11 things we learned about Alberta’s incoming market from Dale Nally
The man in charge of launching Canada’s newest open online gambling market provided more details at last week’s SBS Summit Canada, which had a moment-of-reckoning feel for Ontario's market.
Alberta is set to launch its open online gambling market on July 13, and that made Dale Nally, Alberta’s Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction – and the person leading the launch – one of the star speakers at last week’s SBC Summit Canada in Toronto.
Here are 11 things we learned from Nally about Canada’s newest online gambling sector:
1. Alberta could be home to as many as 70 operators
“I’m hearing numbers as high as 70 operators that want to come to our market,” Nally said. “This is very exciting… I think the number that have registered and paid the registration fee is 37 right now, and climbing.”
A perusing of the AGLC website yesterday indicated that, as of last Friday, 31 operators have registered and Bet365 let it be known at the start of the week that it’s throwing its cowboy hat into the ring.
A recent CBC story also suggested that legacy, government-run platform PlayAlberta could be for sale, and Gaming News Canada confirmed yesterday that the province is willing to listen to offers.
2. Alberta has strong market advantages
“We believe Alberta is entering this market with significant advantages,” Nally said. “We have one of the strongest economies in North America. We have a business environment that understands competition, innovation, as well as investment, and we have a government that believes clear rules and smart regulation create the conditions for growth.
“We’re hard-working, we’re industrial and entrepreneurial. Our workforce is younger than workforces in the rest of Canada because of our oil and gas industry. It attracts younger people from across the country to come to Alberta. So, our workforce is younger, we have lower taxes, and we have higher wages than the rest of the country. That means more disposable income. And if you didn’t already know this, Albertans like to gamble responsibly, but we like to gamble… So, coming to Alberta will be a right fit for operators. We have reduced red tape, we’ve got a business-friendly environment, and we’ve got low corporate taxes. It doesn’t get any better than that, so if, if you like, if you like your experience in Ontario, you’re going to love your experience in Alberta.”
3. The province was ready to launch in May
“I wanted to launch earlier,” Nally said. “We were ready to launch earlier. We were going to go in May, but it was the operators that said to us that they wanted us to hold back. Through consultation with industry, we landed on July 13 as being that sweet spot, and so I am confident that we are going to be ready.”
4. Nally wants retail gambling operators to participate in the online space
“I hope to see as many land-based operators in Alberta participating in the online space,” Nally said. “It’s up to them to decide how they participate… Do they have a partnership with an online casino? Do they form their own? That will sort of evolve organically. One thing that I didn’t want to do is have online casinos that had to be tied to a land-based casino, because our approach will always be individual personal choice and individual responsibility, and that is best defined by an open market, and you don’t have an open market if you force online operators to tie themselves to land-based casinos. So, we didn’t want to go that approach, but we are certainly encouraging land-based operators to participate in the space, and we’re also encouraging First Nations.”
5. First Nations getting a two-per-cent cut
“We’re taking two per cent off gross gaming revenues to go to First Nations,” Nally said. “This was a decision that we made as a government in 2019 when we got elected. We said that we will draw a line in the sand, and we will be partners with First Nations on economic reconciliation, and that comes in many different formats. This is just one way that we demonstrate our economic reconciliation with First Nations.”
6. Revenue won’t be a measure of success
“We are thrilled with how much interest that we have received from operators to participate, but that’s not our measure of success, and revenue is not even our measure of success,” Nally said. “Our measure of success is going to be Albertans’ feedback. Did they have a fun experience? Was it a safer experience? Was it a responsible experience? And if all those player safety and responsibility measures that we have laid out have been implemented, that will be the measure of success in our marketplace, the money that’ll just be a bonus…
“The government has to get its taste. We’ve got to build sidewalks and schools and hospitals, but this was never about money. This was always about player safety. It was always about player safety responsibility. If we happen to get some extra revenue for government, I think the premier will be happy, the minister of finance will be happy, but that, of course, is not why we’re doing this.”
