CanadianGamingBusiness

Online casino ads: Be careful what you click on

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Open social media or scroll a website these days in Canada, and you may well find yourself staring at an advert for an online casino. Many of them are not what they seem.

In recent months, we’ve seen numerous warnings from law enforcement, gaming regulators, crown corporations and regulated caisnos about fraudulent ads. These adverts, many of which use names and photos of reputable casinos to masquerade as licensed gaming entities, look to suck the public into clicking on the ads and ultimately yielding their sensitive information.

It’s by no means a Canada-only issue. Several individual U.S.-based casinos have issued warnings in their respective states of this kind of activity, and some state regulators have issued consumer protection alerts urging residents to look out for fake online casinos.

But it’s certainly a problem pervading Canada from coast to coast.

‘Predatory and sophisticated’
As just some examples: Last year, Ontario’s Casino Rama’s name and image were used to direct the public to a website belonging to an unlicensed online casino registered to Curaçao. Earlier this year, Lotteries and Gaming Saskatchewan (LGS) was forced to remind the public that none of that province’s land-based casinos have a legitimate online version after advertising purporting to be from Dakota Dunes Casino, Casino Regina, Casino Moose Jaw and others spread on social media. And the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) published a notice that “predatory and sophisticated scams” using the BCLC logo were claiming to offer exclusive bonuses and promotions for anyone who clicked and registered.

The fraud can also get remarkably innovative. One particularly bold social media ad took an old CityNews video report and altered the footage to use the name of Alberta’s River Cree Resort & Casino to try to attract clicks.

As Canadian Gaming Association President and CEO Paul Burns said last year, “virtually every land-based casino brand in the country has had its brand hijacked to promote fraudulent online sites.” And the number of mainstream media reports and official communications to the public would seem to suggest the problem is worsening. Or, at least, it’s not getting better.

‘A game of Whac-A-Mole’
For Great Canadian Entertainment, which operates more than 20 retail casinos across four provinces, the issue has become so troublesome that it goes as far as to keep a list on its website of known fraudulent advertising attempts concerning its properties. In the last 12 months, the company’s River Rock Casino Resort, Casino Nova Scotia, Casino New Brunswick, Casino Resort Toronto, Pickering Casino Resort and others have all been targeted numerous times, mostly via ads on Meta’s social media platforms Facebook and Instagram.

Chuck Keeling, Great Canadian’s executive vice-president of external relations and business development, told Canadian Gaming Business recently that “battle” is an apt term for the fight to tackle the issue.

“It’s a game of Whac-a-Mole. If one is forced down, another pops up.”

Great Canadian Entertainment’s Chuck Keeling

“It’s a never-ending cycle and it does seem to have picked up in recent months, based on what we’re seeing as it relates to some of our brands,” Keeling added. “And these online sites that pretend to be casinos are not operating in the shadows, either. It’s in broad daylight.”

Taking advantage of consumer confusion?
Keeling noted one example of a fraudulent ad that used “Woodbine Casino” branding to try to lure in unsuspecting people. That was never the name of that venue, which was formerly known as Casino Woodbine and was replaced by Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto branding in 2023.

That, Keeling suggested, is indicative of the fact that the people and companies behind fraudulent casino advertising may be looking to use the public’s lack of deep knowledge about the Canadian gaming industry to their advantage. “It takes advantage of the confusion in the marketplace as to what’s a legitimate site and what isn’t.”

Great Canadian as an operator brand has “no direct online presence, full stop,” Keeling stressed.

“If they can rip off a brand like ours to give themselves an air of legitimacy, why would they not?”

Keeling

The problem is that people who are not well-informed gamblers or attentive to the industry may not know that. Similarly, not every social media scroller knows that in Ontario, all regulated commercial online casinos have to include the iGaming Ontario (iGO) logo in their adverts.

Burns said at last year’s Canadian Gaming Summit that, “in a lot of cases, the public doesn’t actually know what to look for.”

