asked if they wager regularly on NHL games is interesting given the commonly held belief these days that betting runs rampant through professional sports. We suggest the 58 per cent with concerns about the integrity of NHL games is on the same footing as other professional sports leagues, with the NHL, MLB, NBA and NFL all facing gambling-related messes involving players since 2021.

It also suggests there’s still work to be done by the leagues and the player associations when it comes to education on integrity for fans, athletes and other stakeholders in their respective sports.

SBC Summit brings together the most senior decision-makers from across the global gaming industry, including operators, regulators, suppliers, affiliates, investors and media leaders.

As a partner of SBC, Gaming News Canada is offering a 30% discount code on VIP passes AND conference, networking, and business passes. Visit the summit website and use the PARLEHPARTNERVIP code when you register.

People on the Move

• Bede Gaming Chair Michael Brady is hired by Brothers & Sisters as President of Gaming.

• Lou Kelly is calling it a career after 45 years in the gaming industry including his most recent gig as Senior Vice President, Sales, Casino & Gaming for TransAct Technologies.

• After 35 years at Atlantic Lottery, including the past five as Regional Director, New Brunswick-Prince Edward Island, Scott Grant is calling it a career.

• U.S. restaurant business Wingstop announced last week that Penn Entertainment CEO Jay Snowden is joining its Board of Directors. The announcement caught the attention of theScore’s founder and former boss John Levy.

• Kristi Hanney is promoted to Vice President, Deputy General Counsel at Mohegan.

• Gabi Star is appointed Vice President, Commercial Execution at Light & Wonder.

• Denys Koshel is named Vice President of Commercial Partnerships at Playson.

• Jordan He is named Director of Strategic Growth & Operations at Esports Canada.

• Gustav Alm leaves FDJ United/Kindred Group as Head of Strategic Planning and joins Stockholm company Mentimeter as Director of Strategy and Business Development.

• Sofia Bon is appointed Head of Account Management at GR8_Tech.

• Legend promotes Thomas Morrish to Global Head of FP & A.

• Stephen Orchard is leaving EveryMatrix and his position as Head of Commercial Operations (Slotmatrix).

• Chris Sieroty, ex of Vixio Regulatory Intelligence, is joining CDC Gaming as Managing Editor.

• Mike Smith is Light & Wonder’s new Managing Director, Asia.

• Kevin Corti is departing RAW iGaming and his role as Head of Game Design/Studio Manager.

• Tim Duckworth is out as Director of Live Events & Content at PokerGO.

• Frank Rinaldi, ex of Riot Games, is appointed Director & Chief of Staff at Netflix Games.

• Richard Fieldsend is joining Aristocrat Interactive as Senior Commercial Manager.

• Mircea-Alexandru Burcu leaves Betsson Group to become Senior Sportsbook Integrity & Control Analyst at LeoVegas Group.

• Red Bull UK appoints Courtney Raine as Esports & Gaming Manager.

• Gia Reece leaves Playtech and her role as a Site Manager.

• Alyson Pinkham has a new gig at DraftKings as a Communications Associate.

• Andrew Baker, ex of the Canadian Olympic Committee, is Alpine Canada’s new President and Chief Executive Officer.

• Sumit Arora has left MLSE and his position as Vice President, Strategy & Analytics after 11-plus years with the organization.

Classified (Jobs) Information

On the Home Front

• PointsBet Canada requires a Human Resources Manager.

• Bet99 is on the hunt for a Compliance Associate and an Affiliate Associate.

• Pinnacle has a hybrid opening in North York, ON for a Senior Python Developer and a Financial Reporting Analyst.

• The Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority is searching for a Manager of Marketing Operations.

• Atlantic Lottery is seeking a Manager, Development Services.

• The Responsible Gambling Council is looking for a Program Analyst.

• Kaizen Gaming is hiring a Key Account Manager in Toronto for its Betano business in Ontario.

• OLG has an opportunity for a Risk Monitoring and Intervention, Safer Gambling Student.

• PWHL HQ is looking for a Senior Director, Growth Marketing & Commercial Revenue.

• In Vancouver, there’s a hybrid opening for a Managing Editor, Daily Hive & City Lead.

• The PWHL Toronto Sceptres are in the market for a Media and Community Relations Manager.

• In Toronto, the Hockey Hall of Fame is hiring an Interactive Experiences Lead.

• Ontario Soccer is seeking a Manager, Video Content & Production.

South of the Border

• Bet365 is on a hiring spree for its offices in Denver.

• BetMGM has a partially hybrid gig available in the northeastern part of the U.S. of A. for a Director, AI Platform and Portfolio Delivery.

• Wanted by Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings: a Director, Corporate Gaming Operations.

• Caesars is looking for a Lead Game Server Developer, iGaming.

• Games Global has need of a Senior Partnership Manager.

• In Los Angeles, Puma is hiring a Senior Director, Global Entertainment and Influencer Marketing.

Across the Ponds

• Bet365 is on the lookout for a Data Engineer and a Regulatory Data Team Leader.

• Kinectify is seeking a Client Success & Support Specialist for its offices in New South Wales, Australia.

• Light & Wonder has a whole lotta openings with intermediate and senior positions available.

• Kaizen Gaming has a hybrid opportunity in Sliema for a Senior Compliance Officer.

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Reading and Reflecting

1. After Wealthsimple published a white paper last week with its thoughts for a “principled regulatory framework” for prediction markets in the true north strong and free, we asked Canadian Gaming Association president/CEO Paul Burns for his take on the latest Gaming News Canada Show presented by Bede Gaming.

2. With Bally’s and Pure Casino both live now, there are 27 gaming websites up and running in Alberta’s regulated gaming industry, which turns one month old tomorrow (Thursday). A LinkedIn post yesterday from Delta Casino veep Jason Karklins also let it be known that its IGT PlayDigital and Evolution products are now available in the western Canada province.

3. A bit of scoopage from Tom Nightingale yesterday that Fanatics has received a licence to thrill from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario.

4. According to Penn Entertainment boss Jay Snowden from the company’s Q2 results last week, theScore Bet’s Canadian business and Penn’s casino business are the key revenue drivers.

5. From DraftKings’ Q2 report last week: “Following the launch of our Sportsbook and iGaming offerings in Alberta, Canada, DraftKings is now live with its Sportsbook and iGaming offerings in provinces representing approximately 51% of the Canadian population”.

6. Meanwhile, the aforementioned Nightingale reported for Canadian Gaming Business that Super Group won’t rush to launch its Betway sports betting product in Alberta.

7. Also from Nightingale: Century Casinos not only doesn’t have plans to engage in Alberta’s regulated market, it’s selling off some of its assets.

8. Bet99 boss Jared Beber spoke with iGaming Expert reporter Joe Streeter about. . . you guessed it. . . Ontario and Alberta.

9. If you’re looking for a thorough summary of the legal gambling landscape in La Belle Province, we steer you to this piece on estrieplus.com.

10. Globe and Mail sportswriter Rachel Brady spoke with WTA players in Toronto for the National Bank Open about ongoing online harassment and the efforts by the women’s professional tennis tour to protect their athletes.

11. Gambling Insider journalist Robyn McNeil reported on questions around the relationship between the National Council on Problem Gambling in the U.S. and Kalshi, which includes a $2 million contribution to the NCPG.

12. As Dustin Gouker quoted DraftKings boss Jason Robins in The Closing Line, it’s full steam ahead for DK’s prediction markets business.

13. Genius Sports has added Kalshi and Polymarket to its partnerships portfolio.

14. In his Straight to the Point newsletter, Steve Ruddock had some thoughts about the “disruptor” comment from Kalshi CEO Tarek Mansour during a CNBC interview.

15. According to some digging by NEXT.io investigative reporter Zak Thomas-Akoo, Amy Howe’s severance package from Flutter Entertainment was a golden parachute and then some.

16. Speaking of Flutter, in case you missed it last week, there was a changing of the guard at the top of the executive suite.

17. And speaking again of Flutter, its FanDuel business is a little lighter in the digital wallet after Iowa’s gambling regulator issued a sports betting-related fine.

18. And, one more time with feeling. . . in this morning’s edition of Earnings + More, Scott Longley reports that Flutter is all in on PMs.

19. There was another round of layoffs at Catena Media last week. We wish the people affected by the job cuts the very best with finding their next position ASAP.

20. There was also a reduction in head count at Better Collective with its Latin American operations largely affected.

21. After taking a kick in the proverbial shins from the early weeks of the men’s World Cup back in June, New York sportsbooks recovered (more than) quite nicely in July.

22. Oddin.gg, which has been synonymous with esports, last week launched an online casino product.

Stay up-to-date with the latest news by following us on LinkedIn and Twitter, ensuring you never miss out on breaking updates.

To discuss our coverage of your company’s news and announcements and to become an advertiser on Gaming News Canada, please contact steve@gamingnewscanada.ca.

On the latest episode of the Gaming News Canada Show presented by Bede Gaming, host Steve McAllister caught up with Paul Burns. The Canadian Gaming Association president and CEO was in Calgary to meet with representatives from Gibraltar – including the country’s finance minister – who were in Alberta last week for a trade mission.

Burns spoke with McAllister about the one-month-old, regulated sports betting and online gaming market in the western Canada province, and the feedback he’s received on the process leading to the July 13 launch. The arrival last week of Bally Bet gives the new regulated jurisdiction some 26 websites and Burns expects more operators will join the market before Labour Day weekend.

McAllister also asked Burns about the CGA’s position on prediction markets as companies such as Wealthsimple are making their case to do business in Canada with oversight from provincial securities regulators and no interference by gambling regulators.

Layoffs at Better Collective and Catena Media last week are the latest to take place in a year that’s seen job cuts across the industry, so we asked Burns for his thoughts.

The CGA’s head honcho also looked ahead to a busy fall when the association will release a series of white papers on the industry and is also watching bills being debated on Parliament Hill around sports betting advertising and amending the Criminal Code and Indian Act with regards to gambling. Burns said the association is also continuing to advocate for changes to the rules and regulations around anti-money laundering in our home and native land.

Is your igaming platform truly driving your digital growth? Choose a provider that aligns directly to your ambitions. Click here to find out what other global operators have to say about the unparalleled partnership of Bede Gaming.

Worth A Watch & Listen

Our most popular Gaming News Canada shows from the past few months.

• Canada’s gaming media roundtable dives into Alberta’s launch, PlayAlberta and Ontario’s evolving market🎙️ 🎥

• Is Alberta Canada’s biggest iGaming opportunity yet?🎙️ 🎥

• Inside Alberta’s Historic Gaming Market Launch with AiGC CEO Dan Keene🎙️ 🎥

• Alberta Goes Live: Inside Day One of Canada’s new gaming market🎙️ 🎥

• Thoughts on Canada Day and celebrating major gambling milestones🎙️ 🎥

Alberta’s move to a regulated iGaming model on the 13th July of this year represents a significant step forward for Canada’s digital gaming market, setting clear expectations for robust identity verification, fraud prevention and compliance from day one.

As the market takes shape, you can be confident you’re working with a proven partner. We already support more than 65% of licensed operators in Ontario, helping them meet FINTRAC‑compliant KYC requirements at scale, without compromising speed or player experience.

For more on GBG Plc, visit our website.

What Ontario’s experience can teach Canada’s next regulated market

More than three years after the launch of Ontario’s regulated online gaming market, the industry has evolved significantly. Increased competition, greater player choice, and enhanced responsible gaming measures have helped shape one of North America’s most closely watched iGaming jurisdictions.

For Betty, those lessons are especially relevant as Alberta prepares to open its own regulated market.

“Ontario has shown what’s possible when operators compete on product, experience, and player trust,” says Chavdar Dimitrov, CEO of Betty Gaming Canada. “The market has matured considerably over the past three years, and we’re excited about the opportunity to bring those learnings to Alberta as the province prepares to enter its next chapter.”

As Canada’s regulated gaming landscape continues to evolve, operators, regulators, and players alike will be watching closely to see how Alberta builds on the foundation Ontario has established.

Stay up-to-date with the latest news by following us on LinkedIn and Twitter, ensuring you never miss out on breaking updates.

To discuss our coverage of your company’s news and announcements and to become an advertiser on Gaming News Canada, please contact steve@gamingnewscanada.ca.

From the Department of It’s Crazy This Needs To Be Said Out Loud, let’s start with this: Prediction markets should be strictly prohibited from offering contracts that allow people to trade on events causing human suffering or which may encourage human actions that may lead to suffering.

That should be obvious, but, sadly, it’s not, since there are still plenty of morally reprehensible humans willing to try to profit from such suffering.

And, yes, there’s a lot of grey in all this because, to a large degree prediction markets – even in the PM wild west that is the United States – are indeed prohibited from offering such contracts. But, that’s an easy workaround in a global world connected by the internet.

Technically, Polymarket did not allow U.S. customers to trade on the outcome of the devastating 2025 LA wildfires. But it did allow such trades on its offshore, global platform. So, it wouldn’t take a tech genius in either the U.S. or Canada to figure out a way to get in on the human-suffering action.

“I think morally reprehensible is a pretty great way to say it,” said Kaitlyn Trudeau on CBC Radio’s The Current on July 28 when asked about people trading contracts based around the LA wildfires. Trudeau is a California-based applied climate scientist at the nonprofit Climate Central.

“It just feels like very devoid of human empathy. I don’t think people necessarily are trying to be that way. But I think it’s unfortunately too easy for people to kind of put out of their minds that these are real people. This isn’t a game. You know, people are losing their homes, their lives, everything they’ve worked for in their entire life and their communities… It does feel very cold and heartless.”

As bad is the fact that such contracts can encourage reprehensible human behaviour in an attempt to profit.