7. Revenue not earmarked for any particular priority
“We don’t earmark revenue that goes to government,” Nally said. “So, all of the revenues will go to government, and then it will be a treasury board and finance decision on how that’s allocated.”
8. Responsible gambling at the forefront
“From day one, Alberta’s regulated market will include some of the strongest responsible gaming measures in the market, that includes centralized self-exclusion across regulated platforms, as well as land-based venues,” Nally said. “Players will have tools to set spending limits, as well as gambling time limits. Operators will have obligations to identify as well as address risky behaviour, and operators will be required to have the RG Check accreditation through the Responsible Gambling Council. These measures are not designed to slow industry down; they are designed to support a stable and trusted, sustainable market that can grow successfully for years to come. We have taken a clear and practical approach to advertising standards. Advertising cannot target minors or high-risk individuals, and this is important to us. Advertising must be truthful as well as responsible.
“The path that we are choosing is to ensure that gambling will be responsible and that it will be as safe as possible, and that it will only have those operators that are committed to player safety and player responsibility.
“The commitment that I gave my colleagues is any Albertan that struggles with problematic gambling that wants to quit will be able to push a button that will exclude them from all online gambling sites, it will exclude them from land-based casinos, and it will exclude them from racing entertainment centres. That’s because we want to make it as easy as possible to self-exclude, so that they won’t be able to participate in gambling activities.
“Operators will be providing statements showing people how much they’ve gambled in a certain period of time.”
9. Responsible gambling initiatives are getting a one-per-cent cut
“We are taking one per cent of gross gaming revenues, and we’re putting it to responsible gambling, and it’s going to be for things like research, it’s going to be things for training, education, and it’s going to be for treatment,” Nally said. “Outpatient therapy is the best practice. So, we need that to be available to Albertans that do struggle with problematic gambling behaviours, because right now they’re struggling in silence. Our commitment is we will have intensive outpatient therapy for any Albertan struggling with problematic gambling behaviours, and it will be paid for by the operators, and that’s the one per cent.”
10. Clear rules and limited regulation will bring business certainty and an attractive market
“Alberta wants to be a competitive place to do business,” Nally said. “We want strong operators in the market, we want investment in our province, we want innovation that improves the player experience while maintaining high standards for integrity as well as responsibility. Industry wants certainty, and we are delivering that through a clear regulatory framework as well as clear expectations. If you want to operate in Alberta, the rules will be straightforward, transparent, and consistently enforced. That matters for long-term investment decisions.
“Remember, I’m the minister responsible for reducing red tape. So, I needed to ensure that we didn’t get carried away on the regulation side. There needs to be regulation. It must always be a light touch. It must always be only what is necessary, and it must not be duplicate… So we had to find that balance, because too often when you go down these paths with government, they get a government that gets all ginned up and wants to regulate everything, and that’s not the approach that we’re taking. We want it to be a light touch on regulation. We want it to be easy to enter our marketplace.”
11. Tackling the “repugnant operators” in the black market
“The best way to deal with the illicit market is to have a healthy, responsible legal market, and the more successful that market is, the harder it is going to be for the, as I call them, the repugnant operators, that don’t embrace these safety standards to participate,” Nally said. “Albertans are going to know, because that [Alberta iGaming Corporation] logo is going to be on every website, that RG Check is going to be on every website. Albertans will be taught to look for those types of things. That will be the government’s commitment that this is a responsible operator.”
Is your iGaming platform ready for market expansion? Bede Gaming can help you customise, scale and grow faster. You’re invited to meet with the Bede team at SBC Summit Canada next week or visit bedegaming.com to learn more.
Hannay says OLG emphasizing responsible gambling
Also at the SBC Summit Canada, Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) president and CEO Duncan Hannay provided the opening remarks on Wednesday (May 20). Hannay spoke about the evolving role of responsible gambling initiatives.