Damage both reputational and financial
It’s a problem on several fronts. As well as the evident risks to the public, whose financial details and personal information become vulnerable if they click on malevolent advertising, there’s a risk of reputational damage to the legitimate gaming operators whose names and logos are used in the fake ads.

“It really does have an impact on the reputation of the industry,” Keeling said. “But who’s getting hurt the most from this? It’s the consumers who get duped by it.”

In many cases, these adverts will use fake email addresses, domain names and website links that are very similar to the legitimate versions, sometimes even sending text messages or other alerts to people who click on links and provide basic information. Great Canadian and other operators have warned that they will never contact someone directly and ask for personal or financial information.

Still, you can’t stop every potential case.

“We get emails from people complaining that they have lost money on these sites, and there’s nothing we can do,” Keeling added. “Thankfully, we don’t get a lot of those messages but that’s the worst manifestation of this, that people are actually getting taken advantage of and losing money as a result of it.”

What can be done?
Operators like Great Canadian work closely with law enforcement to try to tackle the issue.

Those efforts are both reactive, wherein customers or observers flag instances to the relevant casino operator or to law enforcement, and proactive. Keeling noted that the Great Canadian team has taken to conducting media scans “just to see what we can pick off ourselves.”

The B.C. Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General told Canadian Gaming Business that one responsibility of the Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch (GPEB) is to investigate any conduct or activity connected to gambling that could threaten the integrity of the industry. Once instances are identified, the GPEB investigates complaints or potential violations of the Gaming Control Act or the Gaming Control Regulation.

“GPEB’s Enforcement Division has been working with BCLC to identify the owner(s) of a series of social media scams impersonating B.C. casinos, along with the associated social media accounts,” said a ministry spokesperson. “We know this issue is not unique to B.C., with partners in other jurisdictions highlighting similar concerns.”

The Enforcement Division continually monitors and probes such scams and vows to take enforcement action if violations of the Gaming Control Act are identified. In some cases, the matter is referred to police if there are potential violations of the Criminal Code of Canada.

Do tech companies need to step up?
The CGA and other stakeholders have been vocal in the past in suggesting that tech giants such as Meta and Google need to take more responsibility in vetting the adverts they allow on their sites.

While Meta recently announced some more stringent requirements for gambling advertisers, Keeling acknowledged that fake casino ads are likely not top of those firms’ list of priorities. But without a firmer hand from that end, you’d say that constant game of Whac-A-Mole is likely to continue. Operators and regulators can report instances and law enforcement can pursue action in individual cases, but beyond that, the problem persists.

“It does have an impact on the reputation of the industry. But who’s getting hurt the most? The consumers who get duped.”

Keeling

“Does it trigger greater action going forward? I don’t know,” mulled Keeling. “Maybe, if the problem continues to escalate. I would like to think so because it seems so egregious and it happens in other consumer sectors too. I would like to hold out hope that the Metas and Googles will be more diligent about who is using their platforms. Ultimately, they’re the gatekeepers.

“I don’t know what else we do beyond what we’re doing already. We’re the tip of the spear. But it certainly merits attention. People are getting ripped off.”

A version of this story appears in the Summer 2025 issue of Canadian Gaming Business magazine.

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Ontario regulator warns casinos that ‘free play’ must mean free play

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The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has warned all licensed land-based casinos and charitable gaming operators in Ontario that they must be careful when using the term “free play” in any promotions or advertising.

The province’s market regulator issued a statement this week reminding operators that offers advertised as “free play” must comply with Standard 2.2.2 of the Registrar’s Standards for Gaming, which requires that players should not need to risk or spend their own money to access any bonus, inducement or credit described as “free.”

“If you promote something as ‘free,’ it must genuinely be free,” wrote the commission.

The AGCO stressed that promotions that fail to meet this condition are considered misleading and may be subject to regulatory action such as financial penalties. The statement adds that, whether intentionally misleading or not, “free play” advertising could undermine responsible gambling efforts by encouraging players to overspend.

