The main change sees the removal of Registrar approval for responsible gambling training programs. However, as stated in a press release from the AGCO, “Training must still be mandatory, regularly updated, and based on best practices.”

The AGCO goes on to state that, “This change reduces red tape, encourages innovation, and maintains Ontario’s high standards for player protection.” 

“This also aligns with AGCO’s outcomes-based regulatory approach and brings greater consistency across gaming sectors, including iGaming.”

The intention is that operators can update their training programs quickly, without the need to wait for approval. 

AGCO Responsible Gambling Standards

Although operators will no longer need approval for responsible gambling training programs, they will still be held to the AGCO’s high standards to protect players. 

The standards state that “All employees who interact with players shall receive mandatory training, which is refreshed regularly to include current best practice research and employee feedback.”

A new section added this month says that: “Support shall be provided to persons showing signs of potentially problematic gambling behavior, including providing players with easily accessible contact information of at least one organization dedicated to treating and assisting problem gamblers.”

In April this year, the AGCO also provided new guidance for companies to monitor player behaviour and identify those who may be at risk of problem gambling. 

Staff should be trained to recognise the signs of problem gambling and offer timely support once signs of risk emerge.

Operators Face Fines For Not Protecting Players

The AGCO issued a fine to Casino Days last month for failing to protect players. The company was accused of using a deceptive bonus to encourage players to incur substantial losses and was fined CA$54,000 ($48,000). 

Karin Schnarr, CEO and Registrar of the AGCO, emphasized the regulator’s focus on player protection, commenting: “Player protection is a non-negotiable priority for the AGCO.”

“We expect operators to be truthful and transparent about their promotions, and we also require them to ensure that those promotions do not encourage reckless or harmful patterns of play.”

Ontario iGaming Seeing Rapid Growth

Ontario’s online gaming revenue has experienced rapid growth since the province regulated iGaming in 2021. 

In its first year of operations, gross gaming revenue (GGR) was CA$1.26 billion ($920 million), which grew to CA$2.20 billion ($1.61 billion), and subsequently, CA$3.20 billion ($2.34 billion). 

This year, the industry continues to thrive. In April, GGR was CA$313.5 million ($228.4 million), a 25.3% increase from April 2024. 

May saw a new record in GGR at CA$338 million, surpassing the previous high in January by 2.9%. This was a 40.3% increase from May 2024. 

With online casinos accounting for around 78% of GGR, responsible gambling training to recognize when players are exceeding their limits is essential. 

The AGCO hopes the removal of the need to approve training program changes will lead to companies introducing measures that protect players during this period of rapid growth. 

The post Ontario Updates Responsible Gambling Training Standards For Gaming and Lotteries appeared first on CasinoBeats.

The data indicates that April is the second-best month on record in the Canadian province, behind January 2025. 

The latest report by iGaming Ontario reveals that the total wagers for the month amounted to CA$7.8 billion ($5.7 million), representing a 2% decline from March. 

Despite that, revenue grew by 6% month-over-month, supported by a 3% increase in active player accounts and average revenue per account.

Breaking down the sector performance, online casinos generated CA$242.8 million ($176.9 million), representing a 1% month-over-month increase.

Meanwhile, sports betting revenue experienced a significant 35% increase compared to the previous month, reaching CA$64.5 million ($46.9 million). Online poker revenue declined 11% month-over-month to CA$5.9 million ($4.3 million).

The market share distribution was 78% for online casinos, 21% for sports betting, and 1% for online poker.

Stronger Annual Growth Driven by Ontario iGaming

The data from iGaming Ontario also reveals that online casinos performed significantly better than sports betting when compared to April last year. However, the opposite was true on a month-to-month basis.

Regarding revenue, the yearly growth for the entire online gambling market was primarily due to iGaming. The sector saw a 35.4% revenue increase from April 2024. At the same time, sports betting revenue declined by 0.92% year-over-year. Although a small fraction of the total, online poker revenue experienced 3.5% year-over-year growth.

Market share data shows a similar picture. For total wagers placed, online casinos held an 84% market share (up from 83% in April 2024), while sports betting accounted for a 14% share, down one percentage point.

Moreover, the market share by revenue saw an even bigger discrepancy between the two. Online casinos generated 78% of the total revenue, representing a 6% increase year-over-year. In contrast, the sports betting share decreased by 5%, from 26% to 21%.

The sports betting hold percentage varies depending on whether the results are considered favorable for operators or punters, thus explaining deviations in revenue and large percentage change swings from month to month.  