Wildfire markets – while far from the worst contracts offered by the ghouls at some offshore prediction sites that sometimes take wagers on wars and deaths – are a great example. Wildfires can be started by humans, especially those with something to gain.

Hence why Canada needs to be very careful about what it allows prediction markets to offer.

As we reported in our newsletter item bemoaning the arrival of prediction markets in Canada, currently, three main areas are prohibited from being offered by prediction markets in Canada:

• Political event contracts – “The rationale is straightforward: political event markets create risks around manipulation, insider information, and democratic integrity,” said the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO)

• Contracts based on unlawful activities

• Sports and entertainment contracts — “Contracts based on sports outcomes, entertainment awards, or reality television results are not permitted. Regulators have determined these are closer to gambling than financial derivatives. Sports betting in Canada is regulated separately under provincial gambling frameworks.”

Prediction markets in Canada can legally offer:

• Economic forecasts – such as those contracts based on economic statistics

• Environment forecasts – i.e. contracts based on climate indicators related to the average global temperature

• Financial indicators — example: US 500 Forecast Contracts that settle based on the daily settlement price of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange

Of course, that’s how things stand today and is no guarantee of future policy. So, it’s yet another reminder that regulators need to tightly control and articulate what prediction markets can and cannot offer.

I’m not sure why anyone would wager a single penny on anything that can be easily manipulated, but I guess some people are not risk-averse.

A company that offers such markets offshore should be banned from operating in any capacity in either Canada or the United States. Full stop.

It’s sad we need to regulate human decency, but that’s exactly why laws exist.

Such decency always should trump that old saw from the prediction markets that their products are useful in helping people navigate a volatile world.

Is your iGaming platform truly driving your digital growth? Choose a provider that aligns directly to your ambitions. Click here to find out what other global operators have to say about the unparalleled partnership of Bede Gaming.

First Nations stand to benefit from increased gambling

Tom Nightingale had a good story in Canadian Gaming Business recently about how First Nations stand to benefit from a growing involvement in legalized gambling.

This comes mostly in growing First Nations ownership of commercial casinos in western Canada, but also from a direct two per cent cut of online gambling proceeds in Alberta and an encouragement from the provincial government for First Nations to get involved, directly, in online gambling by launching their own platforms.

A growing involvement in the gambling industry is one path to a sustainable future for Canada’s First Nations.

Former Loto-Québec chair, ex-BCLC boss debate public policy on LinkedIn

(Editor’s note: Greg Moore is the current board chair at BCLC. Our apologies for the omission.)

In a couple of recent dispatches, we’ve highlighted in the Reading and Reflecting section a couple of LinkedIn posts by former BCLC CEO Greg Moore. The latest one from Moore suggested “multibillion-dollar global corporations” offering sports betting and igaming through regulated and grey markets “may ultimately facilitate the transfer of Canadian gambling revenue, profits, data and economic value to foreign corporations, many of them based in the United States”.

Moore, who was interim president and CEO at BCLC between August 2019 and January 2021 and now owns a consulting business in Vancouver, also made the case for provincial lottery and gaming corporations:

“Canadian Crown corporations and provincially regulated gaming organizations return billions of dollars to governments to support health care, education, community programs and public services. They also employ Canadians, contract with Canadian businesses and operate within clear public-interest mandates.”

That post attracted a wave of comments, among them from Hélène Fortin, the former long-time chair of the board of directors (2008-2021) for Loto-Québec and a former member of the Canadian Senate. From Fortin’s response:

“I understand the privilege—and responsibility—of leading a provincial lottery corporation. That is why I was surprised by your comments regarding Alberta’s regulated iGaming market.

“Provincial governments establish public policy. Lottery corporations execute the mandates they are given. Those are fundamentally different roles.

“Alberta’s framework does not expand online gambling. Online gaming has existed for years, including in British Columbia. The policy question was whether that activity should remain largely outside a regulated framework or be brought into one that provides consumer protections, responsible gaming standards, regulatory oversight, and economic benefits for Canadians.”

Also:

“You also express concern about foreign ownership. Yet gaming has always been a global industry. Great Canadian Entertainment is U.S.-owned, and BCLC itself partners with international companies such as Bally’s, BetMGM, Scientific Games, and Kambi. That is the reality of today’s gaming industry, not a flaw unique to Alberta’s model.

“Reasonable people can disagree on public policy, but those debates should be grounded in facts. As Chairs of provincial lottery corporations, our responsibility is to govern our organizations and faithfully execute the mandates established by our respective governments—not to publicly criticize the policy decisions of neighbouring provinces.”

That prompted Moore to post:

“I agree that gaming is a global industry and that Crown corporations procure technology and services from international suppliers. However, there is an important distinction between procuring technology and designing a competitive market.

“It is also worth noting that BC gov. has publicly directed ministries, health authorities and Crown corporations to reduce reliance on U.S. suppliers and, where practical, prioritize Canadian procurement. As you correctly point out, Crown corporations implement the policy direction established by government, and B.C. Crown corporations have been expected to align their procurement practices with that direction where practical.

“That is why I believe it is reasonable to ask whether the same principle should also be considered when governments design the regulatory framework for online gaming. If “Buy Canadian” is an important public policy objective for procurement, should it also be a consideration when determining who ultimately benefits from Canada’s gaming market?”

Fortin also pointed to an economic contribution report commissioned by iGaming Ontario and produced by Deloitte in early 2024. Moore responded by posting a link to a research article published last month by Taylor & Francis on a “cross-provincial analysis of player and revenue channelization”.

You can bet this debate will continue.

Alberta’s move to a regulated iGaming model on the 13th July of this year represents a significant step forward for Canada’s digital gaming market, setting clear expectations for robust identity verification, fraud prevention and compliance from day one.

As the market takes shape, you can be confident you’re working with a proven partner. We already support more than 65% of licensed operators in Ontario, helping them meet FINTRAC‑compliant KYC requirements at scale, without compromising speed or player experience.

For more on GBG Plc, visit our website.

Can FIFA be trusted on match-fixing dismissal?

“I believe in integrity. Dogs have it. Humans are sometimes lacking it.” - Cesar Milan

We’re a little late to the proverbial party on this one. But. . . .

Given the actions of FIFA czar Gianni Infantino in 2026 – including the now-doomed business venture involving the brother of U.S. president Don Trump’s son-in-law – it’s damn near impossible to take seriously the global soccer organization’s claim that the men’s World Cup came and went without any “suspicious betting activity” or possible match-fixing around the tournament’s 104 watches.

That’s . . . umm. . . a different take than that of the Group of Copenhagen, which according to The Athletic flagged seven possible cases of match manipulation with ties to betting activity. You can read the full report, which included for the first time monitoring of prediction markets, here. And, for your reading pleasure, here’s the link to the FIFA Integrity Task Force’s report.

Back in 2018, Declan Hill wrote about match fixing at previous FIFA-sanctioned events. Wishing for purity in a sporting world in which you aren’t trying if you aren’t cheating or it’s win at all costs is sadly too often wishful thinking. FIFA’s long history of corruption, not delivering on promises and buffoonery (i.e. Fantino presenting Trump with a beyond-bogus FIFA World Peace Prize pre-tournament) makes it so damn difficult to believe the report from its internal integrity task force.

Perhaps we’ll be proven wrong (again).

Betty: Experience and trust in Canada’s next regulated market

As Alberta’s regulated iGaming market begins to take shape, Betty believes the industry’s next chapter will be defined by more than who entered first. In a new sponsored feature for Gaming News Canada, Betty explores why experience, trust and player confidence will ultimately shape long-term success in Canada’s evolving regulated market.

The article examines Betty’s expansion into Alberta, lessons learned from Ontario, and why building lasting relationships with players requires a commitment to transparency, responsible gaming and thoughtful product design from Day One.

Read the full article here.

Nightingale, Zochodne appear on latest GNC Show

Speaking of Nightingale, he and Covers’ senior news analyst Geoff Zochodne were Steve McAllister’s guests on the most recent Gaming News Canada Show.

Among many topics, the gambling journalists took a deep dive into Alberta’s recent launch and the potential future for the province’s PlayAlberta platform, the rise of prediction markets and the continued growth of the Ontario market.

You can listen to the show here or watch it here:

People on the Move

• Breaking news this morning that Peter Jackson is stepping down as Flutter Entertainment’s CEO and will be replaced by Dan Taylor.

• There was news Monday from Continent 8 Technologies with Mike Small’s appointment as Chief Executive Officer and Founder Michael Tobin moving into the Chair’s role.

• Patrick McHugh is retiring as Chief Executive Officer at Scientific Games after more than two decades with the company. Kevin Schneider has been named interim CEO.

• Antoine Jouteau is appointed CEO as Banijay Gaming.

• Lindsay Horricks is named Chief Operating Officer at iLottery Consultancy.

• Amy Santos, ex of Pragmatic Solutions, William Hill and The Rank Group, is named Chief Operating Officer at ThrillTech.

• Ex-Bede Gaming veep Jessica Marrs is the new Vice President, Player Experience at White Hat Gaming.

• Willie Lik bids adieu to Fan Duel and his Vice President of Product gig to join Midnite as VP, Product.

• Sarah Fox is joining the UK Gambling Commission to lead the Gambling and Lotteries team for the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Gaming.

• Simon Stojanovska is named Head of Partnerships at Quantum.

• Hannah McCune is appointed Head of Internal Audit and Assurance for Global Gaming Solutions’ new Audit & Assurance division.

• Kathryn Spry is leaving FanDuel and her role as Director of Technology Strategy and Operations. The company promotes Jason Donders to Director, Customer Marketing.

• Penn Entertainment promotes Emily Kananoja to Director of Customer Experience.

• Steven Flak joins IGT as Senior Manager, Talent Acquisition Operations.

• Games Global promote Abi Kermode to Product and Game Manager.

• Jared Weber joins FanDuel as a Sports Trader.

• Richard Course is leaving Stats Perform and his role as Senior VP, Rights.

SBC Summit brings together the most senior decision-makers from across the global gaming industry, including operators, regulators, suppliers, affiliates, investors and media leaders.

As a partner of SBC, Gaming News Canada is offering a 30% discount code on VIP passes AND conference, networking, and business passes. Visit the summit website and use the PARLEHPARTNERVIP code when you register.

Classified (Jobs) Information

On the Home Front

• There’s an opportunity in Toronto for a Vice President of Digital Marketing (iGaming).

• BCLC is on the lookout for a Senior Specialist, Corporate Security.

• Wanted by the AGCO: a Director, People and Culture Strategy, an Advisor, Operational Priorities and a Senior Application Developer (HRIS).

• iGaming Ontario is looking for a Risk Officer.

• Hard Rock Digital has a remote opening for a Senior Manager – Risk Operations.

• In the city below Creemore, Entain is hiring a CRM Executive to lend a hand to its Sports Interaction business.

• There’s an opportunity at Bet99 for a Quality Assurance Automation Engineer.

• The Toronto Star has a quartet of job openings in its newsroom.

• PWHL HQ has a remote opening for a Director, Content.

• Cossette Media is in hiring mode for a Director, Digital.

• The Canadian Olympic Committee is looking for a Product Manager, Digital Marketing.

• The Toronto Rock lacrosse franchise is seeking a Director of Ticket Sales and Service.

• Hamilton Sports Group has open a trio of coordinator roles.

South of the Border

• BetMGM is searching for a Senior Vice President, Transformation and AI Strategy and a Director, Risk and Payments Operations.

• In the Big Apple, Better Collective is hiring a Head of Marketing & Growth – Playbook.

• Light & Wonder is looking for a Game Producer.

• On Board Experiential is seeking a Vice President, Sports Marketing Strategy.

• USA Today has an opening for an NFL Deputy Editor.

• Front Office Sports is searching for a College Football Reporter.

Across the Ponds

• Armenia-based SoftConstruct is seeking a Head of People Analytics.

• LeoVegas Group is looking for a Safer Gambling Analyst – Nordics.

• There’s a hiring spree happening at NEXT.io.

• There’s a call for three senior executive-level gigs.

• Relax Gaming continues to be in hiring mode.

• There’s a remote opening in Bulgaria for a Senior Data Engineer.

• Esports business Oddin.gg has need of a Machine Learning Engineering Manager.

Reading and Reflecting

1. ConnexOntario executive director Nerin Kaur keyboarded an op-ed for The Trillium on the increase in calls since the opening of the province’s regulated gambling market in April 2022.

2. Count Rush Street Interactive among the operators bullish on Alberta, wrote Tom Nightingale.

3. Betsson Group has dotted the I’s and crossed the T’s on acquiring the Rhino Entertainment Group’s B2C business licensed in Canada – including CasinoDays – and a set of technology assets for its B2B operations.

4. A Calgary man told CBC reporter Salim Valji about his battle with gambling addiction and concerns with Alberta’s new regulated market.

5. BetMGM’s partnership with Marriott Bonvoy will now include Alberta.

6. Mkodo, proprietors the GeoLocs product, is getting together with Venture Labs to be look after geolocation compliance for its new online gaming platform in Ontari-ari-ari-o.

7. One-stop shopping courtesy of Geoff Zochodne on last week in prediction markets news.

8. Tom Nightingale reported for SBC Americas on lawmakers in Illinois trying to improve treatment of gambling disorders.

9. Gambling Insider reporter Gary McFarlane did some digging into Kalshi’s penny parlays and the news isn’t great for the people putting down those pennies.

10. Sportico’s Dan Bernstein reported on Kalshi’s ties to a social media account that is a frequent poster of anti-Black and anti-Muslim material.

11. An op-ed for InGame calls for sports betting critics to spend more time on the illegal market.

12. Brant James of Gambling Insider has the deets on the man in the middle of a court case around three illegal gambling messes.

