New operators entering Ontario, Alberta are signs of stable regulated gambling sectors
This month, both DAZN Bet and Hard Rock Bet launched in Ontario, more than four years after the market opened while Entain goes live in Alberta. Also, Q2 results from BetMGM, Betty and Kambi.
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.
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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
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.
Toronto Star investigative reporter Emma McIntosh delivered an update Monday on the sex-themed gambling website that was available to Ontarians.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Speaking of BCLC, its former interim president/CEO took aim at foreign-owned gambling operators in his latest LinkedIn post.
From the Dept. of Beeg Etransfers. . . OLG last week distributed more than $42 million to 29 communities with gaming venues as a Q1 payment.
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.
A message/warning from Sportnation Bet Canada about a fake email falsely attributed to iGaming Ontario.
Catena Media brand PlayCanada.com has been acquired by Vectiq.
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.
July has been very, very good to licensed online sportsbooks in the state of New York.
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.
As Ben Horney keyboard for Front Office Sports, the NFL has concerns with some of what prediction markets are offering.
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.
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”.
Author Jeff Pearlman took a run via the TikTok at Pat McAfee, ESPN and the network’s business deals with gambling operators.
InGame’s Daniel O’Boyle reported on the shuttering of Kalshi’s sports business in Nevada.
A report by H2 Gambling Capital indicates offshore gambling operators will benefit from the tax hike being imposed on licensed operators in the UK.
A tap of the Bauer Vapour to Jess Welman for putting on our radar the Campaign for Fairer Gambling’s new report about microbetting.
Reporting from Steven Bittenbender at Gambling Insider that FanDuel and DraftKings are seeking to have thrown out a lawsuit filed by two Philadelphia men.
According to reporting by Catherina Gioino for Fortune, sports betting is now more popular than movies, arts, museums and music combined.
A bipartisan bill has been introduced in Nevada to ban sports wagering on prediction markets.
Sleuthing of the journalistic sort by Zak Thomas-Akoo on data theft of the Premier League’s licensing subsidiary.
Jeff Edelstein wrote about the prediction markets boom in Texas and California, two U.S. states that have yet to legalize online sports wagering.
Speaking of Edelstein (again), he delivered a Bill Nye The Science Guy bit of reporting last week on the speed of online casinos.
Dustin Gouker has some deets on ESPN’s new 30 for 30 podcast on the Shohei Ohtani interpreter scandal.
New York Intelligencer journalist Matt Stieb told the story of the Las Vegas gambler who’s immersed in the Malik Beasley betting mess.
Sportico’s Dan Bernstein did some reporting on the relationship between FanDuel and CME Group.
The bunfight between the sports betting/gaming industry and prediction markets continued during a congressional subcommittee hearing last week.
Steve Ruddock, in his Straight to the Point newsletter, gives it the old college try in keeping up with the court cases involving PMs.
Speaking of Ruddock, he posted on X last week that the Public Health Advocacy Institute has settled its lawsuit with the Massachusetts Gaming Commission.
A Netflix documentary on Kalshi unsurprisingly had a sidebar on legal wranglings. Plus, more from Steve Ruddock in his Straight to the Point newsletter.
A lift in its interactive business allowed Boyd Gaming to raise its full-year online earnings guidance.
As Kaizen Gaming prepares to launch its Betano brand in Spain, it’s seeking a managing director.
Gambling.com Group have a new handle.
Finally, good on the folks at mkodo for giving its founder Stuart Godfree in a very, very fitting farewell last week.
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