While iGaming drove the annual growth, sports betting performed better compared to March. The sector delivered a 35% increase in revenue, compared to a 1% growth in the iGaming segment.

The strong growth allowed sports betting to increase its revenue market share from 16% in March to 21% in April.

One possible reason for the strong monthly comps could be the start of the NHL playoffs, where five of the seven Canadian teams participated.

Ontario’s System Sparks Market Growth, Alberta Eyes Similar Path

Since Ontario opened the online gambling market to a multi-license system in April 2022, the market (and tax revenue) have seen tremendous growth.

Compared to that month, the total gaming revenue has grown by 613.7%. Online casinos experienced an even greater increase, at 993.7%, while sports betting revenue increased by 211.6%. In that time, Ontario has collected CA$1.48 billion ($1.08 billion).

Following Ontario’s success, Alberta has been exploring the possibility of expanding to a multi-licence system for several years. In 2024, these plans advanced as Dale Nally, Alberta’s Minister of Service and Red Tape Reduction, announced that the province was officially moving forward with plans to establish its regulated market.

Last month, the province reached a significant milestone when Bill 48, also known as the iGaming Alberta Act, passed the Alberta legislature’s Committee of the Whole. To become a law, it needs a Royal Assent from Lieutenant Governor Salma Lakhani.

While regulatory details are being sorted out, Alberta has no plans to limit the number of licenses, mirroring Ontario. The latter is home to over 50 online gambling brands.

If implemented, a likely launch date for the new online gambling market is expected for early 2026.

The post Ontario Online Market Reaches CA$313.5M, Driven by 35.4% Annual iGaming Growth appeared first on CasinoBeats.

Bill 48, the iGaming Alberta Act, passed the Alberta legislature’s Committee of the Whole last Wednesday. It will become law only after Lieutenant Governor Salma Lakhani gives the ceremonial blessing of Royal Assent.

Should the bill gain approval, Alberta would become the second Canadian province, after Ontario, to have regulated iGaming. Ontario launched its market in April 2022 and boasts 50 approved iGaming operators, including the government-owned lottery and gaming corporation.

Like Ontario, Alberta does not intend to cap the number of regulated iGaming operators.

Alberta iGaming Launch Likely in 2026, Flutter Suggests

No official date has been announced for Alberta’s introduction of legal iGaming, which would include both online sports betting and online casino play. However, FanDuel’s parent company, Flutter Entertainment, is reportedly tentatively planning on an early 2026 start.

The Alberta Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis Commission (AGLC), which also oversees Play Alberta, will oversee the market.

In the meantime, several regulatory details — including revenue sharing — are still being sorted out.

Ontario, which reported $1.4 billion in revenue over its first full year of operation, requires operators to return approximately 20% of revenue to the province. 

Bill Aims to Shift Players Away from Offshore Sites

Proponents of Bill 48 hope the proposed legislation will help mitigate risks commonly associated with unregulated offshore sites. Minister Dale Nally noted during the bill’s introduction that a “significant number of Albertans are potentially being preyed upon by grey-market sites of illicit sites. This legislation proposes to change that. …

“Our goal is not to create new gamblers but to make existing online gambling safer.”

This includes introducing several safe gambling practices, including a centralized self-exclusion system allowing players to simultaneously block themselves from all regulated gambling websites in the province. Ontario is developing a similar system in collaboration with Integrity Compliance 360 (IC360) and IXUP.

NDP Warns of Vague Language and Insufficient Oversight

Not everyone in Alberta supports legalizing iGaming. Gurinder Brar, a member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from the opposition New Democratic Party (NDP), voiced concerns about the bill’s lack of clarity.

“This approach is just like buying a car without knowing if it has brakes or a steering wheel,” Brar said. “It’s bound to lead to a crash.”

The bill lacks a recommended tax rate and does not outline details around licensing fees. Nally and other members of the United Conservative Party (UCP) have said specific revenue and consumer protection policies will be detailed later this year.  

The post Alberta Set to Become Second Canadian Province to Regulate iGaming appeared first on CasinoBeats.

Powered by White Hat Gaming, the Bally Bet Sportsbook & Casino app combines the functionalities of the existing Bally Casino and Bally Bet Sportsbook apps into one platform. 

It allows players in Ontario to place wagers for either product via a single app, account and universal wallet. To assist with the transition, players will receive in-app, email and social media messages to guide them through the app change.

“We are thrilled to introduce the new Bally Bet Sportsbook & Casino app, marking a significant milestone for Bally’s,” commented Robeson Reeves, CEO of Bally’s Corporation. 