13. Very, very good reading from ESPN columnist Dan Wetzel on the just-released The Betrayal of Shohei Ohtani documentary.

14. Reporting from Zak Thomas-Akoo of NEXT.io that BetMGM is increasing its investment in AI with plans to hire a couple of new leadership positions.

15. Reuters journalist Dawn Kopecki has the details on the rather significant amount of spending by the American sports betting industry ahead of the country’s midterm elections.

16. Of course, there are references to sports betting in a new report on sport from FGS Global.

17. DraftKings and Delta are getting together on a new free-to-play sports contest on flights within the U.S. of A.

18. Speaking of DraftKings, it is facing a lawsuit related to its new prediction market operation.

19. Aristocrat Interactive has a new iLottery platform up and running in Massachusetts.

20. Rob Fletcher of NEXT.io has the deets on the latest quarterly results for Light & Wonder, released this a.m.

21. Gaming operator Papaya has been whacked with a massive judgment in a false advertising tete-a-tete with Skillz.

22. The ATP Tour is the latest professional sports organization to partner with a prediction market provider (rhymes with Gollytarget. . . well, sort of).

23. Betway is all in with Manchester United on its latest sponsorship agreement.

24. Meanwhile, the New York Mets have hooked up with prediction market operator Novig.

25. ICYMI late last week, Underdog was acquired by IG Group.

Stay up-to-date with the latest news by following us on LinkedIn and Twitter, ensuring you never miss out on breaking updates.

To discuss our coverage of your company’s news and announcements and to become an advertiser on Gaming News Canada, please contact steve@gamingnewscanada.ca.

Watch a video of this podcast or listen on your preferred podcast app.

On a new episode of the Gaming News Canada Show presented by Bede Gaming, journalists Geoff Zochodne (Covers) and Tom Nightingale (Canadian Gaming Business/SBC Americas) were Steve McAllister’s guests for a wide-ranging discussion on what’s happening in the business of gambling.

The topics du jour included:

• Thoughts and layers from the three members of the fourth estate on the opening of regulated sports betting and iGaming in Alberta last month, and what’s to come in Canada’s second regulated gaming marketplace.

• The panel did some spitballing around potential suitors for AGLC-owned PlayAlberta.

• The ongoing Ontario market which recently welcomed DAZN Bet and Hard Rock Bet and continues with 48 operators and 82 websites in a regulated landscape that is frequently praised in other jurisdictions.

• The fast-moving prediction markets issue in the U.S. and what may come to our home and native land.Ready for expansion into Alberta? Set a solid foundation for your provincial growth with a SOC2 compliant full-service iGaming platform partner. Learn more at bedegaming.com.

Is your igaming platform truly driving your digital growth? Choose a provider that aligns directly to your ambitions. Click here to find out what other global operators have to say about the unparalleled partnership of Bede Gaming.

Worth A Watch & Listen

Our most popular Gaming News Canada shows from the past few months.

• Is Alberta Canada’s biggest iGaming opportunity yet?🎙️ 🎥

• Inside Alberta’s Historic Gaming Market Launch with AiGC CEO Dan Keene🎙️ 🎥

• Alberta Goes Live: Inside Day One of Canada’s new gaming market🎙️ 🎥

• Thoughts on Canada Day and celebrating major gambling milestones🎙️ 🎥

• Inside BetNova’s push into Canada’s regulated betting markets🎙️ 🎥

Alberta’s move to a regulated iGaming model on the 13th July of this year represents a significant step forward for Canada’s digital gaming market, setting clear expectations for robust identity verification, fraud prevention and compliance from day one.

As the market takes shape, you can be confident you’re working with a proven partner. We already support more than 65% of licensed operators in Ontario, helping them meet FINTRAC‑compliant KYC requirements at scale, without compromising speed or player experience.

For more on GBG Plc, visit our website.

What Ontario’s experience can teach Canada’s next regulated market

More than three years after the launch of Ontario’s regulated online gaming market, the industry has evolved significantly. Increased competition, greater player choice, and enhanced responsible gaming measures have helped shape one of North America’s most closely watched iGaming jurisdictions.

For Betty, those lessons are especially relevant as Alberta prepares to open its own regulated market.

“Ontario has shown what’s possible when operators compete on product, experience, and player trust,” says Chavdar Dimitrov, CEO of Betty Gaming Canada. “The market has matured considerably over the past three years, and we’re excited about the opportunity to bring those learnings to Alberta as the province prepares to enter its next chapter.”

As Canada’s regulated gaming landscape continues to evolve, operators, regulators, and players alike will be watching closely to see how Alberta builds on the foundation Ontario has established.

Stay up-to-date with the latest news by following us on LinkedIn and Twitter, ensuring you never miss out on breaking updates.

To discuss our coverage of your company’s news and announcements and to become an advertiser on Gaming News Canada, please contact steve@gamingnewscanada.ca.

In figures released today by iGaming Ontario (iGO), total gross online gambling revenue for June in Ontario was $400.6 million, down three per cent from May’s total of $413.1 million, which was the second best month in history.

June marked the sixth time total online revenue has topped $400 million – all coming in the last eight months. The total for the month was up 30.5 per cent year-over-year from $306.8 million reached in June of 2025.

Online casino revenue of $316.8 million in June was the fourth-best month in history, but the figure was down three per cent from the all-time record of $326.5 million reached in May.

Sports betting revenue of $78.6 million in June - which included the first three weeks of the men’s World Cup of Soccer - was also down three per cent from May ($81.3 million).

Online poker revenue of $5.2 million in June was down four per cent from May ($5.4 million).

Total online gambling revenue since launch – not counting the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation’s (OLG) numbers – is now more than $12.6 billion with nearly $9.5 billion (75 per cent) coming from online casinos, $2.8 billion (22 per cent) from sports betting and $259.7 million (two per cent) from online poker.

Total taxes in the 50 months since launch have now surpassed $2.5 billion to approximately $2.52 billion (20 per cent of revenue).

Ready for expansion into Alberta? Set a solid foundation for your provincial growth with a SOC2 compliant full-service iGaming platform partner. Learn more at bedegaming.com.

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Stay up-to-date with the latest news by following us on LinkedIn and Twitter, ensuring you never miss out on breaking updates.

To discuss our coverage of your company’s news and announcements and to become an advertiser on Gaming News Canada, please contact steve@gamingnewscanada.ca.

One measure of the health of the Canadian online gambling industry is the fact that new operators are still launching. That’s not surprising in Alberta, which just opened its regulated market on July 13, but it is less expected in Ontario, which has had an open sector for more than four years and was already home to some 80 different gambling platforms.

Recently, a couple of relatively big players opened up shop in Canada’s most populous province (16 million people and counting).

On July 22, Hard Rock Bet launched in Ontario, making it the first non-U.S. location where it operates. The company, which operates the casino in Ottawa, has separate apps for its online sportsbook and casino.

In a press release, Hard Rock Digital CEO Marlon Goldstein said: “We’re excited to introduce Ontario players to a premium entertainment experience that reflects the energy and service synonymous with the Hard Rock brand. And by investing in local talent, local partnerships, and localized customer support, we’re creating an experience designed specifically for Ontario players.”

On July 1, DAZN Bet launched in Ontario and has now also launched in Alberta. Canada is the first landing spot for DAZN Bet, which is well established in the UK, Germany, Italy and Spain. The broadcasting wing of DAZN is well known in Canada. Since 2017, the streaming network has been the home of NFL football.

“Canada is a market that values integrity and responsible play, and we are entering Ontario with a product that is designed for long-term sustainability,” said Valery Gelfman, CEO of DAZN Bet, in a press release. “We are committed to operating with a local mindset and a customer-centric approach.”

DAZN executives have spoken in the past about the opportunity to deliver sports and sports betting content on its streaming platform in regulated markets so we’ll keep an eye out for that.

The addition of Hard Rock Bet and DAZN Bet to Ontario means there are now 48 operators offering 82 different regulated gambling sites in the province. While the market has lost some operators since it opened – most notably Coolbet, Kindred Group’s Unibet brand, Fitzdares and, more recently, Toronto-based Rivalry – the fact that a few new players are still entering the sector when established operators had more than a four-year head start, shows some believe there is still a chance to carve out enough market share to be viable.

Meanwhile, in Alberta, Entain announced on Monday that all three of its consumer brands – BetMGM, Sports Interaction and Party Casino – have launched.

In an iGaming Europe story by Marta Sander, an Entain spokesperson was quoted as saying, “Alberta represents an exciting next step for regulated online gaming in Canada. Ontario demonstrated the benefits of a well-regulated, competitive market, and Alberta has the foundations to build on that success. With Sports Interaction, BetMGM and Party Casino, we are bringing a compelling, responsible and high-quality offering to players. We understand what customers expect and are ready to deliver.”

As of Tuesday, Alberta was home to 24 gambling sites (25 when you include AGLC’s PlayAlberta product) just 15 days after launch. It’s expected more will follow between now and the middle of October when the three-month grace period set by the Alberta iGaming Corporation comes to an end.

All of this shows Ontario and Alberta are viable places to do business, partly because both have created wide-open markets with fair taxation and regulation and the ability to offer more lucrative online casinos.

That has proven to be the best way for both provinces to lure unregulated sites into the regulated space, which was one of the key goals of regulating in the first place.

As we reported in our seven predictions for Alberta piece, that province is hoping for about 70 per cent of grey market sites to come into the regulated sector in the first year or so. Ontario is reporting 91 per cent of former grey market sites that once took bets from Ontarians have now regulated.

Ready for expansion into Alberta? Set a solid foundation for your provincial growth with a SOC2 compliant full-service iGaming platform partner. Learn more at bedegaming.com.

The case for Canada’s premiers to create a national strategy for online gambling

Geoff Zochodne had an interesting piece in Covers last week around Canada’s premiers gathering in Charlottetown for talks.

While much of the talks revolved around dealing with the latest tariff threats from the United States, one of the measures to attempt to deal with those threats was the announcement of a deal, of sorts, to strengthen inter-provincial trade by allowing the direct sale of alcohol produced in one province to be sold to consumers in another.

This had Mr. Zochodne thinking that the premiers’ time would have been better spent coming up with a national strategy for online gambling. As it is, where provinces stand on gambling is very different, which means the rules are very different from province to province as to what is legal.

Outside of Ontario and Alberta, the only legal sites are the provincially-run platforms that are often so woefully inadequate consumers are choosing, en masse, to gamble via unregulated sites. For example, nearly half of British Columbians report gambling via unregulated sites.

Wouldn’t it make more sense for the premiers to come together to establish common rules for regulating online gambling? In the face of economic threats, the provinces clearly need the money. But, more importantly, a national strategy strengthens Canada and makes much more sense to consumers.

Alberta’s move to a regulated iGaming model on the 13th July of this year represents a significant step forward for Canada’s digital gaming market, setting clear expectations for robust identity verification, fraud prevention and compliance from day one.

As the market takes shape, you can be confident you’re working with a proven partner. We already support more than 65% of licensed operators in Ontario, helping them meet FINTRAC‑compliant KYC requirements at scale, without compromising speed or player experience.

For more on GBG Plc, visit our website.

BetMGM, Betty release latest financial reports

Among the wave of financial results being released these days was Q2 numbers from Ontario/Alberta-licensed operators BetMGM and Betty.

While, as Rory Calland reported for NEXT.io, BetMGM’s revenue for the quarter had a slight year-over-year increase, profitability is down 15 per cent. CEO Adam Greenblatt made clear that the company continues to ride the coattails of its “market-leading iGaming” product. Some 70 per cent of BetMGM’s revenue comes from iGaming, which largely mirrors what we’ve seen in Ontario from four-plus years of regulated sports betting and online gamine – and what’s being predicted for the new market in Alberta.

BetMGM was among the Day One operators in Canada’s second regulated gambling marketplace, and the company is bullish on the exploiting the relatively easy back and forth between Alberta and Las Vegas available to customers of the online gaming business and its MGM properties. As Tom Nightingale posted on X, almost 10 per cent of new Alberta players already have ties to MGM Resorts.

Of note from the Betty Q2 report:

• Net revenue of $129 million, a 113-per-cent increase year over year

• $8.4 million in profits

• 167,000 active players (made at least one bet) for June

• 10,000 Albertans pre-registered with Betty, which went live in the new regulated market on June 13

In a LinkedIn post, Betty Canada CEO and co-founder Chavdar Dimitrov mentions a commitment to “securing the #1 position in the new market from the start”. If the Alberta iGaming Corporation follows the lead of iGaming Ontario in how much information is/isn’t released in its market performance reports, we will have no transparency when it comes to the contenders and pretenders.

World Cup, Canadian biz spark “return to growth” for Kambi

A men’s World Cup of Soccer hosted by Canada, Mexico and the U.S., combined with a new AI-driven trading system and new partnerships with provincial lottery and gaming corporations have the folks at Kambi feeling as if happy days are here again.

The sports betting technology company last week reported its second-quarter financials. Highlighted in the results were Q2 revenue enjoying a 13.5-per-cent hike from the same quarter in 2025; and an 18-per-cent trading margin on more than 100 million wagers globally during the FIFA footy fest.

“The 2026 FIFA World Cup was without doubt the biggest even in the sports betting industry,” said Kambi CEO Werner Becher during the quarterly earnings call. “We had a great product to match. Our AI trading system enables us and our partners to offer a near-limitless offering with an expansion in player props and combinability giving sports fans incredible choice.”

In the quarter, Kambi announced partnerships with Atlantic Lottery and BCLC to expand its presence across our home and native land. The company also signed a deal with Pure Casino to assist its business in Alberta’s new regulated market and is also powering Rush Street Interactive’s BetRivers product in the western Canadian province.