“Today, the gaming market is growing and changing faster than ever before, and the role that gaming providers play in promoting safer gambling is evolving too,” Hannay said.
“For OLG, this means shifting our approach beyond what I would perhaps classify as a one-size-fits-all program to focus on more tailored, proactive solutions to reach players at key moments during their journey with us. Leading this work at OLG is a newly-created, dedicated, safer gambling team. The safer gambling team brings together expertise across data policy outreach. and operations and works collaboratively across all of our business lines, digital, lottery, and land-based gaming. Although the risks may vary across channels, the core challenge is very much the same, engaging players in a way that meaningfully supports healthier play.
“OLG also recognizes that risk is not the same for every player, and that younger adults may benefit from added help as they build healthy play habits. That’s why earlier this month, OLG introduced a new player protection on olg.ca that requires players under the age of 25 to set a deposit limit once they reach a defined threshold. It’s just one of the many ways OLG is working to better understand the risks faced by under-25 players and take practical evidence-informed action to address it.
“We are also focused on strengthening collaboration externally across the broader industry by working closely with service providers, government, and experts to expand the reach and impact of safer gambling. This includes other government agencies like iGaming Ontario, who we’ve been working closely with leading up to the launch of their centralized self-exclusion system, BetGuard, that allows players to self-exclude across all Ontario-regulated iGaming platforms, including olg.ca. It’s really an important milestone for Ontario, and BetGuard will complement OLG’s longstanding My PlayBreak program. My PlayBreak provides integrated self-exclusion across all Ontario casinos, charitable gaming centers, and olg.ca for more than 18,000 Ontarians, and we look forward to working with iGO to further connect these programs over time.”
A moment of reflection and reckoning
Let’s call it a moment of reflection and reckoning.
In this case, the moment is what your humble correspondent gleaned from some 72 hours of conversations at receptions, parties and on the floors of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre during the SBC Summit Canada. And it’s what we heard from our interviews and from watching and listening to industry experts appearing on panels over the two days.
That message? When it comes to advertising and player protection in Ontario’s regulated sports betting and igaming industry, there appears to be alignment among stakeholders that there is a reality to the perception that there are better ways to do things and that action needs to be taken.
Two separate conversations on the final day of the summit really stuck with us. First, the words of AGCO technology regulation and iGaming compliance director Jay Welbourn.
“There are some signs of cracks,” said Welbourn, speaking on a safer gaming panel discussion that included Aaron GlynWilliams (OLG), Amanda Brewer (Canadian Gaming Association), Sarah McCarthy (Responsible Gambling Council) and moderator Elizabeth Lusk (Greo Evidence Insights). “We’re seeing it in public reaction; you see it on the political side. Those are signals to us as an industry that more is needed. It’s not window dressing, it’s serious stuff.
“If we don’t step up, others will step in.”
During a mini-media scrum with Stan Cho, the Ontario Minister of Tourism, Culture & Gaming, following his remarks to a packed room Thursday morning, your friendly neighbourhood reporter asked the minister about Bill S-211 on Parliament Hill to “police” sports betting advertising across the country and a recent private members’ bill at Queen’s Park calling for an outright ban on online gambling advertising.
“This is a growing problem,” Cho said. “We recognize that, and we will continue to look at advertising and what we can do to make sure that it is reasonable when it comes to online gaming. Now, I don’t have all the answers on what we will be looking at yet, but I had a conversation with the attorney general (Doug Downey), and we are very seriously looking at additional measures on the advertising side to make sure this doesn’t make the problem grow.”
Also from Cho:
“The province has a role to play, and gaming falls under our jurisdiction, and we want to do things responsibly our way, of course. Now, we will work with our partners at the federal level to do what’s reasonable, and hopefully, we can find some shared common ground on what responsible gaming looks like.
“We have to also recognize, as important as is to invest in responsible gambling, that we have to respect the rights that exist within the province, as well as understanding that businesses have a right to operate in this province as well, without undue regulations and laws that get in their way.”