“This integrated platform merges the features of our previous apps, providing players in Ontario with a seamless experience for both sports and casino betting. Our commitment to enhancing the player experience remains at the forefront as we strive to personalise the enjoyment of playing Bally Bet.”

In November, Bally’s stockholders approved the company’s definitive merger agreement with The Queen Casino & Entertainment Inc, a portfolio company majority-owned by Standard General LP.

Earlier this year in July, Bally’s entered into a definitive merger agreement with Standard General, its largest stockholder, which will acquire the company’s outstanding shares for $18.25 per share.

The post Bally’s Corporation launches combined sportsbook and casino app in Ontario appeared first on CasinoBeats.

To begin with, Push Gaming’s titles will be made available to BetMGM’s players in the Canadian province of Ontario.

However, pending regulatory approval, the operator has plans to expand its partnership with the supplier, becoming the exclusive partner for Push Gaming in the US in 2025.

“Push Gaming’s exciting slots resonate with players and elevate the igaming experience,” commented Oliver Bartlett, VP of Gaming Product and Content at BetMGM. 

“We are proud to partner with Push Gaming and add their popular slots to our online casinos in Ontario which offers players a vast variety of over 3,000 titles.”

Push Gaming titles that will be playable for the operator’s customers via the BetMGM Casino include Retro Tapes, Big Bamboo, Razor Returns, and Wild Swarm 2, with more titles to be added in the future.

“This is a proud moment for the team at Push Gaming as this partnership is the culmination of an incredible amount of hard work,” added Fiona Hickey, Chief Business Development Officer at Push Gaming.

“Having some of our biggest games available to BetMGM players, one of the industry’s largest names, is a milestone in our evolution as a developer and we’re incredibly excited at the potential of our partnership.

“As well as being committed to creating the best slots the industry has to offer, it is also our priority to ensure that content is available to as many players as possible, in tandem with the very best operators, globally. 

“Working with BetMGM fits those goals perfectly and the ensuing long-term closer cooperation across North America that this will bring gives us an amazing foothold in key regions.”

The post BetMGM partners with Push Gaming for slots content in Ontario appeared first on CasinoBeats.

Facilitated via BetComply, the crash game developer has been granted a gaming-related supplier licence from Ontario’s gaming regulator, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario.

This licence marks the first time players in North America will be able to experience Aviatrix’s crash game of the same name, signalling a ‘major milestone’ in the two-year-old game’s growth. 

Anastasia Rimskaya, Chief Account Officer at Aviatrix, stated: “We committed to expanding Aviatrix’s regulated footprint, and this is another huge step. We’re already present in many markets across Europe, so it is fantastic to add a province in Canada to the list. 

“We are sure that players in Ontario are going to find Aviatrix every bit as enjoyable as their counterparts elsewhere.”

Aviatrix partnered with BetComply last month, leveraging the latter’s igaming compliance services to continue expanding the reach of its crash game in new markets. 

“Having BetComply at our side as we embark on a huge expansion into regulated markets around the world is priceless,” stated Anastasia Rimskaya, Chief Account Officer at Aviatrix. 

“The team has unparalleled expertise, and is able not only to assist with our day-to-day processes, but also share strategic insight and best practices. We look forward to building upon this partnership as we enter new regulated markets globally.”

The post Aviatrix prepares for North American debut with Ontarian licence appeared first on CasinoBeats.

While Bill 216, the Building Ontario For You Act, 2014, adjusted the province’s expectations for net profit from gaming as part of its 2024 fiscal review and future outlook, it also introduced Schedule 9 which concerns the status and operation of iGaming Ontario (iGO).

This provision will allow iGaming Ontario to breakaway from its parent organisation, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), ending the two firms’ parent-subsidiary relationship. 

Since iGO began operations in July 2021, the organisation has been a subsidiary of the AGCO under the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario Act, 2019.

Yet as a result of Schedule 9, iGO will become an entirely standalone corporation without share capital. iGO specified that it will be a fully independent board-governed agency.

Bill 216 passed first reading third reading on 6 November and received Royal Assent the same day. The iGaming Ontario Act will be proclaimed in early 2025, a representative from the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General told Canadian Gaming Business.

This spokesperson also told the publication that this change has been introduced to address a concern of a conflict of interest raised by Ontario’s Auditor General.

“Once proclaimed, the Act would also dissolve the parent-subsidiary relationship between AGCO and iGO,” confirmed the spokesperson of Doug Downey‘s office. 