When Sarah Robertson joined us on the Gaming News Canada Show in May, Kambi’s chief commercial officer spoke about the company’s involvement earlier this year with OLG’s new digital and retail Proline products and building a better hockey offering ahead of the 2026-27 NHL season.

On last week’s call, Becher spoke about the integration of its AI trading system into its NFL product for the upcoming season.

GeoComply CEO Kip Levin makes GNCS debut

Host Steve McAllister spoke to GeoComply CEO Kip Levin about the opportunities presented by Alberta’s launch.

Apart from Alberta providing an attractive market, Levin and McAllister spoke about:

• The challenges to keep up with online fraudsters and scammers, especially with the ongoing evolution of artificial intelligence.

• The opportunities being provided by AI and other new technologies.

• The popularity of betting on the men’s World Cup of Soccer.

• The evolution of GeoComply some 15 years after being founded.

You can listen to the podcast here or watch it here:

Responsible gaming should be part of the player experience, not separate from it

As Canada’s regulated iGaming landscape continues to evolve, the conversation is increasingly shifting beyond market launches and operator expansion to a more important question: what defines a great player experience?

For Betty, responsible gaming isn’t a standalone feature or a compliance requirement - it is a core part of building an experience that players can trust. That means creating an environment where players have clear information, meaningful tools and the confidence to make informed decisions about how they play.

Recent Angus Reid Forum research commissioned by Betty reinforces the importance of trust in Canada’s regulated markets. In both Alberta and Ontario, trust was identified as one of the top drivers when players selec platforms, reflecting the role that regulated operators play in helping create a transparent and informed gaming environment.

As Canada’s regulated market continues to mature, responsible gaming should be viewed as more than a regulatory obligation. It’s an opportunity for operators to build stronger relationships with players by creating experiences that prioritize transparency, confidence and long-term trust.

At Betty, that philosophy continues to guide how the company designs its products, communicates with players and approaches growth across Canada’s regulated markets.

People on the Move

• After 30-plus years at AGLC, most recently as Chief Information Officer, Jay Redmond is bidding farewell.

• NuxGames appoints Mariia Baranova as Chief Operating Officer.

• Rory Kimber, ex of LuckyStreak, is named Chief Commercial Officer at 155.io.

• Charlotte Emery departs Entain and her role as Chief Marketing Officer.

• Simon Cox is named Chair of the British Horseracing Authority and David Wiliams is the new leader of the Horseracing Bettors Forum.

• Karen Whitworth will step down from the Board of Directors at The Rank Group at week’s end.

• Matt Davey is the new Chair of the Board for Bragg Gaming.

• Darren Neil has a new gig with GBG Plc as Head of Platform – GBG Go.

• Chris Hipkiss departs White Hat Gaming and his role as Chief Delivery Officer and joins Arrise as Vice President, Delivery – Slot Games.

• After seven years, the past two as Vice President, Product Marketing, Jessica Marrs is leaving Bede Gaming.

• Hard Rock Digital names Alex Koontz as Vice President – SEO & GEO.

• Todd Gerber has a new role at IGT as Vice President, Security & Risk.

• After almost 13 and a half years, the past five as Head of Casino Product, Miguel Queiroz bids adieu to BVGroup.

• EvenBet promotes Alena Skira to Head of Communications & Events.

• After almost 26 and a half years, the past six-plus as Senior Director, Marketing Gaming, Jennifer Bowman departs IGT.

• Denis Cutajar is named Director, Human Resources at Playnetic.

• Sportradar appoints Patrick Frech as Director, Strategic Accounts. Mitchell Barry is named Senior People Advisor – U.S. and Canada.

• Travis Fleisher has a new gig at Genius Sports as Director, Marketing AI Operations.

• White Hat Studios promote Cory Desmond to Director of Compliance.

• Laura Malaszowki joins PlayStar as Director of CRM.

• Jeremy McFarlane is named Assistant General Manager at Gateway Casinos and Entertainment in Sarnia, ON.

• Andrew Rocha joins DraftKings as Manager of Player Development, Canada.

• FanDuel promotes Race Bottini to Manager, Advanced Customer Analytics.

• Grant English joins the American Gaming Association as Manager of Government Relations.

• John Howes has a new role at OLG as Senior Training Specialist.

• After six and a half years, the past three years as VIP Senior Manager, Kathryn Hilbrich says goodbye to FanDuel.

• Makenzie Hollan joins Hollywood Casino Columbus as Marketing Manager.

• Paul Green comes aboard NEXT.io as an Evergreen Writer.

• Ex-DraftKings guy Patrick Minkin joins Global Payments as a Partner Activation Manager.

• Sai Praneeth Eranti is promoted by PointsBet to Senior Data Services Engineer.

• Front Office Sports names Ross Figlerski as Director, Creative Strategy.

• Former Sportsnet sales director Lorraine Bradshaw joins MEC as Director, Brand Partnerships.

Classified (Jobs) Information

On the Home Front

• OLG is in seek-and-employ mode for a Director, Category Management.

• There’s an opportunity in Toronto for a Senior Mobile Developer, React Native – iGaming.

• The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario is bringing on board a Director of Enterprise Data and Analytics, a Senior Law Clerk and is also seeking a Counsel.

• AGLC is looking for a Casino Licensing Specialist.

• Fanatics has several remote opportunities in Canada and in the country across from our borders.

• From the Dept. of We’re Not Making This Up. . . Penn Interactive is searching for an Incident Commander.

• Genius Sports is beefing up its Statistician Network on both sides of the border.

• FanDuel has a co-op availability with its Marketing and Communications group for the fall.

• With the Toronto Maple Leafs having said goodbye to longtime communications chief Steve Keogh, they’re now seeking a Head of Communications, Media Relations. The Leafs’ proprietors are also hiring a Specialist, Game Presentation.

• The Globe and Mail is seeking an Editor to lead its new Intelligence Unit. Canada’s national newspaper also has four journalism gigs – two in Toronto and two in Ottawa – up for grabs. The Globe is also adding two Digital Editors.

• Wanted by The Canadian Press: an Entertainment Reporter-Editor.

• PepsiCo is searching for a Senior Marketing Manager – Sports Partnerships, Better Together & Portfolio.

• Live Nation Entertainment has an opening in Toronto for a Social Media Manager.

• In Montreal, CCM Hockey is hiring a Senior Manager, Brand.

• Ontario Soccer is seeking a Manager, Competitions.

• Golf Canada is on the lookout for a Senior Coordinator, High Performance Sport.

South of the Border

• Wanted at Maryland Lottery: a Chief Revenue Officer.

• DraftKings is on the lookout for a Senior Manager, End User Computing, a Senior Associate, Digital Casino Partnerships, a Prediction Markets Manager and a Senior Social Marketing Associate.

• In Atlanta, FanDuel is hiring an Infrastructure Engineering Director.

• Hard Rock Digital has hybrid opportunities for a Senior Analyst, Fraud and an Analyst, Fraud.

• Riot Games has an opening in Los Angeles for a Director, Game Production.

• GBG Plc has an opportunity in the U.S. for a Sales Director – Enterprise (Loqate).

• Hard Rock Metropolitan Park Hotel & Casino has an opportunity for a Manager, Global Social Responsibility.

• In Santa Monica, CA, Activision is looking for an Associate Manager – Digital Marketing.

• Wanted by JPMorganChase: a Vice President, Risk Management, Global Financial Crimes.

• In New York, DAZN is looking for a Senior Affiliates Manager.

• The organizers of the LA28 Olympic & Parlaympic Games are seeking a Lead Producer, Sport Presentation.

• Major League Baseball is on the lookout for a Senior Counsel, Media Distribution.

• The Athletic has a remote opening for a Senior Manager, Video Production Operations.

Across the Ponds

• In Gibraltar, FDJ United is hiring a Head of UK Compliance and MLRO.

• Softswiss has an opportunity for a Head of Security, Business Partnering.

• Wanted at NEXT.io: a Head of Social Media.

• In Athens, Kaizen Gaming requires a Corporate Communications Senior Executive, Social & Employer Branding.

• Down Under, Aristocrat Interactive is looking for a Commercial Director, iGaming – Emerging Markets.

• Prime Entertainment is searching for a Director/Head of Sportsbook.

• DAZN Bet has positions open in London and Gibraltar for a Senior Product Designer, a Compliance Manager and a Head of AML & MLRO.

• Odds Scanner Group is looking for a Senior SEO Content Specialist.

• TonyBet has a trio of opportunities in Europe for a CRM Analyst, Business Process Manager, and Legal Counsel.

• In Dublin, Flutter Entertainment is hiring a Strategic Intelligence Partner.

• A Senior Account Manager is required at Pragmatic Solutions.

• In Sofia, Betty is hiring a CRM Manager – Growth Team.

• Bally’s Interactive has a hybrid opening in London for a Performance Marketing Manager.

• Sportradar has an opening in London for an Intelligence Associate.

• There’s a hybrid opportunity in Sliema for a Live Casino Operations Manager at LeoVegas Group.

Reading and Reflecting

1. In its latest report, the International Betting Integrity Association highlights its collaboration with H2 Gambling Capital to forecast online sports betting channelization in the new Alberta market.
   

2. Toronto Star investigative reporter Emma McIntosh delivered an update Monday on the sex-themed gambling website that was available to Ontarians.

3. From the Dept. of Go Figure, Canadian author David Macfarlane has a new book out about sports fandom and he’s not a fan of betting advertising.

4. Canada is among the countries being given the green light for gambling ads on Google although the company says there will be tight guidelines around them.

5. The Responsible Gambling Council has released the first instalment on a six-part series looking at regulatory approaches to more stringent gambling guardrails around the world.

6. Benny Sjoelind of The Business of iGaming reports that according to data from Blask, BCLC’s PlayNow is the leading gambling brand in our home and native land.

7. Speaking of BCLC, its former interim president/CEO took aim at foreign-owned gambling operators in his latest LinkedIn post.

8. From the Dept. of Beeg Etransfers. . . OLG last week distributed more than $42 million to 29 communities with gaming venues as a Q1 payment.

9. DraftKings has made a $100,000 donation to the Red Cross Canada Wildfire Fund to support communities across Ontario being affected by the most recent wildfires. If you want to donate, please click here.

10. A message/warning from Sportnation Bet Canada about a fake email falsely attributed to iGaming Ontario.

11. Catena Media brand PlayCanada.com has been acquired by Vectiq.

12. There was a Spockian eyebrow raised yesterday when NEXTPredict announced it is securing $3 million in coverage against flight cancellations for its prediction markets summit in October. It’s doing so through Kalshi and Susquehanna, and NEXT.io boss Pierre Lindh explained why in a thread on the platform formerly known as Twitter.

13. July has been very, very good to licensed online sportsbooks in the state of New York.

14. Good reading from the keyboard of iGaming Business journalist Matt Rybaltowski on NBA commish Adam Silver spitballing the idea of a sports betting czar for pro sports loops.

15. As Ben Horney keyboard for Front Office Sports, the NFL has concerns with some of what prediction markets are offering.

16. There was news of the M&A sort Monday morning from Fanatics that will allow the company to offer its own prediction market exchange and also expand its PM offerings.

17. Included in Dan Waugh’s latest blog post was this statement that caught our eye: “. . . At a point where funding has never been greater for the study of gambling behaviours and gambling harms – the quality of research has never been poorer”.

18. Author Jeff Pearlman took a run via the TikTok at Pat McAfee, ESPN and the network’s business deals with gambling operators.

19. InGame’s Daniel O’Boyle reported on the shuttering of Kalshi’s sports business in Nevada.

20. A report by H2 Gambling Capital indicates offshore gambling operators will benefit from the tax hike being imposed on licensed operators in the UK.

21. A tap of the Bauer Vapour to Jess Welman for putting on our radar the Campaign for Fairer Gambling’s new report about microbetting.

22. Reporting from Steven Bittenbender at Gambling Insider that FanDuel and DraftKings are seeking to have thrown out a lawsuit filed by two Philadelphia men.

23. According to reporting by Catherina Gioino for Fortune, sports betting is now more popular than movies, arts, museums and music combined.

24. A bipartisan bill has been introduced in Nevada to ban sports wagering on prediction markets.

25. Sleuthing of the journalistic sort by Zak Thomas-Akoo on data theft of the Premier League’s licensing subsidiary.

26. Jeff Edelstein wrote about the prediction markets boom in Texas and California, two U.S. states that have yet to legalize online sports wagering.

27. Speaking of Edelstein (again), he delivered a Bill Nye The Science Guy bit of reporting last week on the speed of online casinos.

28. Dustin Gouker has some deets on ESPN’s new 30 for 30 podcast on the Shohei Ohtani interpreter scandal.

29. New York Intelligencer journalist Matt Stieb told the story of the Las Vegas gambler who’s immersed in the Malik Beasley betting mess.

30. Sportico’s Dan Bernstein did some reporting on the relationship between FanDuel and CME Group.

31. The bunfight between the sports betting/gaming industry and prediction markets continued during a congressional subcommittee hearing last week.

32. Steve Ruddock, in his Straight to the Point newsletter, gives it the old college try in keeping up with the court cases involving PMs.

33. Speaking of Ruddock, he posted on X last week that the Public Health Advocacy Institute has settled its lawsuit with the Massachusetts Gaming Commission.

34. A Netflix documentary on Kalshi unsurprisingly had a sidebar on legal wranglings. Plus, more from Steve Ruddock in his Straight to the Point newsletter.

35. A lift in its interactive business allowed Boyd Gaming to raise its full-year online earnings guidance.

36. As Kaizen Gaming prepares to launch its Betano brand in Spain, it’s seeking a managing director.

37. Gambling.com Group have a new handle.

38. Finally, good on the folks at mkodo for giving its founder Stuart Godfree in a very, very fitting farewell last week.