On the advertising issue, Casino.org reporter Mark Keast covered the comments from Rubicon Strategy president Patrick Harris that echoed Welbourn’s words.
“On advertising, I’ll just say there is way too much. It is dramatic. I think the industry is losing its social license with the public at an alarming rate, and I think if the industry doesn’t do something about it themselves, government’s going to do it.
“I highly recommend … the industry needs to come up with some tangible solutions to deal with the advertising issue.”
The summit chatter around advertising reflects much of what was written in this corner a few weeks back and what former iGaming Ontario chief of staff keyboarded last week. We expect the folks in charge of Alberta’s incoming industry will act on the lessons learned from Ontario’s launch in April 2022, and we expect everyone with skin in the game around the Ontario market will take concrete steps.
What we also heard during and post-summit:
We can confirm an X post from the aforementioned Keast at the beginning of the week that some 500 gamblers have already registered on iGO’s new BetGuard self-exclusion platform.
The channelization report released last week by iGO and the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario – with a huge helping hand from Ipsos – showing more than 90% of the province’s online gamblers are playing on licensed apps/websites was a hot topic. AGCO chief operating officer Dave Phillips walked an audience through the commission’s work to eliminate unlicensed operators (chief legal officer Brent McCurdy also presented on illegal slot machines and skill-based games, and the AGCO’s due diligence to eliminate those from land-based casinos, bars and restaurants across the province). The 91% channelization rate was disputed by one doubting Dima in a LinkedIn post.
On a lighter note, we present a GNC Award for simple-but-most-effective slide in a panel presentation at a gaming industry conference. . .
In the aforementioned safer gaming panel, both the CGA’s Brewer and the OLG’s GlynWilliams called for a collective effort by licensed operators to deliver the message around responsible gambling. “We want to operate in an industry where the proactive steps we’re taking are being mirrored and we’re (acting) on what other operators are doing,” said GlynWilliams.
When Cho appeared at last year’s summit as the newish gaming minister, he announced his office would undertake a review of the province’s gaming market with a focus on reducing redundancies and other red tape. The minister told the Thursday morning audience that consultations with industry stakeholders resulted in the identification of almost 6,000 “requirements” across government.
Cho pointed out six areas for reducing red tape: anti-money laundering, responsible gambling, financial oversight, data management, audits and communications. “Our goal is simple: We want to keep Ontario competitive while maintaining the highest standards for integrity and player protection,” he said.
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.
Kambi CCO Sarah Robertson returns to the GNCS
On the latest Gaming News Canada Show presented by Bede Gaming, Kambi’s chief commercial officer, Canadian Sarah Robertson, joined host Steve McAllister to speak about Kambi’s partnership with Canadian Bank Note Company to support sports betting operations in South and Central America, and the Caribbean.
Robertson also spoke about:
Kambi’s work in seven Canadian provinces;
The incoming regulated market in Alberta;
The expected avalanche of activity by bettors around this summer’s men’s World Cup;
The ongoing controversy around in-play/prop betting;
The ongoing story in the U.S. these days around prediction markets.
The opportunities around the growth of women’s sports.
You can listen to the show here or watch it here:
People on the Move
After almost 14 years as Chief Commercial Officer – Gaming at Inspired Entertainment, Lee Gregory is calling it a career.
Former evoke Managing Director Simon Ravn is the new Chief Executive Officer at Prime Entertainment.
Sebastian Shelbourg departs LCKY Group and his Chief Technology Officer role.
Russell Witt is appointed President of Boing Gaming.
ZenSports co-founder/grand poobah Mark Thomas launches Badass Capital, an AI-first hedge fund.
Arielle Gottlieb, ex of FanDuel Sports Network and Bally Sports Ohio, has co-founded Mosaic Sports Media Group and will serve as Managing Director.
Valerie Horyna is promoted by Riot Games to Global Head of Esports Compliance.
