Horse racing’s deal with a gambling devil ends just as you might expect in B.C.
Last week, British Columbia pulled the plug on horse racing, but is keeping the casinos brought in to help the sport.
The marriage of casinos and horse racing is again proving to be a deal with the devil. Just ask the many people whose livelihoods depend on the horse racing in British Columbia.
Last week, Great Canadian Entertainment announced the end of thoroughbred racing at Hastings Park after more 130 years of operation at the beautiful track on the Pacific National Exhibition grounds near the Vancouver Harbour. The news came nearly four months after Great Canadian announced the end of harness racing at Fraser Downs in nearby Surrey just a few months shy of the track’s 50th birthday.
In the case of Fraser Downs, the City of Surrey, which owns the land on which the harness track is located, terminated the track’s lease. Though, interestingly, the city is allowing the attached Elements Casino to remain open.
In the case of Hastings Park, the province made the call to stop giving the horse racing industry a cut from that track’s casino, effectively making racing untenable. Though, there again – big surprise – the casino at Hastings will remain open.
The news is one big bile sandwich on several fronts, but mostly because:
a) There are thousands of jobs connected to the horse racing industry in B.C.;
b) It was a dirty deal. Great Canadian used horse racing to build casinos under the guise of helping horse racing. Instead, it was more about getting the green light for a casino in a location where gambling had long been established and accepted by the neighbouring community.
In exchange, the casinos shared some of their profits with the horse racing industry to offset some of the inevitable cannibalization of horse racing’s gambling customers – in horse racing’s own house, no less.
Cannibalization has long been a term used by the horse racing industry to indicate that one form of gambling will eat away at the other. Still, only the most cynical would have predicted that casinos would actually one day swallow horse racing whole. But here we are.
So, why did horse racing make the deal with the casino devil in the first place? Easy. Horse racing is one of the most expensive forms of gambling on the planet. To breed, feed, care for, train and race horses is an extremely costly endeavour that requires high purses to make the process affordable. Another revenue stream was needed to keep the enterprise going, especially in B.C., which is on a bit of an island in terms of horse racing.
While there is horse racing in neighbouring Alberta and limited racing in the state of Washington, there aren’t a lot of other racing areas west of the Mississippi. That made it difficult to have enough horses to fill race fields. That, in turn, made the product less popular with gamblers who are more attracted to races with larger numbers of horses.
Why should you care about any of this? Simple. Horse racing supports thousands of jobs in British Columbia and many of them are in rural communities where jobs are scarce.
Yes, gambling on horse racing is in decline and casinos are both more popular and more profitable, by comparison.
Yes, that means casinos, and the governments that authorized them, are subsidizing a sport in general decline.
And, yes, in a perfect world, horse racing should stand on its own four feet/hooves.
But governments subsidize plenty of industries in the name of jobs.
The $220 million the federal government gave to Stellantis is a great example. The company took Canadian taxpayers’ dollars and then turned around and announced it was moving some of its Ontario production to the United States. Wait… what?
And, at least in horse racing’s case, its alleged subsidy came from the proceeds of people who voluntarily chose to gamble in horse racing’s house, not the general tax base.
All of this means little now to governments and casino companies with short memories and even smaller consciences.
Worse, B.C. is not alone. Similar scenarios are playing out all over North America.
Casino companies promise to support horse racing in exchange for the right to open a casino.
Governments get less opposition for expanding gambling in facilities with a long history of the activity.
Horse racing, desperate for a cash infusion, accepts a bad proposal, praying beyond hope that they did not just agree to wed Lucifer.
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Former ESPN executive named new leader of theScore
There’s a new head honcho at theScore.
Just to be clear, PENN Entertainment remain the proprietors of the brand created by John Levy many, many fortnights ago. But, sports business journalist John Ourand in The Varsity first broke the news Monday that Nate Ravitz is the new Head of theScore. Ravitz provided confirmation in a LinkedIn post yesterday afternoon:
Thrilled to share that I’ve joined PENN Entertainment, Inc as Head of theScore. In this new role I am leading the Media business of Penn Interactive, overseeing Content, Ad Sales and Growth.