Stay up-to-date with the latest news by following us on LinkedIn and Twitter, ensuring you never miss out on breaking updates.

To discuss our coverage of your company’s news and announcements and to become an advertiser on Gaming News Canada, please contact steve@gamingnewscanada.ca.

On a new episode of the Gaming News Canada Show presented by Bede Gaming, host Steve McAllister welcomed GeoComply CEO Kip Levin.

Levin joined the Vancouver-based company in March 2025 after spending the past decade in C-suite roles at Flutter Entertainment and its FanDuel and FOXBet businesses. So, McAllister asked Levin to share his thoughts from his experiences in the gambling industry on several topics including:

• The challenges to keep up with online fraudsters and scammers, especially with the ongoing evolution of artificial intelligence.

• The opportunities being provided by AI and other new technologies.

• GeoComply’s supporting role in the launch of new regulated gambling jurisdictions, including most recently in Alberta.

• The popularity with the betting populace around the recently completed men’s World Cup of Soccer.

• The evolution of GeoComply some 15 years after being founded by Anna Sainsbury and David Briggs.

• What does the road ahead look like for the gambling industry.

Ready for expansion into Alberta? Set a solid foundation for your provincial growth with a SOC2 compliant full-service iGaming platform partner. Learn more at bedegaming.com.

Worth A Watch & Listen

Our most popular Gaming News Canada shows from the past few months.

• Inside Alberta’s Historic Gaming Market Launch with AiGC CEO Dan Keene🎙️ 🎥

• Alberta Goes Live: Inside Day One of Canada’s new gaming market🎙️ 🎥

• Thoughts on Canada Day and celebrating major gambling milestones🎙️ 🎥

• Inside BetNova’s push into Canada’s regulated betting markets🎙️ 🎥

• Youth gambling prevention, gaming risks, and the road ahead🎙️ 🎥

Alberta’s move to a regulated iGaming model on the 13th July of this year represents a significant step forward for Canada’s digital gaming market, setting clear expectations for robust identity verification, fraud prevention and compliance from day one.

As the market takes shape, you can be confident you’re working with a proven partner. We already support more than 65% of licensed operators in Ontario, helping them meet FINTRAC‑compliant KYC requirements at scale, without compromising speed or player experience.

For more on GBG Plc, visit our website.

What Ontario’s experience can teach Canada’s next regulated market

More than three years after the launch of Ontario’s regulated online gaming market, the industry has evolved significantly. Increased competition, greater player choice, and enhanced responsible gaming measures have helped shape one of North America’s most closely watched iGaming jurisdictions.

For Betty, those lessons are especially relevant as Alberta prepares to open its own regulated market.

“Ontario has shown what’s possible when operators compete on product, experience, and player trust,” says Chavdar Dimitrov, CEO of Betty Gaming Canada. “The market has matured considerably over the past three years, and we’re excited about the opportunity to bring those learnings to Alberta as the province prepares to enter its next chapter.”

As Canada’s regulated gaming landscape continues to evolve, operators, regulators, and players alike will be watching closely to see how Alberta builds on the foundation Ontario has established.

Stay up-to-date with the latest news by following us on LinkedIn and Twitter, ensuring you never miss out on breaking updates.

To discuss our coverage of your company’s news and announcements and to become an advertiser on Gaming News Canada, please contact steve@gamingnewscanada.ca.

Betty made its debut in the online casino business by launching in Ontario early in 2023 and quickly built one of the province’s fastest-growing brands in the new, legal gaming market. The company is excited to bring that experience to Alberta, which represents an important milestone for Canada’s regulated gaming industry and demonstrates continued momentum towards modern, consumer-focused online gaming.

The provincial government led by Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction Minister Dale Nally, has taken lessons learned from the Ontario model – acclaimed by industry experts in North America and other parts of the world – to create a regulated marketplace with responsible gaming being top of mind.

In advance of market launch, Betty commissioned the Angus Reid Forum to conduct research in Alberta about the incoming regulated landscape. Included in the findings:

· Respondents in Alberta are optimistic about a regulated market, provided operators deliver transparency, security and responsible gaming.

· Sixty-one per cent of respondents in Alberta say they view online gambling as safe, after learning about Alberta’s regulatory framework, reinforcing the value customers place on regulation.

The decision by Betty’s founders and existing leadership to operate only in regulated markets is based on four factors:

· Regulation creates a safer, more transparent environment for consumers by establishing clear standards for operators.

· Licensed operators must meet rigorous requirements around responsible gaming, player protection, security and compliance.

· A regulated market gives Albertans greater confidence that they’re playing on platforms held to high standards.

The checks and balances put into place by the province, AGLC and the new Alberta iGaming Corporation means that competition will be driven by experience, not just promotions. As the market matures, success won’t simply come from acquisition (i.e. bonus) offers but from consumers committing to operators putting a premium on intuitive products, responsive customer service, transparent policies and responsible gaming tools.

Betty believes long-term success in a regulated market is the result of earning trust and delivering a consistent, dynamic player experience. Alberta represents the next chapter for regulated gaming in Canada, joining Ontario (which launched in April 2022) as the only provinces with a regulated, competitive industry.

“Alberta has an opportunity to learn from Ontario’s experience while building a competitive market that puts consumers first,” said Chavdar Dimitrov, CEO of Betty Canada. “We see Alberta as an exciting opportunity to continue innovating alongside regulators and the broader industry.

Consumer familiarity suggests strong market potential. Albertans are already familiar with online gaming, indicating that regulation is just formalizing behaviour that already exists.”

That’s reflected in the other results of the Betty research including:

· 83% of respondents are familiar with online slots

· 69% of respondents consider online gambling to be safe

· 61% of respondents view online gambling to be safe after learning about Alberta’s regulatory framework

“The opportunity isn’t just about introducing customers to online gaming. It’s giving them regulated, trusted choices,” Dimitrov added.

Betty has built a business focused on an entertainment-first experience supported by responsible gaming tools and a transparent customer experience. The company is focused on sustainable growth by earning customer trust, rather than competing solely on promotions.

Alberta is an opportunity to bring that philosophy and execution to a new market while contributing to the ongoing evolution of regulated gaming in Canada.

That consumers are noticing a sharp uptick in gambling ads in Alberta is to be expected given the July 13 launch of an open, regulated online market. Launches are prime customer acquisition periods, and operators spend the most in the lead-up and first months around a market opening.

In Alberta, expect that heavy advertising period to continue for some time for a couple of reasons:

1. As of Tuesday, there were 22 regulated sites up and running in Alberta. But, about 30 more have been licensed by the province and we expect a good number of those will be ready to go between now and mid-October. When that happens, the market will double in size, at least in terms of the legal options for Albertans. Those operators will also be looking to grab whatever market share they can in an already-crowded sector.

2. In terms of sports betting – which, as we know, is used by operators as a funnel to the more lucrative casino sides of their platforms – the best months are still to come in the fall with the resumption of the NFL, NHL and NBA. That likely pushes the prime customer acquisition period through Christmas.

With that heavy ad spend comes some serious challenges for the industry. As we’ve seen in the four years since Ontario launched an open market, gambling ads have become a lightning rod for public criticism of the sector, despite some strong regulatory measures on what can be advertised.

Never mind that the volume of ads has decreased in Ontario over time and that the public has been less inclined to criticize the advertising of other vices that have been legal longer. Gambling ads are one of the newer vices, so they stand out. Plus, like it or not, perception is reality in the public’s mind.

The hope had been that this newfound ad revenue would help struggling Canadian media companies, but, apparently, not so given the latest round of media layoffs.

Five days before the Alberta launch, Rogers slashed 230 media jobs across the country and closed six radio stations, including two in Calgary — 660 NewsRadio and 960 The Fan.

Four days after the launch, Global News cut 28 jobs in Alberta as parent company Corus Entertainment confirmed its Edmonton and Calgary stations would centralize technical production elsewhere – likely Toronto.

That even a new revenue source couldn’t help keep the lights on a little longer, especially at an all-sports station in the midst of a sports betting boom, shows you the depths of the challenge facing Canadian media companies.

It probably also means the level of gambling advertising is overstated, despite the hue and cry along with federal politicians trying to further regulate and restrict gambling ads.

That said, Alberta’s launch provides media companies with an opportunity to help change the narrative and keep some of that essential advertising revenue coming in. Sports broadcasts, in particular, need to do more than splash logos and add segments about betting. On-air talent needs to do more responsible gambling messaging to help change the perception that media companies and gambling platforms are merely in cahoots to separate consumers from their cash.

Also, as our longtime friend and gambling industry expert Harley Redlick told us long ago, rather than having pro broadcasters talk about betting during games, why not have a separate simulcast feed of games – like the ManningCast for Monday Night Football – just for people interested in betting, with commentary from people adept at handicapping?

That way, those that want to watch games without feeling like they are being pummelled by gambling messaging could enjoy the games on the regular feed. The gambling messages would then be just the ads between play, along with those for cars, laundry detergent and financial companies. Those that want gambling insights could watch the alternate feed.

Yes, we realize that’s an extra expense, but most of the major sports networks have multiple channels these days. Surely, one of them could be devoted to breaking down the betting angles on the major game of the night – especially if operators support that programming.

Separate feeds and more responsible gambling programming would be key gambling sector sustainability initiatives. Such programming changes would also send a strong message from media companies that they are in line with Alberta and Ontario regulators stressing responsible marketing. That would also, perhaps, prevent even stricter regulation.

Ready for expansion into Alberta? Set a solid foundation for your provincial growth with a SOC2 compliant full-service iGaming platform partner. Learn more at bedegaming.com.

DraftKings co-founder Paul Liberman on Alberta, DFS, AI and more

When DraftKings raised the curtain on its sportsbook and igaming business in Ontario in May 2022, it did so a little more than a month after the official opening of Canada’s first regulated gambling market.

Back then, your humble correspondent spoke with co-founder Matt Kalish (who’s no longer with the company but continues to be a loud voice around the industry) for a Toronto Star article. We raised a Spockian eyebrow when reading a quote from Kalish at the bottom of the piece.

“There are so many operators launching in Ontario. (The stream of ads) is temporary. I watch sports, too. I don’t want to see 3-4 betting ads every commercial break.”

Fast forward to July 2026 and DraftKings being among the 18 operators being among the Day One entrants into Alberta’s regulated market with its sportsbook, online casino and Golden Nugget igaming products. The company entered the market not only with some marketing might – including (cowboy?) boots on the ground in Calgary during the Stampede but bringing a team of employees and co-founder/president of operations Paul Liberman to Edmonton.

That group spent the morning after launch day lending its collective hands at a local food bank and presenting Food Banks Alberta with a $150,000 donation.

“(Charitable giving) has been important to both employees and our customers in terms of giving back to the communities not only where we launch but where we have employees and where we operate,” Liberman told Gaming News Canada during a one-on-one interview on the afternoon of launch day. “It’s important for people to know we’re not just here as a sportsbook operator.”

When Liberman and his fellow co-founders Kalish and current CEO Jason Robins launched DraftKings from a spare bedroom in Liberman’s Massachusetts digs back in 2012, they did so with a fantasy sports product. Given the current legal wranglings around peer-to-peer games beyond borders, DraftKings is among DFS operators shutting down that part of its business (although the Alberta iGaming Corporation and iGaming Ontario are working to make online poker and DFS available to players in the country’s only two regulated markets).

“I just realized that we had to shut it down here,” Liberman said during our interview. “I just spoke with someone that was a daily fantasy player, and he was a little upset that (DFS) is going away.”

While DFS has become a smaller piece of DraftKings business with the expansion of its igaming products, entry into the prediction markets space, and continued growth of its sportsbook, Liberman indicated it isn’t disappearing.

“Daily fantasy is much different,” he said. “It’s very much hyper analytical-focused optimization, competition, social. It’s a much smaller part of our business but we have innovated a ton there over the past few years because it’s just so original to the kind of fundamental culture of our company.

“And, we have an amazing product.”

Other topics we asked Liberman for his thoughts:

On launching in a new market

“Me and my two co-founders (Jason Robins and Matt Kalish) started this thing 14 years ago , and it almost like when your kids finish school every year or the first day of school. It’s exciting. So many people are super excited to play the product. . . they’re passionate about sports, they’re passionate about gaming.”

On lessons learned from four years of operating on Ontario

“We spent a lot of time looking at our launch there and learning about the Canadian culture, the leagues. The peope are super passionate sports fans, super community minded. So, we have over 100 people that work in Canada now and that’s really helped us to understand the market a lot better. We’re excited to keep building off that (in Alberta).”

On the evolution of his role

“It’s fundamentally different. I used to be the person doing everything. We started the company in my spare bedroom with the three of us. There was no HR team, there was no technology team, no marketing team. Now, we spend a lot of time making sure we have great talent here in Canada, in the U.S., and globally. And then, it’s ‘how do you make sure you’re doing right by your customer?’.

On the continuing changes in technology

“Right now, it’s definitely AI. We’re introducing AI into our business and staying really close to it. It’s just been such a fundamental shift so quickly for the way the world operates, not just for Draft Kings.

“I’m a tinkerer, so I have really loved getting pretty deep into how AI changes the way that business evolves. That’s been super fun.”

Alberta’s move to a regulated iGaming model on the 13th July of this year represents a significant step forward for Canada’s digital gaming market, setting clear expectations for robust identity verification, fraud prevention and compliance from day one.

As the market takes shape, you can be confident you’re working with a proven partner. We already support more than 65% of licensed operators in Ontario, helping them meet FINTRAC‑compliant KYC requirements at scale, without compromising speed or player experience.

For more on GBG Plc, visit our website.

The water keeps getting hotter for Stan Cho

The news just keeps getting worse for Ontario’s departing minister of tourism, culture and gaming.