Dan Zimmermann, ex of Verse Gaming and Catena Media, co-founds Betting Intelligence and appoints himself Chief Intelligence Officer.
Paul Puolakka says farewell as Chief Marketing Officer at Mr Gamble.
Dario Jurcic is about to leave Sportradar and his position as Senior VP, iGaming and Platforms.
Andromeda Morrison is appointed interim Executive Director of the Ohio Casino Control Commission.
Adam Fletcher, formerly of Scopely and Blizzard Entertainment, is the new Senior Director of Community and Digital Content Strategy, Core Games at 2K.
Former Gaming Innovation Group Head of Design Yana Azzopardi is appointed Director of Brand and Design at Herd Gaming.
Shaun O’Neill is the new Head of Affiliate Marketing at KingMakers.
Tereza Melicharkova, ex of Elantil, Glitnor Group, Swintt and Pariplay, is the new Marketing Director at Games Valley.
Soft2Bet promotes Christine Cassar Ciappara to Lead Counsel.
Craig Wilson is the new Chief Finance Officer at Inspired Entertainment, replacing James Richardson.
Alexandria Franks bids adieu to Equifax and her role as Head of Alternative Finance & BNPL to become Vice President, Enterprise Accounts at GBG Plc.
Brandon Tortora, ex of NRG Esports, is appointed Vice President of Sales & Brand Partnerships – North America at Dexerto.
PressEnter Group Chair Lachene Merzoug is the first member of the new Advisory Board at Xace.
Lyle Randolph is promoted to Executive Vice President of Operations at Century Casino & Hotel Cape Girardeau.
Former Sightline Payments senior VP Rose Zwirn is named Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships at PayNearMe.
GamCare names Chris Thornton as Director of Operations.
Robert Perry, ex of Games Global, joins Super as a Senior Casino Content Executive.
After nine years, Daniele Perrone is saying goodbye to the European Gaming and Betting Association as Senior Regulatory Affairs and Policy Advisor.
Swintt promotes Christian Curmi to Head of Technology.
Gary Connolly leaves Gambling.com Group and his role as Head of Key Accounts.
Theresa Chu joins Paysafe as Social Media Marketing Specialist.
Ex-Red Bull and Razer guy Josh Collins joins NVIDIA as Senior Manager, GeForce Esports and Competitive Gaming.
Clayton Worthen moves on from Aristocrat Gaming as his Senior Manager, Revenue Operations gig.
Mark Anthony Borg is named Senior Event Presenter & Media Liaison at SiGMA World.
Electronic Arts brings on board Vamsi Krishna as a Senior Financial Analyst and Achraf Jerbi as a Lead Product Manager.
Gaming Innovation Group promotes Danila Finocchiaro to Senior Product Owner – BI and Data Science.
Shannon Smith leaves theScore and her position as Senior Manager, Data Intelligence.
Michael Mosconi has a new role at FanDuel as a Talent Partnerships Manager. Kenneth Glasheen is named interim Fraud and Risk Lead Supervisor. Gemma Lynskey is promoted to Lead Product Manager.
Bill Bonney, ex of Big League Advantage and the New York Jets, joins BetMGM as a Trading Performance Analyst.
After more than 15 years, most recently as an Affiliate Account Manager, Adam Dowden says farewell to Entain.
Molly Cassidy has a new position at Flutter UK & Ireland as Senior Generosity Transformation Manager.
Dan Taylor, formerly of Bluberi and GAN, is appointed Multimedia Design Manager at Gaming Arts.
Jake Stephenson joins Bede Gaming as an Automation QA Engineer.
Bet365 promotes Cheniel Hendeson to Deputy Manager in its customer service division.
Lourdes Barilaro exits White Label Casinos to join Games Global as a Partnerships Manager.
Jonathan Moreland joins Mohegan as a Product Marketing Manager.
Connor Krieger, ex of The Kinetic Group and SCUF Gaming, joins Evolved as a Talent Agent.