I’ve long admired what theScore has been able to build and achieve in the incredibly-competitive landscape of mobile sports apps. I couldn’t be more honored to join the team and build on that great legacy. Also happy to once again be teammates with (chief technology officer and Disney alumn) Aaron LaBerge and several other former colleagues. We’re playing to win. Let’s go!
Ravitz recently finished a consulting gig with FanDuel Sports Network. Prior to that, he spent almost 18 years at ESPN, joining the Worldwide Leader in 2007 as a general editor on ESPN.com and moving up the ranks before eventually becoming Senior Vice President, Digital Content and Audience Expansion. Ravitz left the company in October 2024.
We’ll be keeping close watch on Ravitz’s content strategy, given the major cuts to the editorial team at theScore back in June, and last month getting rid of the majority of the Toronto-based editorial team covering esports. As has been reported here - and everywhere else - PENN and ESPN severed ties last month, bringing to an end the ESPN Bet brand. PENN is now using theScore Bet brand in 21 U.S. states and in Ontari-ari-ari-o.
Some words of wisdom for the decision makers in Alberta
Dan Waugh from Regulus Partners was our guest on this week’s instalment of the Gaming News Canada Show presented by Bede Gaming. While most of his conversation with Steve McAllister centred on the recent plan of the UK government to drastically hike remote gaming taxes, the long-time gaming industry watcher was asked at the end of the podcast about the expected launch of an open gaming market in Alberta.
Most of Waugh’s advice was of the “walk, don’t run” sort, and he also pointed to a significant reset of Italy’s regulated gambling landscape. From Waugh:
“It’s far better to take a cautious and controlled approach. Restricting licensing can be a good thing to do rather than simply encouraging a completely open market. Putting in place sensible restrictions on advertising, putting in standards around the characteristics of games such as speed of play, stake size. . . .
“It’s in nobody’s interest for the market to be too liberal at the start and then swing back in the opposite direction and become too restrictive. We’ve seen that happen in market after market after market. If there’s a lesson for Alberta, it’s to really think through the consequences. . . look at how the consumers are affected by this and how society as a whole would like to feel about this.”
Some conversations with industry experts over the past week shone some light on developments in Alberta, including:
One source told us the folks put in charge of the regulated gambling file by Red Tape Reduction Minister Dale Nally have held three sessions involving potential operators, focusing on advertising, self-exclusion and responsible gambling. Another source expressed disappointment with the omission of anti-money laundering discussions, especially given this summer’s flurry of fines imposed by FINTRAC against casino operators in Ontario, B.C. and Saskatchewan.
“You’d think that would be top of mind,” said the source. “The biggest pain point in Ontario right now is AML. It’s costing operators time and money.”
We’re told there have been no correspondence between the province and operators about technical requirements.
Nally is on the agenda to give an update on the opening day of next month’s ICE conference in Barcelona. Tom Nightingale of Canadian Gaming Business contacted the minister’s office last week, and got these quotes from spokesperson Kevin Lee:
“Conversations are ongoing and cover a wide range of topics, including the development of the province’s regulatory framework, the implementation of player safety measures like system-wide self-exclusion, and the registration process with Alberta’s iGaming market regulator – Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis.
“The Alberta iGaming Corporation, which will oversee the conduct and management of Alberta’s private regulated iGaming market, is a statutory corporation, created when the iGaming Alberta Act was passed this past spring. Work is currently underway to finish standing the organization up.”
Lee also told Nightingale the regulations “could be finalized soon” and more details about Alberta iGaming Corporation will be available early in the new year.
Moskowitz out as CEO and Chair at NorthStar Gaming
Two weeks after its latest financial results included a “going concern statement”, NorthStar Gaming has made some changes at the top.
In a news release Monday, the sportsbook and igaming operator announced that Michael Moskowitz is out as CEO and Chair of the board of directors after a four-year run. Corey Goodman, a co-founder of the company and currently the chief development officer and general counsel, was named interim CEO.