As an example of a non-compliant offer, the AGCO posed a hypothetical scenario in which an operator offers new reward members the chance to earn $100 in free play by signing up for the casino’s rewards program, playing using their rewards card before Aug. 1, 2025 and receiving any losses before Aug. 31 back in the form of free play credits of up to $100.

In that example, players would have to spend and lose their own money before receiving the “free” credits. Because a financial risk is required, the offer cannot truthfully be called “free” and would therefore violate regulations, stressed the AGCO.

The regulator strongly encouraged all registrants to review current and planned marketing materials to ensure they fully comply with the Standards. Future non-compliance may result in regulatory action, including monetary penalties or other sanctions.

Operators have fallen afoul of the AGCO for marketing regarding “free play” in the past. In one instance early in the regulated market’s lifespan, in 2022, PointsBet Canada was fined $30,000 for advertising two gambling inducements for customers to play for free, one via posters on trains and in multiple products and the other via posters at two train stations. In that case, the violation was of Standard 2.05, which restricts the advertising of inducements, bonuses or credits, except when they are on an operator’s site or through direct advertising and marketing issued after receiving active player consent.

AGCO shuts down unapproved gambling machines in convenience stores
Also this week, the AGCO has revoked the lottery seller registrations of a number of retailers in the Greater Toronto Area that were found to be offering unapproved electronic gambling machines under the Prime Slot brand.

“Over the past decade, unregulated gaming machines have increasingly proliferated across North America,” said the regulator. “While they largely rely on chance like traditional slot machines, manufacturers have claimed they are games of skill and have installed terminals in convenience stores and other locations where gaming machines would otherwise be prohibited.”

“Unapproved gambling machines have no business being in convenience stores or other locations, particularly those that are available to children and youth,” said AGCO CEO and Registrar Dr. Karin Schnarr.

The AGCO said it will continue to take every action within its authority to protect the public against the risks posed by unregulated machines, particularly in locations easily accessible to children and youth.

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BetMGM books Derek Jeter for US and Canada RG boost

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BetMGM has swung big on signing up iconic athletes to represent its brand, and it’s added one of the biggest hitters around.

The online sportsbook and casino brand announced on Monday that New York Yankees legend Derek Jeter has signed a multi-year partnership with BetMGM that spans both Canada and the U.S.

Broadly speaking, the partnership makes the 14-time MLB All-Star and five-time World Series champion a brand ambassador for the renowned operator. But the collaboration will look pretty different depending on whether you live north or south of the border, as evidenced by the way it was presented in each country.

In the U.S., he will be featured prominently across all kinds of advertising and make appearances at exclusive VIP events. Perhaps most notably from the industry perspective, the MGM Resorts International and Entain joint venture announced that it will launch an exclusive Jeter-themed slot game, which will be the first online casino game to feature a current or former MLB player.

BetMGM Chief Marketing Officer Casey Hurbis said that ‘The Captain’ has a “universal appeal and proven track record of excellence, both on and off the field” that will be a big asset to BetMGM’s brand and player engagement. Jeter joins a BetMGM lineup of sporting partners that also includes Wayne Gretzky and former NFL MVP Barry Sanders.

I’ve got two letters for you: R and G
Buried in the U.S. release announcing the Jeter deal was a line that noted that the former Yankee will play “a key role” in promoting BetMGM’s responsible gambling initiatives in both the U.S. and Canada.

In the Canadian press release, that wasn’t so much a secondary mention as it was the entire foundation of the announcement. “The baseball legend will appear in commercials that highlight BetMGM’s industry-leading suite of responsible gambling tools,” stated the Canadian release. The first responsible gambling advertisement will air in Canada and the U.S. later this year.

The reason for the difference in tone between the two releases is that in Canada’s only regulated online gambling market of Ontario, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario’s (AGCO) rules stipulate that active or retired athletes cannot be used in advertising and marketing, “except for the exclusive purpose of advocating for responsible gambling practices.” Ontario also has a requirement that operators must spend a certain percentage of their annual gross gaming revenue on RG-specific messaging.