Gabriel Diodato bids adieu to Evolution to become an Account Manager at ARRISE.
NHL HQ appoints Julie Casey as Executive Vice President, Managing Director, International. Olivia Beltrano, ex of MLSE, joins the league as an Account Executive, Partnerships Marketing.
Kevin Simon is appointed Vice President, Brand at Elevate.
The LPGA promotes Allyson Lutter to Director, Public Relations and Corporate Communications.
Gwen Gourvellec is promoted to Head of Audience Growth & Monetization at UK-based SportBusiness.
Stephanie Bouchard joins CCM Hockey as Sports Marketing and Partnership Specialist.
Classified (Jobs) Information
On the Home Front
There’s a hybrid opportunity in North America for an Executive Director of Operations.
Dan Keene and the gang at the Alberta iGaming Corporation are hiring an Anti-Money Laundering Analyst and a Manager, Strategic Integration.
FanDuel is looking for an Insights Associate to join its team in the city below Acton.
Bet99 is seeking an Influencer Marketing Specialist.
Blazesoft is hiring for its office just north of Toronto a Junior Full Stack Developer (.NET).
Atlantic Lottery requires a bilingual Retailer Experience Representative in Moncton.
Not-for-profit Moto Canada is seeking a Vice President, Government Relations.
The Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) has its eyes and ears open for a Senior Development Operations Specialist.
Your Toronto Blue Jays are on the hunt for a
healthy starting pitcherManager, Promotions & Experience.Expansion franchise PWHL Hamilton is looking for a Social Media Manager.
Northern Super League club AFC Toronto has need of an Account Executive, Ticket Sales.
CTV Toronto requires a Video Journalist.
CBC is looking for a Manager, Business Development & Olympic Sales, Media Solutions.
Rugby Canada has need of a bilingual Marketing & Communications Coordinator.
The Canadian Journalism Foundation is on the hunt for an interim Communications Manager.
The Ontario Hockey League’s London Knights are seeking a Videographer/Editor.
South of the Border
Good gig alert in the city of Philadelphia: Xfinity Entertainment is hiring a Senior Vice President & General Manager.
In Fairfax, VA., Gaming Laboratories International is hiring a Vice President, ISS Sales.
Swish Analytics has a number of openings at its San Francisco offices.
BetMGM has an opportunity in New Jersey for a Creative Lead.
In New York, New York, FanDuel is seeking a Lead Product Manager, Payments.
Hard Rock Digital is looking for a Compliance Monitoring Analyst to join its team in Atlantic City.
Xtremepush is in the market for a Sales Development Representative.
DraftKings has a remote opportunity in Illinois for a Manager, Player Development.
Aristocrat Interactive has room in Las Vegas for a Commercial Manager.
PrizePicks is in hiring mode for a Game Operations Manager.
PokerAtlas is looking for a Product Manager.
The Google has an opportunity in the Big Apple for a Brand Activation and Engagement Marketing Manager, Sports and Entertainment, Platform and Devices Marketing.
Advertising platform business Yieldmo is yearning for a Sales Strategist, Sports.
The NFL Washington Commanders are on the lookout for a Director, Content & Marketing Analytics.
The University of Connecticut is searching for an Assistant Athletic Director of Marketing and Fan Engagement.
The Florida Panthers are in the market for a Creative Strategist, Corporate Partnerships.
Across the Ponds
Wayzen is searching for a Chief Product Officer to join its team in Tbilisi, Georgia.
There’s a remote opportunity out there somewhere for a Chief Commercial Officer.
Growth Leads is expanding its remote content team and has iGaming opportunities in Editorial, Writing and Strategy.
Oddin.gg has a plethora of positions up for grabs.
Skillz is looking to fill a quarter of openings, and there’s also a spot available in India for a Senior Manager, Organic Growth Marketing.
LeoVegas Group wants to add a Senior Gaming Commercial Manager to its operations in Leeds.