“This change would strengthen iGO’s governance and accountability structure and contribute to the continued success of Ontario’s thriving igaming market by positioning the agency as a competitive employer and addressing a conflict-of-interest concern raised by the Auditor General.”

The post iGaming Ontario Act sees iGO cut ties from AGCO appeared first on CasinoBeats.

86%

iGaming Ontario (iGO) has once again reported total wagers of over CAD$18bn in its second quarter of 2024-25 fiscal year (Q3 2024), with online casino having an 86% share of the Canadian province’s total wagers.

From Ontario’s 51 operators with 83 gaming websites in Q2, iGO reported that total wagers for the quarter, not including promotional wagers (bonuses), stood at $18.7bn, a 1.6% increase in comparison to the previous quarter and a 31.7% increase year-over-year.

Total gaming revenue rose in comparison to the previous quarter and YoY, rising by 1.7% and 35.4% respectively to $738m. 

iGO stated that the total gaming revenue figure “represents total cash wagers, including rake fees, tournament fees, and other fees, across all Operators, minus player winnings derived from cash wagers and does not take into account operating costs or other liabilities”.

In Q2, iGO noted that over 1.32 million player accounts were active, with the average monthly spend per account being $308.

Per vertical, total wagers in casino (slots, live and computer-based table games and peer-to-peer bingo) stood at $16bn, 86% of the total during the quarter. Casino gaming revenue was $553m, 75% of the total gaming revenue.

Betting (sports, esports, proposition and novelty bets, as well as exchange betting) had a total wagers amount of $2.2bn, 12% of Q2’s total. Betting’s gaming revenue amounted to $167m, 23% of the total during the quarter.

€280.1m

Betsson reported a group revenue increase of 18% compared to the same period last year to €280.1m (Q3 2023: €237.6m). 

In constant currencies and adjusted for acquisition, revenue rose by 50.6% YoY. Share of revenue from locally regulated markets (€163m) increased to 58% (2023: €106m/45%). 

Licence revenue for system delivery to B2B customers stood at €66.7m (2023: €55.9m), with new customers added and further sportsbook trading capabilities achieved through the 2022 acquisition of KickerTech, in addition to improvements and investments in casino and sportsbook products.

Customer activity rose in the quarter, with deposits rising by 19.8% YoY and reaching an all-time high of €1.48bn (2023: €1.24bn). Registered customers grew to 31.1 million, up 5.9% (2023: 29.4 million), while active customers increased by 9.8% to 1,357,953 (2023: 1,237,238).

Betsson’s EBITDA rose by 17% YoY to €80.3m (2023: €68.9m), with a margin of 28.7% (2023: 29%). EBIT increased by 15% to €64.5m (2023: €56m), with a margin of 23% (2023: 23.6%). 

Net income fell slightly to €43.4m (2023: €46.2m), with earnings per share at €0.31 (2023: €0.35). Operating cash flow at the end of the quarter was €62.5m (2023: €44.9m), while net debt was €-128.3m (2023: €-65.5m).

“Yet again, new record levels in revenue and EBIT in the third quarter,” commented Pontus Lindwall, CEO of Betsson.

“The high customer activity continued during the third quarter with new record levels in customer deposits and gaming turnover. Yet again Betsson reports quarterly records in revenue and EBIT, which means the eleventh quarter in a row with sequential growth on the EBIT level.”

60%

Evolution CEO Martin Carlesund revealed the situation for the firm in Georgia is “stable” with its studio currently operating at around 60% capacity, a level that it hopes will remain after significant disruption caused by union strike action.

Updating investors, Carlesund revealed that the Georgian studio will not return to full capacity after the strike due to “instability”. Nonetheless, he added that with over 20 studios globally, they are able to offset lost capacity and limit the impact on their customers. 

Carlesund stated that Evolution “fully supports” the right of workers to be part of a union. However, after much dialogue with the union in Georgia, he described their demands as “simply unreasonable”.

He went on to accuse the unions and the media of spreading “a lot of disinformation and blunt lies”, emphasising the importance of them acting in line with legislation as well as union values. 

One of the key falsehoods that Carlesund stated had been spread was around the size of the strikes, as he stated around 300 staff were involved as it initially started, which caused minimal impact on the firm’s day-to-day operations. 

This then escalated according to Carlesund, when “a small number of non-employees and union activists illegally blocked the entrance to the workplace, behaving violently, vandalising the building and harassing working staff’, which caused “severe disruptions” and led to the “sad outcome” of them moving operations. 