Stan Cho resigned from the tri-portfolio position last week after it was revealed the Toronto-area Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) had been billing taxpayers thousands of dollars for hotel accommodations in the city below Palgrave’s downtown core, despite living a few kilometres away from Queen’s Park.

ICYMI, Cho submitted charges of just over $16,000 for “Toronto accommodation”. The accommodation is available to Toronto-based MPPs but only for “special or unusual circumstances”. Cho, by the way, lives six kilometres away from Queen’s Park, according to various reports.

On Monday morning, reporting by Colin D’Mello and Isaac Callan of Global News revealed Cho received thousands of dollars in meals, flights and hotel room costs from the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party. D’Mello and Callan, sifting through disclosures from the MPP/former Minister’s constituency officer showed Cho billing the office for dinners at steakhouses and lobster restaurants, airline tickets, hotel stays at the Fairmont Chateau Laurier in Ottawa, and the cost of renting a vehicle from a limo company.

On submitting his resignation Friday, Cho issued a statement that included: “Looking back now, I made a mistake. I am taking full responsibility. I did not stop to ask how it would look to a person in my riding working a double shift.”

Premier Douglas Ford has appointed Attorney-General Doug Downey as interim minister. We’re not sure what that means for the work Cho’s office was doing on the gaming file. When he spoke at the SBC Summit Canada, the then-minister pointed out six areas for reducing red tape after consulting with industry stakeholders. Cho also said the provincial government was looking into the “growing problem” around advertising and he had spoken with the attorney general about “very seriously looking at additional measures on the advertising side”.

What Ontario’s experience tells us about Alberta’s future

As Alberta’s regulated iGaming market begins to establish itself, Ontario offers valuable insight into what a mature market can look like.

Research commissioned by Betty and conducted by Angus Reid Forum found that Ontario players increasingly value confidence in the platforms they choose. Alongside product experience, trust and ease of use have become defining characteristics of the province’s regulated market.

For Alberta, these findings suggest that the next phase of competition will be defined less by market entry and more by how operators build lasting relationships with players through trusted brands, responsible gaming and differentiated experiences.

As one of the first operators to launch in both regulated provinces, Betty believes the continued evolution of Canada’s iGaming sector will ultimately benefit players by driving higher standards across the industry.

CFL gets a boost from Alberta’s new market

There’s been a push in partnerships for the Canadian Football League tied to the Alberta launch.

TheScore Bet became the latest operator to announce an agreement with CFL HQ, letting it be known Monday it becomes an official authorized gaming operator and official sports betting and online casino partner. As part of the partnership, theScore Bet becomes the presenting partner of the new CFL Fantasy game and a CFL app scheduled to launch after Labour Day.

Last week FanDuel announced a renewal of its partnership agreement with the league. ToonieBet, which joined the league’s roster of sponsors in 2025, has since done deals with the Ottawa Redblacks and last month with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

Also from Alberta:

• Geoff Zochodne brings/keeps you up to speed on the moving parts around the new market.

• GeoLocs commercial guy Will Whitehead took to the LinkedIn to provide some graphical insight into the market’s early days.

• GeoComply employed its own graphics folks to zoom in on the first 72 hours of activity.

• Finally, BetRivers has made the joined the august group of Guinness World Records honourees for building the world’s largest slot machine. It’s a 4.88-metre (16-foot) tall monster that took the better part of a month to put together and was unveiled at West Edmonton Mall. By the by, the mullet look isn’t a good one for the usually dapper Dan O’Toole. . . .

New report from Ipsos links sports betting with fandom

On Monday morning, we put (more) stress on our aging cranium Monday morning in an attempt to answer a few burning questions from Sunday’s World Cup finale (why such a lousy game, where was the FIFA World Peace Award recipient during the post-match brouhaha on the pitch, why did said recipient have to be escorted away from the champions wanting to celebrate with the trophy?????.

To lead our mind down a different path, we undertook a perusing of the LinkedIn and came across a post from Ipsos in Canada senior veep Scott Morasch that highlighted

Ipsos’s latest research around the men’s footy tournament.

Included in the From Betting to Participation report:

• Betting is much more than about winning $$$, but more “as a way to engage more deeply in sport”.

• Betting isn’t replacing fandom; it’s changing the role the fan plays within it.

• Betting often “strengthens” rather than replaces fandom communities.

• “The future of sports betting may belong less to brands that facilitate wagering and more to brands that facilitate participation.

Ipsos (a member of the Canadian Gaming Association that has done research commissioned by the CGA) provides six recommendations from the research that suggest the sports betting industry is entering a “new phase of maturity”.

Also from the World Cup:

• According to data compiled by GeoComply, the Super Bowl remains the most popular sporting events among American bettors.

• BCLC’s communications crew let us know the tournament was the best World Cup yet in terms of betting volume on PlayNow with four and a half times the number of wagers from 2022. Spain’s extra-time win over Argentina was the most bet-on soccer event of all time and was the eighth most-popular event of all time with PlayNow customers - behind the 2020 and 2024 U.S. presidential elections and five Super Bowl games.

• Courtesy of Geoff Zochodne, who had an X post with Citizens’ take on World Cup betting activity.

• H2 Gambling Capital estimates prediction markets represented some 27 per cent of “legal” sports betting activity in the U.S. during the World Cup.

• Sportico journalist Dan Bernstein did a deep dive into the popularity of prediction markets during the tournament.

• The truly dreadful title match saved British bookmakers from taking a really beeg kick to the . . . er. . . solar plexus, wrote Jake Evans for NEXT.io.

• With the World Cup ending, Dustin Gouker reminds us there’s a bit of a break in the action for sportsbooks and bettors.

• Some information of interest, courtesy of GBG Plc, around wagering activity during the tournament.

• From ToonieBet: Sports betting activity during the tournament increased 30 per cent month over month in Ontario and the operator’s active sports bettor base saw a spike of more than 40 per cent.

• We came across this X post from DraftKings which includes a staggering increase in Spanish-language soccer customers during the tourney.

Alberta iGaming Corp CEO Dan Keene on the GNC Show

Speaking of Alberta, check out the latest Gaming News Canada Show, sponsored by Bede Gaming, featuring Steve McAllister’s interview with Dan Keene, the chief executive officer of the Alberta iGaming Corporation.

McAllister spoke to Keene four days after Alberta’s July 13 launch.

Topics included:

• The collaborative work of all stakeholders to get the market open

• Lessons Alberta learned from the Ontario market

• The keen interest from companies looking to launch in Alberta

• AiGC’s proactive communication of its mandate and social responsibility.

• What approach AiGC would take if there is a tsunami of ads.

You can listen to the show here or watch it here:

People on the Move

• Galaxy Gaming names Anand Singh as Chief Technology Officer.

• Eoghan O’Dwyer is out at Light & Wonder as Chief Product Officer, iGaming and Vice President, Product. Ging Masinda is appointed as Regional Account Manager, Asia.

• Katarina Polach Klcovska is appointed by Synot Group as its first-ever Chief Executive Officer.

• Former DraftKings guy Ed Silva is named Chief Executive Officer at DubClub.

• Interblock Gaming appoints Kay Oswald as Chief Executive Officer.

• Esport Canada appoints Young Kim as Chief Financial Officer.

• Joining Lotto.com is Ruxandra Tereanu as Chief Operating Officer and Amanda Coyle as Vice President of Human Resources.

• There is a trio of executive appointments at Nuvei: Samir Zabenah as Chief Operating Officer, David McLaughlin as Chief Financial Officer and Eli Rosner as Chief Product and Technology Officer.

• Armina Hasan is named Vice President, Human Resources at Penn Interactive/theScore.

• Lavanya Karunakaran is appointed Head of Product – Partner Engagement at Light & Wonder.

• Low6 names Simon Kreiter as Head of Product.

• Ex William Hill/DraftKings/Underdog fella Dillon Borgida joins Kalshi as Head of Private Client Sales & Services.

• Trisha Parker is named Vice President, Business Support at Aristocrat Interactive.

• MGM Grand Detroit brings on board Eric Sprague as Vice President of Table Game Operations.

• Michael Barlow is named Head of Search at Flutter.

• Kamilla Nikolas departs Flutter UK & Ireland to become Head of People Ops at Prime Entertainment.

• Steven Tabone is appointed Commercial Director at Avanti Studios.

• Lauren Leonard is appointed Senior Director, Content Promotional Strategy at Caesars Sportsbook & Casino.

• Peter Andreu is named Senior Director, Revenue Operations at PrizePicks.

• Stripe appoints Jeff White as Money Laundering Reporting Officer for Canada.

• Chantelle McDonald is named Director, SNIS at ConnexOntario.

• OLG appoints Nicholas Vasilevski as Director, Strategy Development for its lottery division. Matthew Dicker is named Senior Manager, Commercial Sponsorship & Brand.

• After more than 13 years, the past four as Senior Public Relations Manager, Global, Nick Say is taking his leave from Paysafe.

• Ioannis Voulgaris is appointed Senior AI Product Manager at Kaizen Gaming.

• Ivan Pelic bids adieu to Bragg Gaming and his Product Owner role.

• Roxana Ababei joins Relax Gaming as Partner Commercial Manager.

• Logitech G promotes David Dashtoyan to Senior Esports & Partnership Marketing Manager.

• Ryan Fahy has a new title at Entain: Senior Project Manager. Ruby Koheeallee leaves the company and her position s Global Head of Colleague Engagement and Employer Brand.

• Mihai Raducanu is appointed Chief of Staff at Hamilton Sports Group.

Classified (Jobs) Information

On the Home Front

• The Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission has an opening for a Chief Technology Officer.

• Good gig alert at OLG, which is hiring a Vice President, Lottery Strategy, Transformation & Customer Experience.

• Markham-based MNP is looking for a Vice President, Marketing.

• In Vancouver, Electronic Arts is seeking a Senior Director, Creative – EA Sports FC.

• Gateway Casinos and Entertainment has an opening in Clinton, ON – about an hour’s drive southeast of GNC HQ – for a General Manager.

• Among the many openings at Hard Rock Digital is a hybrid position in Toronto for a Senior Manager – Risk Operations.

• The Responsible Gambling Council has a hybrid opportunity for an Instructional Design and Training Specialist.

• OLG has need of a Senior Manager, Growth & Content Optimization, a Senior Brand Manager and a Social Media & Marketing Communications Coordinator. The Corp also has co-op positions available for nine post-secondary students.

• AGLC is searching for an AML Compliance Investigator.

• Wanted by the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority: a Manager of Marketing Operations.

• Bet99 is seeking a Customer Support Associate.

• Legend is looking for a Senior Lifecycle Marketing Manager.

• NeoPollard has an opportunity in Edmonton for a Marketing QA and Research Analyst.

• In the city below Richmond Hill, Pinnacle is seeking an HR & Talent Acquisition Administrator.

• Power Play Production Group has a hybrid opportunity for a Manager, Business Development & Marketing.

• The People’s Wire Service, aka The Canadian Press, is hiring a Reporter-Editor, Ontario Desk in Toronto.

• There’s an opportunity with the Hockey Canada Foundation for a Vice President and for a Manager, Women’s & Girls Hockey Development.

• Sportsnet is looking for an Associate Producer – NHL.

• Toronto-based WPP Media has an opening for a Manager, Sponsorship Marketing.

• CFL HQ has need of a Manager, Global Partnerships.

• The Saskatchewan Roughriders are looking for a Manager, Marketing & Fan Engagement.

• 680 CJOB in Winnipeg is seeking a Sports Talk Show Host.

South of the Border

• DraftKings has put out the call for a Vice President, iGaming Revenue Operations.

• There’s an opening at Sportradar for a Vice President, Sales – Prediction Markets.

• BetMGM has a whole lotta employment opportunities at this juncture.

• DraftKings is looking for a Senior Accountant, a Compliance Manager, Predictions, a Marketing Technology Specialist and a Corporate Counsel, Prediction Markets.

• Hard Rock Digital has a quartet of openings on its Sportsbook Operations team.

• MediaTroopers is on the hunt for a Head of Marketing (Acquisition).

• Growth Leads has a remote opportunity in the U.S. of A. for a Content Executive.

• Nossos amigos at Eilers & Krejcik Gaming have need of a Brazilian Portuguese-speaking person to help set up their testing team in the South American country. (Also, E&K has a new and improved website.)

• Wanted by Catena Media: a Strategic Partnerships Account Manager.

• FanDuel is hiring a Sports Trader for its Jersey City offices.

• There’s a remote opportunity with Betr for a Casino Operations Manager.

• G2 Gaming has an opportunity in New Jersey for a Client Relationship Manager.

• Rush Street Interactive is on the lookout for a Product Marketing Manager.

• In Frisco, TX, OpTic Gaming is searching for a Manager of Partnership Activation.

• ProphetX has a remote opportunity for a Risk & Fraud Associate.

• Cherry Pick Talent is seeking an Influencer Marketing Manager (Gaming).

• Las Vegas-based Konami Gaming is in the market for an iGaming Producer.

• APE has a remote opening for an Online Poker Expert & Professional Poker Player.

• Good journalism gig alert at Disney for a Senior Editorial Manager, Features (National Geographic).

• The Florida Panthers are hiring a Senior Data Scientist and a Senior Data Engineer.

Across the Ponds

• In Chiswick, England, Light & Wonder is looking for a Head of Partnerships (Aggregation).

• LeoVegas Group has a trio of openings including a Country Director – Finland.

• NEXT.io is looking for a Senior Marketing Manager who likes to rack up the frequent flier points and requires a Head of Social Media. It’s also looking for an Evergreen Writer.

• Wanted at Betsson Group: a Senior Backend Developer – RaceBets.

• FairPlay Sports Media has an opening for a Senior SEO Manager.

• Betby is hiring an Esports Supervisor Team Lead.