From Monday’s communique: “Working closely with the Board, (Goodman) will guide the Company’s work to refine its cost structure, enhance operational discipline, and to drive improvement efforts in respect of both revenue and profitability.”
Board member Dean MacDonald moves into the chair’s position to replace Moskowitz while Barry Shafran has also resigned from the board. Shafran chaired the company’s audit committee.
In the Nov. 27 release about the latest financials, included was a warning NorthStar “may breach certain debt-related covenants, and management has initiated discussions with the lender regarding these matters. A breach could require the Company to implement operational adjustments and, if necessary, seek additional debt or equity financing”.
NorthStar Gaming, which is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange, has a couple of major investors in Beach Point Capital Management and gaming tech business Playtech, which stepped up as an investor and strategic advisor almost two years ago.
In October, NorthStar launched betting content website The Boost using an in-house team of writers and editors. NorthStar’s written content is also featured on the Toronto Star’s website. In other NorthStar news, a partnership was announced yesterday morning with igaming development business RubyPlay to integrate online casinos games onto the NorthStar platform.
Passing of B.C.’s Gaming Control Act is long, long, long overdue
Some eight days ago, the British Columbia government – more specifically, the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General - announced the Gaming Control Act will take effect April 13, 2026.
The new legislation and policies “to deter money laundering, encourage responsible gambling” comes seven and a half years after Peter German made public his report reviewing money laundering in the province’s Lower Mainland casinos. As one gaming industry insider told Gaming News Canada this week, the act is “so old, it’s new again”. How old? Well, the B.C. Attorney-General way back in 2018, David Eby, is now the Premier of the province. And, for you hockey pucks among our loyal subscribers, Quinn Hughes was the seventh overall pick of the Vancouver Canucks in that year’s NHL entry draft.
Perhaps of greater interest, given the never-ending conversation about Ontario’s open, regulated sports betting and igaming market being adopted by other provinces in our home and native land, is B.C.’s Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch will now become an independent body. The GPEB will provide “regulatory oversight of gambling conducted and managed by the British Columbia Lottery Corporation, charitable gambling, and B.C.’s horse-racing industry”.
It’s important to point out that we’ve heard/seen nothing from Premier Eby and his fellow elected officials within the New Democratic Party pointing to interest in following the lead of Ontario and Alberta.
Responsible Gambling Council launches Beyond the Game, partners with NHL Sens
When Sarah McCarthy made her maiden appearance on the Gaming News Canada Show during the Canadian Gaming Summit back in June, among the topics discussed with the new CEO of the Responsible Gambling Council was the organization’s continued investment in education programs for youth.
In last week’s dispatch, we did some reporting on a recent webinar hosted by the RGC on its survey into youth gambling and on its partnership with Greo Evidence Insights to build a youth education and prevention framework. Late last week, the council unveiled Beyond the Game: Understanding the Risks of Gambling, a free training module designed for Grade 11 and 12 student-athletes and their coaches. Beyond the Game is launching in Ontario high schools with the council hoping to make it accessible elsewhere in 2026. A recommendation from your humble correspondent for the RGC to collaborate with the office of Ontario Sport Minister Neil Lumsden and to reach out to both national (i.e. Tennis Canada, Golf Canada, Canada Soccer, Canada Basketball to name a few) and provincial sports governing bodies based in the province.
Yesterday, the council let it be known it will be partnering with the NHL Ottawa Senators to promote safe gambling play. At first blush, the partnership will be similar to what the council has done with Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, including preventing messaging during Sens home games, and and a social media engagement and contest reaching fans across Ontario and Quebec.
“Sports and sports betting are increasingly connected in today’s entertainment landscape,” said the aforementioned McCarthy. “This partnership allows us to reach people when they’re getting in the game with their team, in those moments when emotions are running high, and provide them with practical information about how to keep gambling safe and enjoyable.”
Another suggestion (hey, it’s the season for giving) for the new partners: have Sens forward Shane Pinto, suspended for 41 games during the 2023-24 season for violating the league’s gambling policy, play a significant role in delivering said messaging. An injury has sidelined Pinto for at least two weeks, so . . . .