DAZN Bet has an opportunity in Munich for a CRM Manager.
Push Gaming has a position available for a Business Development Manager.
There’s an opening in Belgrade with Pinnacle for a Senior Dotnet Devloper.
Danish online gambling startup Yes is seeking a Content Executive.
Meta Hire Group is on the lookout for an iGaming Writer.
Portugal-based Medier Agency needs a PR/Comms Manager – Game Provider/Aggregator.
Sporty Group has a remote opportunity in Europe for an Operations Director, Payments.
Reading and Reflecting
One of Canada’s major banks has acquired a stake in the owners of FanDuel and PokerStars, SBC’s Erin Gallagher reported yesterday.
To use some journalism parlance, we were putting this newsletter to bed last night when we came across this article using data from a new Research Co. poll on Canadians and sports wagering.
The aforementioned Keast reported on his conversation at last week’s conference with the new executive director of the Canadian Lottery Coalition, Molly Cormier.
On a wet, wet, wet Saturday in the city below Kleinburg, a bunch of folks at OLG found their way, foosball style, into the Guinness World Records conversation.
News from Oddin.gg last week that it’s been given a conditional igaming oddsmaker licence in Alberta.
Swedish gaming company Play’n GO has also been granted a licence to thrill in Alberta.
The partnership between St8 and slots provider Wazdan has been expanded to include Ontario.
A tap of ye olde Victoriaville to PointsBet Canada for its involvement in this weekend’s Mattamy Homes Bike for Brain Health in support of Baycrest. You can donate here.
Also, a tap of the boxing mitts to Lee McFarland and the folks at Behind the Gloves for their $10,000 donation – with a little help from Blazesoft – to Interval House following the SBC Summit Canada.
The folks at RBC took a look, Canadian style, at prediction markets.
Better Collective, proprietors of Daily Faceoff and The Nation Network hockey media properties, released its first-quarter financials last week.
Dustin Gouker, in The Closing Line, reported on the NHL and MLB agreeing to sign the MOU by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission on sports event contracts.
Because we had Part I in last week’s dispatch, we present Part Deux of Declan Hill’s thoughts and layers on the likelihood of match fixing at the soon-to-come World Cup of Soccer.
Among the next stops on the spring travelling gaming industry tour is this week’s International Gambling and Risk-Taking Conference in Vegas.
Reporting by Ben Horney that Sportradar is facing a lawsuit for its alleged ties to illegal gambling operators.
A New York Times investigation examined some questionable activity involving crypto, prediction markets and the CFTC.
Politico economics correspondent Victoria Guida wrote that Congress may be the body responsible for separating investing and gambling.
SBC scribe Justin Byers has the gory details of a rather contentious U.S. Senate subcommittee hearing into sports betting.
It’s highly unlikely a challenge by Texas Tech QB Brendan Sorsby to a permanent ban for gambling will be successful.
The Brazilian president says he’s going to crack down on the regulation of advertising by online betting businesses.
Bill Speros has the details on BetMGM and bet365 being on the road to registering for untethered sports betting licences in Massachusetts.
Rob Fletcher of NEXT.io took a gander at a potential law change in Spain targeting celebrity and influencer gambling ads.
Scott Longley, in Earnings+More, reported on the comments from Genius Sports boss Mark Locke on the early messaging around the much-criticized acquisition of Legend.
The U.S. president gave two thumbs-up, social media style, for prediction markets yesterday.
Polymarket has filed with the CFTC its plans for a new parlay product.
Finally, good reading on the Substack from journalist-turned-communications specialist Ryan McKenna on the partnerships strategy of the WNBA Toronto Tempo.
Stay up to date with the news on the Canadian gaming industry by following us on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Please send your news releases and other announcements to steve@gamingnewscanada.ca. Also, if you’re interested in learning about our sponsorship and advertising opportunities in the newsletter and on our podcast, please email Steve McAllister at the aforementioned address.