“Naturally the outcome of this is not positive for customers” said Carlesund, who added that he recently met with regulators in Georgia who “see through the situation with the unions and base their judgements on facts and not social media”. 

98%

Groupe Française des Jeux (FDJ) has announced that its shareholding in Kindred Group has increased to over 98% following the conclusion of its public tender offer extension.

Earlier this month, the French gambling group completed its acquisition of Unibet and 32Red operator for nearly €2.5bn, a transaction that had been in the works since an offer of SEK 130 in cash per Swedish Depository Receipt (SDRs) was submitted back in January this year.

Following the end of the first settlement delivery of the offer on 11 October, FDJ held 91.77% of Kindred’s share capital, tendering 195,659,291 Kindred SDRs, representing 90.66% of the group’s capital, alongside acquiring 2,400,000 Kindred SDRs directly from Veralda, representing 1.11% of the group’s share capital.

However, at the time, FDJ extended its offer to 18 October to allow for Kindred shareholders who have not tendered their shares to do so on unchanged terms. With that date now passed, the group has announced that an additional 14,734,917 Kindred SDRs were tendered, representing 6.83% of the share capital.

Following settlement delivery of the extended offer, expected to take place on 29 October, FDJ’s shareholding in Kindred will therefore be 98.6%.

Since FDJ holds over 90% of Kindred’s share capital, the group intends to “request the implementation of the squeeze-out procedure” following Kindred’s articles of association to acquire all the shares not tendered in the public offer, delisting Kindred’s SDRs from Nasdaq Stockholm.

The post Ontario, Evolution, Betsson, FDJ and Kindred: the week in numbers appeared first on CasinoBeats.

From Ontario’s 51 operators with 83 gaming websites in Q2, iGO reported that total wagers for the quarter, not including promotional wagers (bonuses), stood at $18.7bn, a 1.6% increase in comparison to the previous quarter and a 31.7% increase year-over-year.

Total gaming revenue rose in comparison to the previous quarter and YoY, rising by 1.7% and 35.4% respectively to $738m. 

iGO stated that the total gaming revenue figure “represents total cash wagers, including rake fees, tournament fees, and other fees, across all Operators, minus player winnings derived from cash wagers and does not take into account operating costs or other liabilities”.

In Q2, iGO noted that over 1.32 million player accounts were active, with the average monthly spend per account being $308.

Per vertical, total wagers in casino (slots, live and computer-based table games and peer-to-peer bingo) stood at $16bn, 86% of the total during the quarter. Casino gaming revenue was $553m, 75% of the total gaming revenue.

Betting (sports, esports, proposition and novelty bets, as well as exchange betting) had a total wagers amount of $2.2bn, 12% of Q2’s total. Betting’s gaming revenue amounted to $167m, 23% of the total during the quarter.

Peer-to-peer poker accounted for 2.2% of total wagers during Q2 at $417m and 2.4% of gaming revenue during the quarter at $18m.

Back in August, Martha Otton announced that she would be retiring from her position as iGO Executive Director at the end of the year. During the same month, iGO selected a joint bid by Integrity Compliance 360 and IXUP to develop a centralised self-exclusion system for Ontario.

The post iGO: Online casino hits 86% share of Ontario’s total wagers in Q2 appeared first on CasinoBeats.

Through the agreement, Relax Gaming will supply PointsBet with its slots and live dealer portfolio, bolstering the operator’s online casino suite available to players in the Canadian province.

“Relax Gaming has established itself as a strong player in Ontario with relevant and compelling content,” commented Scott Vanderwel, Chief Executive Officer at PointsBet.

“We are excited to partner with them to increase engagement across our online casino platform via improved slots content.”

With its partnership with PointsBet, Relax Gaming has continued to grow its presence in Ontario, as the firm was one of the first suppliers in the province when it regulated its igaming market back in April 2022, bringing over 120 games to multiple operators.

More than 4,000 online casino games are provided to over 700 operator brands by Relax Gaming, from proprietary slots to content from third-party studios via its partnership programmes.

Martin Stålros, CEO of Relax Gaming, added: “Since we launched in Ontario we have enjoyed tremendous success, with our content hitting the sweet spot for the broad range of players in the Canadian province.

“This partnership with PointsBet will strengthen our presence in the market as the region’s leading operator integrates our rich content portfolio which will engage its player base.”

The post PointsBet grows online casino offering in Ontario with Relax Gaming appeared first on CasinoBeats.