OLG puts out RFP for SaaS solution to support SG program
Firstly, a mea culpa for the hat trick of acronyms in the headline. . . .
While perusing the LinkedIn last week, we came across a post from OLG’s VP of Safer Gambling Aaron GlynWilliams that the corporation had made public a Request for Proposal to get its hands on a “Software-as-a-Service Player Risk Analytics Solution to support its Safer Gambling program. The closing date to submit the RFP is January 30.
From the RFP:
The proposed solution will help create a safe and enjoyable gambling environment by leveraging data from multiple sources and applying advanced analytics to identify and mitigate potential gambling-related harms.
And, from GlynWilliams:
OLG is taking another step to strengthen how data supports safer play. We are focused on innovation in this space. OLG was the first Canadian jurisdiction to launch player-risk models for our iGaming players back in 2015. Using analytics to build on and improve our supports for players remains our priority, and this represents the next phase of that evolution.
People on the Move
Former Aristocrat Gaming CEO Hector Fernandez is the new Chief Executive Officer at IGT.
Eduardo Monte is the new Chief Executive Officer at Flutter Brazil, replacing Joao Studart who moves into the Chair spot.
Golden Matrix Chair William Scott is appointed as interim CEO after Brian Goodman steps down after almost a decade.
Randi Ingram, the former Senior Director of Sales and Strategic Accounts at IGT, becomes the new Senior VP of Sales and Service for Ainsworth’s North American business.
Fanatics names Ross Hegarty as Vice President, Legal and promotes RJ Posey to Vice President, Supply Planning. Also, former LIV Golf guy Robert Bennici is appointed Senior Manager, Technology Services. And, Patrick Gibbons has a new role: Manager, Sportsbook Generosity Strategy.
High Roller Technologies promote Carlo Scappaticci, currently Managing Director, Canada, to Chief Marketing Officer and hire former Boyd Interactive CRM and Marketing Director Frances Cong as Director of Marketing.
Caesars Entertainment Vice Chair Don Korstein announces he’ll be retiring at year’s end.
Former Uber executive Nick Zabriskie is appointed Senior Vice President of Public Affairs at PrizePicks.
Daniel Svard is named Chief Operating Officer at Rovio Entertainment.
Morten Pedersen Tonnesen, who left his Chief Growth Officer post with Xtremepush in September, is appointed Advisor to the CEO at Bragg Gaming.
Investment banking company Jefferies promotes James Liddy to Global Co-Head of Gaming, Lodging & Leisure.
Vlad Marisescu is re-elected as President of the International Esports Federation.
After almost seven years, Esben Vinter is leaving Better Collective, the past eight months as Vice President, Esports and VP, Strategy and Transformation.
Paul Myatt joins ClearStake as an investor and commercial advisor.
Kalshi introduces Elisabeth Diana as Head of Communications.
Tiaga Portela, ex of EstrelaBet and Entain, joins Playtech’s Brazilian operation as Head of Sport.
Superbet promotes Marian Mihaila to Head of Responsible Gaming.
Paddy Power names Emma Mulligan as Head of Gaming Commercial.
Former Alberta Gaming, Liquor & Cannabis Chair Len Rhodes is the new Strategic Advisor, Lottery & Gaming at Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation.
Dima Mariievskyi will step down as Head of Growe Partners at the beginning of 2026.
Flutter Entertainment promotes Lisa Marquis to Marketing Director at Betfair.
Former Sportradar sales director Patrick Murphy is named VP of Sales at TV GRAPHICS Inc.
Julia Weygandt is named Head of Client Growth & New Business at Continent 8 Technologies.
Octoplay promotes Rhea Mifsud to Senior Legal Counsel.
LeoVegas Group brings on board Kieran Tierney as Head of Key Account Management.
Former Rank Group Creative Director Mikael Gustavson is the new Creative Lead at BOYLE Sports.
Yotem Yogev takes his leave from Playtech after 10 years, the past three as Director of Product – PAM, to become the Group Chief Product Manager at Betty.
Jonathan Fowler, who left Hard Rock Digital last month, is the new Director, Casino Brand Marketing at DraftKings.