• Playnetic is searching for a Marketing Executive.

• Softswiss is expanding its Events & Special Projects team.

• Skill On Net (proprietors of PlayOjo) has several positions available in Cyprus.

• In England, IMG is looking for a Vice President, Technology, Studios and a Senior Account Manager, Sports Management.

Reading and Reflecting

1. On the heels of launching 40 online casino games through its partnership with PlayAlberta, Aristocrat Interactive announced Monday a deal to provide content to Loto-Québec.

2. The former interim president/CEO of BCLC, in a LinkedIn post, took aim at the people behind regulated online gaming including the Canadian Gaming Association.

3. The co-host of a Canadian podcast made the case for why prediction markets are an idea of the not-so-great sort.

4. IGT has expanded its partnership with Western Canada Lottery Corporation to provide additional video lottery terminals across Saskatchewan.

5. Robyn McNeil has a must-read for Gambling Insider on her conversation with a U.S. Army veteran who wants the military to do more on problem gambling.

6. An Arizona Cardinals executive has been suspended indefinitely by the NFL for violating the league’s gambling policy. The state’s Department of Gaming is now investigating, ESPN’s David Purdum reported yesterday.

7. Front Office Sports reporter Colin Salao spoke with Chicago Sky guard Natasha Cloud, who’s asking the WNBA to do more when it comes to the social media idiots spewing venom at athletes.

8. A senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute disputes the claim that regulated gambling is better than illegal sports betting and gaming.

9. The CEO and co-founder of BetHog has the latest on his legal battle with the current owners of FanDuel and its former board of directors.

10. Speaking of BetHog, NEXT.io journo Rob Fletcher reported Monday the company is shutting down its online crypto casino and sportsbook at the end of the month to focus on its studios and AI dealer product.

11. An X post of interest from Eilers & Krejcik analyst Brad Allen on Kalshi’s success in attracting sports betting customers.

12. There’s bad blood between the CEOs of Kalshi and Polymarket. And in other news, the sun will set in the west this evening. . . .

13. If you’ve been locked in your basement doing nothing but watching the World Cup over the past six weeks and you’d like to learn about prediction markets, we recommend this article from NPR’s Bobby Allyn (but not before cleaning up the pizza boxes and empties. . . ).

14. Speaking of PMs, the Wall Street Journal’s Brian Schwartz and Phillip Wegmann have their latest reporting on the unsettling ties between political betting and government.

15. The Google is taking action on prediction market browser extensions, and more.

16. Entain is cutting 500 jobs as part of an operational efficiency initiative from the CFO’s office.

17. Speaking of Entain, it’s pushing the UK government to implement an immediate ban on sponsorship agreements by unlicensed gambling operators.

18. Evolution won’t be moving ahead with its acquisition of Global Games.

19. UK gaming industry veteran Dan Waugh took aim last week as the UK Gambling Commission and the results of its latest survey.

20. Jeff Edelstein offered his usual unique take, this time on the recent controversy around Soft2Bet.

21. Speaking of Edelstein, he hosted Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy for an around-the-horn conversation on the Business of Betting podcast.

22. From the Dept. of Get That Man an Ice Pack for His Fingers, Edelstein also wrote on the new ties between gambling and sports cards.

23. DraftKings is taking legal action against the City of Brotherly Love to put a halt to an investigation into its sportsbook and igaming business.

24. Speaking of DraftKings, it’s getting together with slots personality Brian Christopher.

25. A convicted drug dealer and pool hustler is smack dab in the middle of the Mafia poker scandal involving men with ties to the NBA. Go figure.

26. Journalist and Everybody Loses author Danny Funt believes podcast guy Bill Simmons has deliberately steered clear of conversations around sports betting scandals.

27. There’s a conversation taking place in the gambling industry south of the border on geofencing around college campuses.

28. Rory Calland reported for NEXT.io on the spring report from the Dutch gambling regulator that includes a rise in handle for unlicensed operators.

29. Underdog boss Jeremy Levine spoke with CNBC journalist Contessa Brewer about his company’s switch to the exchange business.

30. A matter of M&A last week with MERKUR Group (the proprietors of our presenting sponsor) acquiring White Hat Studios.

31. News of the rather lousy sort last week that IGT will be closing its electronic tables game division in 2027.

32. The CEO of High Roller Technologies believes the puck has dropped on a spike in prediction markets.

33. For the first time, Pennsylvania’s regulated gambling market has surpassed $7 billion for a fiscal year.

34. Alan Wilmot reported for Legal Sports Report on the quagmire involving the CFTC, a Michigan court order and Kalshi.

35. Good reading from Scott Longley and earnings+more on prediction markets and market making.

36. Rank Group has offered to make a $9.4 million payment to the UK Gambling Commission for “historical compliance failures” around a segment of its casino business.

37. This Friday is the deadline to submit nominations for the 10 Women Rising in Gaming, organized by our friends at CDC Gaming.

38. Finally, a hearty tap of ye olde Christian to Steve Ruddock, who published this week his 1,000 edition of his Straight to the Point newsletter.

Stay up-to-date with the latest news by following us on LinkedIn and Twitter, ensuring you never miss out on breaking updates.

To discuss our coverage of your company’s news and announcements and to become an advertiser on Gaming News Canada, please contact steve@gamingnewscanada.ca.

On the fourth day of Alberta’s new regulated sports betting and online gaming market, Steve McAllister welcomed back to the Gaming News Canada Show the Chief Executive Officer of the Alberta iGaming Corporation, Dan Keene.

Keene talked about the busy countdown to the July 13 market opening and 18 operators being ready to make available to Alberta some 22 websites on Day One.

Among the topics also discussed:

• The collaboration involving all stakeholders to get Canada’s second regulated marketplace up and running.

• How the western Canada province has benefited from the four-year-old Ontario model.

• The keen interest of operators, suppliers and providers to participate in Alberta and the timing for more operators to come on board.

• AiGC’s focus on proactively communicating its mandate and its commitment to social responsibility.

• The corp’s relationship with AGLC.

• When you can expect to see metrics from the new market.

McAllister also asked Keene for his reaction to the concerns already being written and talked about advertising and problem gambling.

Ready for expansion into Alberta? Set a solid foundation for your provincial growth with a SOC2 compliant full-service iGaming platform partner. Learn more at bedegaming.com.

Worth A Watch & Listen

Our most popular Gaming News Canada shows from the past few months.

• Alberta Goes Live: Inside Day One of Canada’s new gaming market🎙️ 🎥

• Thoughts on Canada Day and celebrating major gambling milestones🎙️ 🎥

• Inside BetNova’s push into Canada’s regulated betting markets🎙️ 🎥

• Youth gambling prevention, gaming risks, and the road ahead🎙️ 🎥

• FIFA World Cup Special: Canada’s chances, betting trends & bold predictions🎙️ 🎥

Alberta’s move to a regulated iGaming model on the 13th July of this year represents a significant step forward for Canada’s digital gaming market, setting clear expectations for robust identity verification, fraud prevention and compliance from day one.

As the market takes shape, you can be confident you’re working with a proven partner. We already support more than 65% of licensed operators in Ontario, helping them meet FINTRAC‑compliant KYC requirements at scale, without compromising speed or player experience.

For more on GBG Plc, visit our website.

What Ontario’s experience can teach Canada’s next regulated market

More than three years after the launch of Ontario’s regulated online gaming market, the industry has evolved significantly. Increased competition, greater player choice, and enhanced responsible gaming measures have helped shape one of North America’s most closely watched iGaming jurisdictions.

For Betty, those lessons are especially relevant as Alberta prepares to open its own regulated market.

“Ontario has shown what’s possible when operators compete on product, experience, and player trust,” says Chavdar Dimitrov, CEO of Betty Gaming Canada. “The market has matured considerably over the past three years, and we’re excited about the opportunity to bring those learnings to Alberta as the province prepares to enter its next chapter.”

As Canada’s regulated gaming landscape continues to evolve, operators, regulators, and players alike will be watching closely to see how Alberta builds on the foundation Ontario has established.

Stay up-to-date with the latest news by following us on LinkedIn and Twitter, ensuring you never miss out on breaking updates.

To discuss our coverage of your company’s news and announcements and to become an advertiser on Gaming News Canada, please contact steve@gamingnewscanada.ca.

EDMONTON - With the most sincerest apologies to the late writer John B.L. Soule who came up with the gem of a phrase “Go west young man, go West and grow up the country,” the gaming industry - or a significant chunk of it - has gone west via the road to regulated sports betting and igaming in Alberta.

The curtain was raised on Canada’s second regulated gambling jurisdiction in the early minutes of Monday morning with Dale Nally, the Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction - and the gentleman leading the charge on behalf of the Danielle Smith government to deliver an open and free market - placing a wager at 12:04 a.m. on the Edmonton Oilers to win the Stanley Cup (we’ll assume the minister did so with the “home” operator, PlayAlberta).

As of Monday morning, the following operators were open for regulated business, combining to offer some 22 sports betting and igaming products:

• bet365

• BetMGM

• BetRivers

• Betty

• BetVictor

• Caesars

• CasinoDays

• DAZN Bet

• Delta Casino

• DraftKings

• FanDuel

• Golden Nugget

• Hollywood Casino

• Horseshoe Online Casino

• LuckyDays

• Stardust

• theScore Bet

• Tonybet

Operators of note not going through the green light on launch day included Bet99, Bally’s, Cadtree (owners of Jackpot City and three additional brands), Skill On Net (proprietors of PlayOjo), 888, Pure Casino and PointsBet. Also, a reminder that (for now) AGLC continues to operate PlayAlberta and will compete against the incoming group of licensed operators (as OLG does in Ontario’s regulated gambling market).

The fanfare on opening day here included a news conference with Nally and Alberta iGaming Corporation CEO Dan Keene and a reception/ribbon cutting/champagne toast that included among the audience AGLC and AiGC executives, staff and board members, operators, suppliers, legal beagles, gambling advocacy groups, responsible gaming advocates, lobbyists, etc., etc., etc. This evening, SBC and the Canadian Gaming Association co-hosted a reception to tie a bow on the Day One celebrations.

If the past 21 hours for regulated gambling advocates is akin to digging into the finest cut of Alberta beef, the appetizer served from various corners of the Canadian gaming industry over the past week was pretty much a paper plate of tainted tuna tartare. We point to FINTRAC issuing a $200-plus fine against Atlantic Lottery and The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario taking punitive action against Great Canadian Entertainment for the second time in a little more than a week; an investigation by journalists across 15 countries that cast a dark cloud over Soft2Bet; and a National Post feature that includes reporting of concern by Ontario’s chief coroner about problem gambling.

Here in the (former) City of Champions, however, there were hugs, handshakes, fist bumps, high fives and the like to mark the launch of a gambling market that, in Nally’s words, has been two years in the making. As AiGC board chair Sanjeev Kad told a reception audience, “opening day is never the measure of success. Success comes from building something people have confidence in and want to be part of for the long term”.

“We’ve worked for a lot of years to make sure this happens and obviously the industry is saying ‘we want to be part of it’,” said Canadian Gaming Association president/CEO Paul Burns. “Today was the start and with 18 companies and 22 sites, that’s a good start and there’s more coming.”

There’s no doubt the people in charge of the new market have benefited from the four-year-old-plus Ontario market and the lessons learned by the Douglas Ford government, the AGCO and iGaming Ontario. That includes having, on Day 1, a functional centralized self-exclusion program (click of selfexclusion.ca) for Albertans who like to gamble, along with anti-money laundering tools in place. Nally made several references to player protection and social responsibility when speaking this morning.

“We know Albertans were gambling,” Nally said. “So, we’re putting in these player safety and responsibility standards so that anyone who wants to quit can, and they will also have access to the gold standard of treatment for people with problematic gambling behaviours, and that is intensive outpatient-based therapy.”

Nally was asked by reporters about the volume of gambling advertising and his expectations in the new market. “We’ve already been getting them from Ontario, so I think if we see an increase, it will be fairly minimal,” he said.

With AGLC’s PlayAlberta sportsbook/igaming platform, which will compete in this market - and which is also up for sale - already having a near-monopoly on partnerships with the province’s major sports entities, operators appear to be taking a different path with their spending. That’s especially true of charitable donations, with DraftKings (a $150,000 donation to Food Banks Alberta), FanDuel (a $50,000 gift to the Dollar A Day Foundation for mental health programs in Alberta and $30,000 to the province’s Red Cross Emergency Management Program).

DraftKings co-founder Paul Liberman, speaking with Gaming News Canada this afternoon, said the donation - and joining DK employees to volunteer at an Edmonton food bank Tuesday morning - goes beyond a public relations initiative.

“Charitable gaming has always been something that we do,” Liberman said. “It’s been important both to employees and customers in terms of giving back to the communities not only where we launch, but where we have employees and where we operate. We find it’s important for people to know that we’re just not here as a sportsbook operator.”

Some of the quotes from a day of news conferences, receptions and interviews (with more to come in next week’s dispatch):

“I want to be very clear. We are not bringing online gambling to Alberta. It is already here. . . and my message to people is if you’re not gambling today, please don’t start.” - Dale Nally

“It’s so exciting to mark this new chapter for Alberta’s gaming market. Our team has been working very hard to form an igaming framework that establishes a sustainable, legal and regulated environment for igaming in the province that delivers real benefits to Albertans. . . and we arrive here today with a framework that promotes not only consumer choice but also puts responsible gambling initiatives at the forefront.” - Kandice Machado, CEO, AGLC.

