G7 Summit gatherings to include inaugural global forum on responsible gaming
In advance of world leaders landing in Kananaskis, Alta., a delegation of the gaming industry will participate in today's G7 Canada Brain Economy Summit. And, we tee up the Canadian Gaming Summit.
Let’s call it the summit after a sort-of summit and before the significant summits.
Confused? Well, a sheepish mea culpa. In plainer language, the day after former prime ministers Jean Chretien and Joe Clark speak at a conference on past G7 summits and international affairs, there will be a meeting of bright . . . er . . . minds at the G7 Canada Brain Economy Summit. That gathering takes place on the eve of Canada’s G7 Presidency and the G7 (and other world) Leaders Summit in Kananaskis, Alta. For the masses having never heard of the brain economy summit, including your humble correspondent, it is “a global initiative focused on how brain capital—our collective brain health and brain skills—can drive economic growth, resilience, and innovation.”
And there will be representation from the gaming industry at this think-a-thon of sorts, which will include the curtain raiser of the inaugural Global Forum on Responsible Gaming and Gambling Policy that will also include the G20 Summit and the United Nations General Assembly later in the year. Play’n GO is a sponsor and its head of government affairs Shawn Fluharty will be among a seven pack of speakers – including Seth and Lauren Rogen – delivering TED-style talks in the afternoon.
“Positioning responsible gaming at the world’s premier policy forums is vital to ensuring regulation keeps pace with rapid innovation and effectively protects consumers,” said Fluharty in a news release that landed in our inbox this week. “As the only online supplier engaging directly at the G7 Forum on Responsible Gaming and Gambling Policy, and soon at the G20 Summit and United Nations General Assembly, Play’n GO’s presence will showcase the critical value of early collaboration with lawmakers and regulators in forging cohesive, global standards.”
Fluharty and Play’n GO regional director Saam Hafezi are scheduled to be our guests next week on the Gaming News Canada Show.
Also on the forum’s agenda is a panel on “Evolving industry leadership in responsible gambling and player protection.” Providing their thoughts and layers will be IC360 co-chief executive officer Eric Frank, Hard Rock International global social responsibility VP Paul Pellizzari, Play’n GO brand/communications lead Andrew Pink, Yuhaaviatam Tribal Council public affairs boss Jacob Coin and Everi Holdings senior VP Francis Keyser.
According to a LinkedIn post from IC360, the panel will “delve into how the industry is pushing the boundaries – from leveraging advanced player behavioural data and personalized tools for stronger protection, to fostering public-private partnerships that deliver real-time support, and shifting gaming environments towards entertainment-focused models that reduce harm.”
Kindbridge Behavioural Health founder/head honcho Daniel Umfleet is also speaking at today’s forum. And Dr. Jennifer Shatley, the executive director of the Responsible Online Gaming Association, is among the participants in a “From Insight to Action: Defining Research Priorities in Gambling” panel.
“To create meaningful and holistic frameworks, policy must include research and the implementation of evidence-based best practices,” said the good doctor in a post on the LinkedIn. “Studying the effectiveness of existing programs and identifying innovative best practices is essential to building frameworks that truly promote responsible gaming and support players.”
We’ll have coverage from the summit in next Wednesday’s newsletter.
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A six-pack of things to watch/listen for at the Canadian Gaming Summit
For the folks getting ready to iron their shirts and socks this weekend in preparation for two-plus days of meetings, networking, pitching, proselytizing, panelling (the speaking sort), rubbing elbows in food and beverage lines (and at the bars), etc., we’re offering a few thoughts on the latest edition of the Canadian Gaming Summit.
As SBC informed us via communique this week, some 3,000 attendees are expected to descend on the Metro Toronto Convention Centre with some 150 speakers appearing on three stages Wednesday and Thursday. The full agenda is accessible here, and while the two days shine the spotlight on almost every sector of the country’s gambling industry, we’ve put together our own six-pack of must-see panels or potential storylines while you’re navigating the summit floor.
It’s been almost 10 months since Martha Otton announced she would retire as the executive director of iGaming Ontario, and almost three months since she left the organization after being asked by the board of directors to delay her departure. A successor still hasn’t been announced, so you can expect an update will be provided by (or asked of) the province’s new Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming Stan Cho and/or iGO board chair Heidi Reinhart. A Wednesday morning panel on the status of Ontario’s open market will include Reinhart, OLG chair Jim Warren, AGCO chair Dave Forestell and moderator Peter Czegledy of Aird and Berlis LLP. Cho will drop the puck on the final day of the summit with opening remarks Thursday morning.
The conduct-and-manage arm of the Ontario market is also facing flak for having not launched the central self-exclusion tool some 10 months after selection IC360 and IXUP to build it. Tracy Parker from the Responsible Gambling Council will moderate a packed panel on “Self exclusion: a plus for protection or a boost to the black market?” with Catharine Jarmain (iGO), Dr. Isabelle Martin (Loto-Québec), Aaron GlynWilliams (OLG), Dr. Kahlil Philander (Carson College of Business at Washington State University) and Al Watson (Dataworks Group).
Dale Nally, the minister in charge of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction, takes centre stage at high noon on Wednesday. Attendees with skin in the game for the next Canadian open market - and the members of the fourth estate - have fingers crossed that Nally’s best nuggets aren’t about the Oilers once again being Canada’s premier NHL team while the Maple Leafs prepare for a turbulent offseason.
We are curious about the conversation that will happen during Wednesday’s “Building a sustainable gaming model in Canada” panel with GeoComply senior executive (and former Canadian Gaming Association board chair) Ilkim Hincer holding the moderator’s mic with CGA boss Paul Burns, AGCO CEO Dr. Karin Schnarr and Dallas McCready, who was in January appointed to replace the retiring Patrick Daigle as president/CEO of the Atlantic Lottery Corporation. ALC is a member of the coalition of provincial gaming and lottery corps that have butted heads with private operators, most of which are operating in the Ontario market.
For something on the lighter side, Martin Lycka will have former NHLer/Sporsnet personality Nick Kypreos as his guest for a live recording of The Safe Bet Show on Thursday morning (11 a.m.). It’s the third time in as many Canadian summits that Lycka has hosted a hockey puck with Kypreos following NHL Alumni grand poobah Glenn Healy, and fellow NHL alumnus/Sportsnet commentator Luke Gazdic.
Given the furor south of the border (no, no, no. . . we aren’t discussing DJ Trump) these days in the gaming industry about tax rate increases, sweepstakes, prediction markets, crypto, etc., etc., we’re interested in what will be said during Wednesday’s final panel “Homegrown heroes: harmonizing regulation to boost Canadian innovation” with Burns of the CGA, AGEM CEO Daron Dorsey, GLI senior executive Salim Adatia with Jenny Lu from Pixiu Gaming in the moderator’s chair.
What the hey, we’re throwing in one more panel to ponder. “To market, to market: where will the new customers come from?” has a rather robust panel with moderator Martin Collins (Soft2Bet) steering the conversation among Scotty Vanderwel (PointsBet Canada), Paris Smith (Life Winning/Defy The Odds), Tom Burdakin (FanDuel), Harrison Barrett (Global Innovation Group) and Thomas Metzger (Lotto.com).
If you’re making a last-minute call to attend next week’s Canadian Gaming Summit, there’s no need to fret. Registration is still open for the gathering of the gaming industry at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Register here using the code PARLEHPARTNERVIP and get 50% off your full-event pass.
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