Spencer Dawson bids adieu to FanDuel to join Hard Rock Digital’s Toronto team as Director of User Acquisition (Games).
FairPlay Sports Media names Beth Turner as U.S. Casino Content Executive.
Lotte Lind Nielsen joins Danske Spil as Senior Business Development Manager.
FanDuel promotes Zack Ali to Fraud and Risk Lead Supervisor. Meanwhile, FanDuel Canada welcomes Lawrence Fraginal as Marketing Technology and Operations Senior Analyst.
Raj Boparai departs FanDuel as Senior Growth Marketing Associate, Sportsbook to become Sportsbook Generosity Strategy Manager at Fanatics.
George Kondoleon has a new title at BetMGM: Advertising Manager.
After 3.5 years, Ian Dorward is leaving DraftKings as Manager, Data Science.
Adam Fletcher departs Blizzard Entertainment to become Senior Director, Community Development at Scopely.
Eli Pattison leaves his Senior Analyst role at DraftKings to join the NBA head office as Global Data and Insights Strategist.
Justin Parsons, formerly of Nuvei, Pavillion Payments and Sightline Payments, joins Mastercard as Director of Account Management.
Colin Behan is leaving BetMGM as Head of CRM, Shelby McLaughlin is introduced as Project Manager – PMO, Customer Operations and Jacqueline Avalos is named Team Lead, Real Time.
Cody Darwick has a new title at Better Collective: General Manager, Playbook.
Bede Gaming promotes Rachel Wood to Expert Services Lead.
Sarah Beca, ex of FanDuel, moves to CME Group to join the Compliance - Prediction Markets team.
Clarke Carlisle joins Betknowmore UK as Business Development Executive.
After seven and a half years, broadcaster Lisa Kerney is leaving FanDuel TV to become Studio Host on NBC Sports’ college basketball broadcasts.
Vacheh Sahakian leaves FeedConstruct and joins SOFTSWISS as Business Development Manager.
Jake Davey has a new business card at Betsoft Gaming: Account Management Team Leader.
Federico Brancato joins LSports as Sales and Business Development Manager, LATAM.
Electronic Arts promote Carol Ellen to Senior Recruiting Consultant.
Aaron Taber comes aboard DraftKings as Lead Software Engineer.
Tove Ronneback has a new gig at Betsson Group: Content and Social Media Manager.
Deirdre Hynes, ex of NexTide Media, joins Frameplay to work on its brand partnerships business on the U.S. east coast.
Nick Devor has a new role at Barron’s: Gambling Industry Reporter.
Eilidh Le Bouille joins the International Tennis Integrity Agency as Education and Media Officer.
Olga Spinu comes on board Adyen as Alliance Partner Manager.
Bet365 brings on Stefan Gronberg as International Content Translator.
Jon Hansan, ex of PrizePicks, is named Senior Product Manager at Underdog.
Among the additions to the senior leadership team with the NHL Vegas Golden Knights is Scott Kegley as VP, Digital & Production and Bryan Harper as VP, Content & Production.
After 14 years, most recently as Head of MediaCo & Responsibility, Tomos Grace is leaving YouTube.
Paul Perrier leaves his gig as Executive Senior Associate Athletic Director and Deputy Athletic Director at the University of Southern California and joins Golf Canada as its new Chief Sport Officer.
Haley Carter leaves her VP of Soccer Operations role with the NWSL Orlando Pride to come the President of Soccer Operations for the Washington Spirit.
NHL HQ continues its flurry of promotions with Reece Fischer, now the Group Vice President, Strategy & Analytics. And Dave McCarthy announced late last week he’ll be retiring on Dec. 23 after 25-plus years with the league, most recently as Vice President, Consumer Products Marketing, e-Commerce, NHL Enterprises.
Sandy Cross, ex of the PGA of America, joins the PWHL front office as Vice President, People & Culture.
The National Basketball Players Association promotes Oliver Costamagna to Vice President, Player Experience Strategy.