“This was never about growing the igaming market but channelizing and protecting Albertans that choose to participate. the Alberta market is built with integrity and will operate by it.” - Dan Keene, CEO, Alberta iGaming Corporation

“It’s a great start and now it’s just a case of making sure everybody meets the expectations that the province has set and frankly exceeds it and delivers a better player experience and a safer one. The discussion on gaming right now has been focused a lot on what people perceive it to be and that’s where we have to be better. We do not want to have players in the system who can’t control their play, and that’s why Alberta and Ontario have built some of the strongest regulatory regimes in the world.” - Paul Burns

“Today marks an exciting moment for Alberta. A regulated online gambling market gives consumers greater choice while providing the protections, safeguards, and oversight that come with effective regulation, and is why Bede is only ever active where a local regulatory framework exists. We congratulate everyone involved in reaching this milestone and look forward to seeing Alberta develop into one of North America's leading regulated gaming markets.” - Colin Cole-Johnson, Bede Gaming CEO

“We commend the AiGC, AGLC, and the Government of Alberta for placing player wellbeing at the centre of this market. We look forward to working alongside every operator entering Alberta to advance responsible gambling standards for the province's players.” - Sarah McCarthy, CEO, Responsible Gambling Council

"Alberta represents an exciting new chapter for FanDuel Canada, and we look forward to the opportunity to bring our industry-leading Casino and Sportsbook experience to players across the province. As we plan to enter this new market, we're committed to delivering a best-in-class entertainment experience and meaningful community engagement remains at the heart of everything we do." - Dale Hooper, General Manager, FanDuel Canada

“Alberta represents an important milestone for Betty because, as Canada’s second regulated online gaming market, it’s the next major chapter in the industry’s evolution. Our experience building and growing Betty in Ontario has given us valuable insights into what players expect from a regulated operator. We’ve learned that long-term growth comes from earning trust, delivering a great product and putting responsible gaming at the centre of the experience. We’re excited to bring those learnings to Alberta from Day One.” - Deyan Valtchev, Chief Revenue Officer, Betty

Also:

• According to an iGaming.com report, an estimated $1.5 billion in revenue will be generated in the Alberta market by 2036.

• AGLC has a full list of registered operators, suppliers and providers now available on its website.

• CityNews Edmonton reporter Lauren Boothby covered the proceedings from Day One with a wide-ranging piece on the new market.

• The AiGC has taken to social media over the past several weeks to educate and inform Albertans on the new and expanded regulated gaming industry.

• News from bet365 Monday is it’s now an official gambling partner of the Canadian Football League.

• FanDuel has extended its partnership with the CFL to include Alberta with its original Ontario sponsorship and also adds online casino. Also from FD, the first bet it accepted early Monday morning was for France to defeat Spain in the World Cup semifinal.

• Good reading from Jill Dorson for InGame on the road trip taken by FanDuel’s marketing team through Alberta in the countdown to opening day.

• And, as Geoff Zochodne posted during his tour of the Calgary Stampede, there’s gonna be some spending of the marketing budget in Alberta.

• Speaking of Zochodne, he did some keyboarding on his own betting experiences during his tour of duty in the western Canada province. That included a piece on the incredible popularity of 50/50 draws that reflects an already robust gaming industry.

• Your usually humble editor-in-chief did separate interviews with CityNews in Calgary and Sports Betting Dime last week.

• ICYMI, Rebekah Jackson of GBG Plc sat down with AGLC chief regulatory officer Dave Berry to discuss the framework for onboarding, compliance and growth.

Ready for expansion into Alberta? Set a solid foundation for your provincial growth with a SOC2 compliant full-service iGaming platform partner. Learn more at bedegaming.com.

AGCO reviewing “issues and allegations” on Soft2Bet investigation by Toronto Star, others

Deep, deep reporting by both Investigate Europe and the Toronto Star into the business practices of Soft2Bet – which has ties to Ontario-licensed ToonieBet – has caught the attention of The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario.

An article by Investigate Europe journalist Maxence Peigne was published last week following a year-long investigation by the publication and other media companies (including the Star) in 15 countries “covered a vast network of black-market betting websites operating throughout the continent and beyond”.

The Star’s coverage, led by investigative reporter Emma McIntosh and Peigne – and which was published on the front page of its Sunday newspaper, revealed that Soft2Bet and “associated companies have raked in nearly $1 billion from a global network of casino websites, many registered offshore, that have been fined or blacklisted in other jurisdictions for operating without a licence”.

Since the AGCO approved registration of Soft2Bet company Canadix Limited for ToonieBet in April 2024, the gaming operator has had sponsorship deals with the Canadian Football League and the Ottawa Redblacks, and most recently announced a partnership with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. David Yatom-Hay, Soft2Bet’s general counsel, appeared on the Gaming News Canada Show last December to talk about ToonieBet’s business in Ontario.

From McIntosh’s reporting:

At OnlySpins.com — a Soft2Bet-linked sex-themed gambling site that is unlicensed in Ontario, does not verify users’ age and is blacklisted by regulators in Poland, Italy and Greece — a Star reporter easily set up an account under a fake name and Toronto address. At that site and two others where the Star placed bets, customer support agents told a reporter posing as an addicted gambler that they’d lose their winnings if they closed their accounts, apparently in violation of Ontario guidelines meant to protect vulnerable bettors.

The sites, which allowed users to set their language to Canadian English and transact in Canadian dollars, also did not verify the reporter’s identity as required by Ontario rules, which means they are open to underage users and gambling addicts who have self-excluded from the province’s other online and in-person casinos.

McIntosh’s reporting also included that when the AGCO renewed ToonieBet’s licence this past March there was reporting by Investigate Europe 12 months earlier that “dozens” of illegal gambling sites were connected to Soft2Bet.

Gaming News Canada contacted the AGCO communications department asking for confirmation that an investigation was underway and if the commission was working with any other bodies to look into what’s being reported by The Star and Investigate Europe. We received this statement via email:

The AGCO issued an Ontario internet gaming registration to Canadix Limited for the gaming site ToonieBet in April 2024 following a regulatory eligibility assessment. At the time of registration, the operator and its related entities held licences in good standing in other regulated jurisdictions. As a condition of their registration, all registered iGaming operators in Ontario are required to comply on an ongoing basis with the Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming and the Gaming Control Act, 1992. We take the matters raised very seriously. In response, the AGCO’s Financial Investigations Unit and Licensing and Registration Branch are reviewing the issues and allegations identified in the reporting.

McIntosh and reporters from other media outlets collaborating on the investigation received a statement from Soft2Bet “that did not address the specific allegations.”

From Soft2Bet:

“Information within your request reflects an incorrect and misleading interpretation of our business and corporate structure,” Soft2Bet said.

“Our focus is on operating responsibly and in accordance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements. We maintain robust compliance and governance processes and engage constructively with the relevant authorities where appropriate.”

GNC also emailed Soft2Bet’s PR agency in North America on Friday requesting a statement with regards to ToonieBet and have yet to receive a response.

Alberta’s move to a regulated iGaming model on the 13th July of this year represents a significant step forward for Canada’s digital gaming market, setting clear expectations for robust identity verification, fraud prevention and compliance from day one.

As the market takes shape, you can be confident you’re working with a proven partner. We already support more than 65% of licensed operators in Ontario, helping them meet FINTRAC‑compliant KYC requirements at scale, without compromising speed or player experience.

For more on GBG Plc, visit our website.

Thoughts on the National Post’s anti-gambling story

We have a lot of thoughts about Tom Blackwell’s piece last week in the National Post, starting with the clickbaity headline courtesy of Blackwell’s editors: How Canada’s bid to rein in online gambling led to $103B in bets a year, suicides and bankruptcies.

Most of what Blackwell covered about the dangers of gambling we’ve covered before, but it was the consolidation of all of the problems in one article that was impactful and troublesome – first because much of what Blackwell wrote was true and second because it did feel like a bit of a hit piece given that the vast majority of the story was evidence that gambling was a bad thing.

That said, though the story wasn’t particularly balanced, it doesn’t make what was written untrue. It’s a spectre the industry must tackle.

Blackwell was certainly thorough, and the National Post was certainly generous in its column inches, especially given the era of short stories and even shorter attention spans.

What was new information to us – and most troubling of all – was the suicide statistics.

Blackwell wrote: “The number of self-inflicted deaths in Ontario where coroners recorded gambling as an issue before commercial internet betting was legalized in 2022 reached as high as 12 in one year, but ranged from two to eight in other years. Then coroners reported 13 such suicides in 2023, and 17 in 2024. Another seven have been tallied so far for 2025, but many investigations of deaths that year are still ongoing, and the number is certain to rise, said [Ontario’s] chief coroner [Dr. Dirk] Huyer.”

Thankfully, those aren’t massive numbers, and they’re not going up at a huge rate, but gambling-related suicides do appear to be on the rise, and any death believed to be caused, in part, by gambling is too many.

Ontario’s horse racing industry receives millions in additional funding

(Editor’s note: Dave Briggs wrote this item. His day job is working for Ontario Racing as its content and communications specialist).

In late June, Ontario Racing announced it had reached a deal for the province’s horse racing industry to receive an additional $35 million in annual funding from the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) for each of the next five years.

Horse racing was the province’s original legal gambling game, and the sport’s handle – which is the lifeblood of the game – has been negatively impacted by many factors, including the rise of online gambling in Ontario.

In fact, until the new funding, purses had largely been stagnant for the better part of 10 years in the horse racing industry, but participants have faced inflationary costs estimated at about 25 per cent.

Ontario, one of the world’s great horse racing jurisdictions, is home to 14 racetracks. The new money, which is largely going to breed development programs and purses, will help horse racing stay competitive.

More importantly, it will help support some 18,000 jobs connected to horse racing in Ontario – most of which are in rural communities where there are fewer employee options.

Employment connected to the sector is the biggest reason the Ontario government was supportive of more funding.

Betty officially launches in Alberta

This week marks an important milestone for Canada’s regulated gaming industry, as providers like Betty officially launch in Alberta.

The expansion builds on Betty’s presence in Ontario and represents the company’s next step in serving Canadian players through regulated markets.

Ahead of launch, Betty commissioned Angus Reid Forum to better understand Alberta’s online gaming landscape. The findings paint a picture of a province that is already familiar with online casino gaming and increasingly confident in regulated play.

People on the Move

• Richard Harris is appointed Chief Executive Officer at The Rank Group.

• A scooperoo from NEXT.io journos Rory Calland and Zak Thomas-Akoo that Simon Zinger is leaving Entain and his role as Group General Counsel and Chief Customer Care Officer.

• Alexandra Voronetskaya joins Urkaine gaming company The Playa as Chief Commercial Officer.

• Svenska Spel names Katarina Borstedt as Chief People & Culture Officer.

• Global Gaming Solutions appoint Hannah McCune as Head of Internal Audit and Assurance.

• Former Pragmatic Play marketing guru Simone Romeo is named Head of Product and CRM Marketing at Greentube GmbH.

• Anton Gliantsev is the new Head of Marketing at Prague-based Slotegrator.

• Novomatic Americas appoints Juergen Keller as Managing Director.

• Seneca Resorts & Casinos appoint Lon O’Donnell as Senior VP of Gaming Operations.

• Annie Chan is named Vice President of Sales & Operations for the Asia sales team at Aristocrat Gaming.

• Playfly Sports promote Chris Luick to Vice President, Digital Strategy.

• Sean Ostrow is named Executive Director of the U.S. Social Gaming Leadership Alliance, replacing Jeff Duncan.

• Calvin Cain exits PointsBet and his role as Head of Growth & Digital Strategy – Australia to join Easygo as Head of Paid Media.

• After almost 9.5 years at PokerStars, the past two as Associate Director, Commercial Business Operations – North America, Carroll Taggart moves to Flutter UK & Ireland as Head of Marketing Planning Excellence.

• Terry Lee is named Head of Asia Region at Digitain.

• Megan McFeron is promoted to Senior Director, Subscription at Better Collective.

• Ex-Entain executive Caitriona McWilliams is named Director of Talent Acquisition and Employer Branding at Betsson Group.

• Peter Andreu departs BetMGM and his role as Director, Sportsbook Promotions & CRM.

• Former Evoke gent Keiron Downs joins Aristocrat Interactive as Director, Content Capability, UK & EU.

• Hugo Baungartner is appointed General Manager, LATAM for PG Soft/Pocket Games Soft.

• Electronic Arts promote Ryan Ferwerda to Head of Live Services & Mobile at EA’s Tiburon studio.

• Allie Frank, ex of FanDuel, joins Brightstar Lottery as Director of Compliance Operations.

• Derrick Chen is appointed Integrated Client Lead, Gaming – Global at dentsu.

• NEXT.io brings in Dustin Gouker as a Strategic Advisor for the NEXTPredict Summit NYC.

• Andrei Scrivens comes aboard XST Capital Group as a Senior Advisor.

• Brandon Carusillo, ex of the NFL, joins Fanatics as Senior Manager, Strategy & Operations.

• After 31 years, including the past four as Manager, Product Management, Electronic Tables Games, Steven Stokes exits IGT.

• Former Kambi guy Jack Duffy joins Hard Rock Digital as Manager – Compliance Assurance, Audit.

• Aurelien Besnard, ex of FDJ United, is appointed CRM Manager, Onboarding Sportsbook at Betsson Group.

• Sonali Deoraj-Singh climbs aboard Booming Games as a Project Manager, Games.

• Ryan Elmalem has a new title at Fanatics: Social Creative Specialist.

• Jordan Smalling leaves MLSE and joins FanDuel as VIP Executive Account Manager.

• Former Disney+ President Alisa Bowen is named Chief Executive Officer at Fubo.

• Josh Norris and Hayden Winks join the Yahoo Sports team as Fantasy Football Analysts.

• Cassie Turkstra joins the Canadian Football League as Coordinator, Communications & Public Affairs.

• Kate Kolberg has a new role at Canadian creative agency We Are Social as Associate Creative Director.