The exodus of executives from the Canadian Elite Basketball League continues with the departure of Emma Gunn as Vice President, Operations. Speaking of which, Cameron Kusch is also out as Senior VP, Commercial Operations.
Nike promotes Mary Remuzzi to Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications.
Angelo Paletta joins Hamilton Sports Group as a Minority Owner.
Kimberlee Welch leaves Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment as Senior Director, Partnership Marketing & Media Integration.
The CEBL Brampton Honey Badgers name Saud Juman its Team President.
Lucy Crickmore is promoted to Head of Sport Operations at Commonwealth Sport.
Golf Canada appoints Tim Mohr as Senior Manager, Partnership Development.
The PWHL Toronto Sceptres promote Brandon Wright to Manager, Game Presentation & Fan Experience.
Kaj Larsen, ex of the Canadian Premier League, joins Canada Soccer as Manager, Video Content and Storytelling.
Easton Powers joins True North Sports + Entertainment as Manager, Partnerships.
After 15 years, Alex Iosiovich is departing the New Jersey Devils, most recently as Senior Director, Brand Strategy & Development, and his taking his talents to the New York Red Bulls.
Classified (Jobs) Information
On the Home Front
DAZN Bet is on a seek-and-employ mission for a Country Manager to lead its new Canadian operation.
Hard Rock Digital has openings in Toronto for a Director – Customer Service, a Manager – Risk Operations and a Senior Business Analyst.
AGLC is looking for an AML Compliance Investigator.
The Responsible Gambling Council is in hiring mode for a Social Media and Communications Specialist.
Bet99 is on the lookout for a User Interface Designer and a Technical Writer.
Atlantic Lottery is hiring a Senior Accountant and a Senior Disbursements Technician at its Moncton, N.B., offices.
UK Tote Group has an opening in Waterside, N.B., for an AML Officer.
Toronto agency Snap Call Media is on the lookout for a Social Media Manager & Content Creator.
The Digital Labs team at Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment has several openings to fill.
Elevate, based in the city below New Tecumseth, is hiring a Manager, Sponsorship Sales.
Red Bull has an opening at its Toronto location for a Manager, Sustainability.
The Tourism Industry Association of Ontario is in need of a Manager, Marketing, Digital Services and Communications.
Toronto-based Power Play Production Group is seeking a Production Manager.
South of the Border
There’s a CEO position available with Seneca Gaming and Entertainment in Irving, NY.
Intelitics Software is searching for a Head of GTM to be based in California.
DraftKings has a remote opportunity in Massachusetts for a Senior Manager, Customer Strategy and Operations.
BetMGM is searching for a Compliance Analyst, Trading.
Hard Rock Digital has an opportunity in Hollywood (Fla.) for a Coordinator – Influencer Marketing and remote positions for a Data Analyst – Social Media & Influencer, a Creative Project Manager – Casino, a Senior Data Analyst and a Lead – Trading Origination, MLB. It’s also looking for a Casino Content Specialist.
Fanatics is in the market for a Director, Regulatory Reporting.
Front Office Sports currently has five openings, including director positions in sponsorship sales, social media and creative strategy.
SportsGrid is looking for a Host for its new prediction market program.
Underdog is searching for a Director, Consumer Research and Insights.
Nike HQ in Beaverton, Ore., has three openings with the Communications team.
Twitch is in the market for a Partnerships Specialist.
The NCAA is in the market for a Senior Financial Analyst.
Across the Ponds
GamesBeat is searching for a Strategic B2B Partnerships Director.
Betsson Group is seeking a Basketball Trader – Sporting Solutions for its Malta bureau. The company has a whole lotta positions available in its Athens Tech Hub.
FDJ United has a hybrid opportunity out of Malta for a Responsible Gambling Governance Officer.
Aristocrat Interactive has an opportunity in the Tel Aviv district of Israel for a Product Systems Analyst.
LSports in searching for a Trading Director.
In Cyprus, BettingJobs is seeking a Licensing & Regulatory Affairs Manager.
BetHog is looking for a CRM Manager.
B2Spin has an opening for a Design Team Leader in Georgia.
Rhino Entertainment is hiring a Customer Support Agent in North Macedonia.
Among several available roles on the social team at SiriusXM is one for a Social Media Manager, Sports.
The WTA has a hybrid opportunity in the UK for a Director, Media Rights.
The NFL’s business in London has an opportunity for a Director, International Social Content – EMEA.
Kaizen Gaming is hiring in Greece a Junior Pre Event Trader (Tennis).
UK-based MLS Talent needs an Athlete Manager – Sports.
Reading and Reflection
From the Dept. of Making Progress, the office of the minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming for Ontario provided a statement to a report for an article on concerns expressed by an assistant professor at the University of Windsor’s psychology department about sports gambling and betting ads.
Tuesday’s NHL board of governors meeting included a presentation from league security officials on sports betting.
Nicely done by Geoff Zochodne on why Canada isn’t caught in the prediction markets controversy we’re seeing south of the border.
Canadian Gaming Business chronicler Tom Nightingale reported that Sen. Scott Tannas’s bill to amend the Criminal Code and the Indian Act went through second reading last week. Bill S-241 is a new version of Bill S-268, which never got beyond the committee stage in the Senate two years ago.
Peter Edwards of The Toronto Star reported last week on three horses having to be euthanized after being injured at Woodbine Racetrack. The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario is investigating.
We highly recommend reading Steve Ruddock’s Straight to the Point dispatch from last Friday on the state of a U.S. gambling industry nobody saw coming.
The aforementioned Zochodne had a thoughts-provoking piece on Covers.com last week about prediction markets and insider trading.
Speaking of Covers, Ryan Butler delivered a tick-tock piece on the opening day of Missouri’s legal sports betting market.
The Department of Consumer Protection Gaming Division in Connecticut last week issued a cease-and-desist order to Robinhood, Crypto.com and Kalshi.
Some vroom vroom and baccarat may have given the Vegas economy a needed spark in November.
Flutter Entertainment is going back to the drawing board with its business in India.
A recent NEXT.io roundtable brought together Bede Gaming boss Colin Cole-Johnson with SPRIBE CEO Giorgi Tsutskiridze and Kiron Interactive commercial services director Feron Somiah to talk about the igaming landscape in Africa.
Professional tennis player Carolina Garcia turned down a whack of money from a sports betting operator to advertise on her podcast. She explained her rationale for doing so in an X post.
It seems that in the rush to join the gambling game, Kalshi and Polymarket have partnered with fake sports journalists.
Brazil’s senate economic affairs committee has given the go-ahead to raising taxes on the gambling industry there.
For the folks following the road to an open market in Finland, an update from the flying fingers of Antti Koivula.
For the second time in three years, Betfred faces a hefty fine from the UK Gambling Commission for AML breaches.
The Michigan Gaming Control Board once again is going after offshore operators.
Global Gaming Business Magazine undergoes a digital facelift.
We recommend listening to Steve Ruddock’s conversation with gaming industry veteran Richard Schuetz on the Straight to the Point Podcast.
A Mexican big shot in business, including a casino and online gambling operation, is being accused of collaborating with cartels.
Bradford William Davis reported for Front Office Sports that a memo sent by MLB to its players sounded the alarm about wagering on prediction markets.
ESPN
loud mouthbroadcaster Stephen A. Smith has cut ties with Papaya Gaming.Reporting by Fiona Simmons for Gambling News on people buying betting accounts to get a leg up on sportsbooks.
Declan Hill’s latest scribblings on match fixing include an investigation by the Turkish Football Federation into what appears to be an avalanche of competition manipulation.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul has signed a bill to ban dual-currency sweepstakes casinos.
Speaking of the Empire State, legal sportsbooks raked in a record amount of Amarican bucks in November.
A Spotlight Sports Group survey reported 70% of sports fans will put a wager or two on next summer’s FIFA World Cup.
Rory Calland wrote for Global Gaming Insider on Kalshi’s partnerships with CNN and CNBC, and their impact on the company’s valuation.
Finally, you’ll need to dig into your digital wallet to read this piece by Luke Winkie for Slate on Lost Vegas.
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