Back in August 2023, just over one year into the lifespan of Ontario’s commercial iGaming market, the AGCO announced it would ban the use of athletes in online gaming advertising and marketing in Ontario. The change came into effect on Feb. 28, 2024.

“Following the first year of Ontario’s open, regulated iGaming market, the AGCO identified advertising and marketing approaches that use athletes, as well as celebrities with an appeal to minors, as a potential harm to those under the legal gaming age and is taking this step to reduce the risk,” said the regulator at the time. It banned the use of athletes, with the caveat of the RG carve-out, after consulting with stakeholders including mental health and public health organizations, responsible gambling experts, gaming operators, broadcast and marketing groups and the public.

Since then, operators have continued to partner with sports stars, basing the entire collaboration around responsible gambling measures. BetVictor, for one, recently enlisted former Toronto Raptor Tracy McGrady to serve as its face in Ontario.

The McDavid Effect
BetMGM already has impactful partnerships with former and current Edmonton Oilers heroes Gretzky and Connor McDavid, which give the brand that purports to be Ontario’s online casino market leader significant recognition and visibility not just in Ontario but across Canada.

The company’s Jeter release noted the former Yankee will join McDavid in supporting its ongoing responsible gambling campaign. BetMGM uses RG tools including GameSense, the industry-leading program developed and licensed by the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC).

At BCLC’s New Horizons in Safer Gambling conference last October, BetMGM Director of Responsible Gambling Richard Taylor detailed that the operator saw a general increase of about 10% in the use of tools such as deposit limits which it credited to the use of McDavid to promote the tools in Canada.

“This is another example of Ontario pushing us to innovate and to make our organization better across all of our jurisdictions,” Taylor said at the time. “Big credit to Ontario for that requirement because it’s pushing us to innovate and do fun things with the way we market and promote responsible gambling.”

Now, BetMGM can lean on the profile of not only one Canadian hockey icons, but also one of baseball’s modern greats.

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Ontario operators no longer need AGCO approval on responsible gambling training

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Ontario gambling operators will no longer need to seek the approval of the provincial regulator on their responsible gambling training.

In an update posted on Friday, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) noted it has amended its RG training standards for employees in the gaming and lottery sectors. Henceforth, operators will not need to to seek approval from the Registrar for training programs.

RG training itself is still compulsory for all staff in those sectors. But operators now have more freedom to develop and revise their own content without needing AGCO sign-off, as long as the training meets industry best practices and effectively prepares employees to recognize and respond to gambling-related harm.

The AGCO stipulates that RG training must adequately ensure that employees understand their role in promoting responsible gambling and supporting individuals who may show signs of gambling problems.

The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation’s (OLG) PlaySmart program remains valid under the updated standard, confirmed the regulator.

The change is intended not only to reduce red tape but to encourage innovation within responsible gambling, maintain Ontario’s standards for player protection, and bring greater consistency between land-based gaming and iGaming.

AGCO regulator advises operators on how to spot at-risk players
This is the second time in a few weeks that Ontario’s online gambling regulator has tweaked the way it approaches responsible gambling.

In early June, it updated its comprehensive advice on how licensed operators can identify and support players at risk of harm.

While the AGCO noted its regulatory model places accountability on operators to actively shield players from gambling-related harm, its guidance helps clarify its expectations of operators and signposts ways that gambling brands can meet the province’s requirements.

At that time, the commission stressed the importance of rigorous employee training, documentation of such training and continuous assessment in upholding its standards.

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‘Not just a box to tick’: Canadian gaming industry to talk RG at Canadian Gaming Summit

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As Canada’s online gaming market matures, player protection challenges are multiplying — from rising offshore activity to the ethical use of AI in responsible gambling.

The Player Protection Symposium at Canadian Gaming Summit 2025 brings together the key minds shaping regulation, technology and player safety to ask how the industry can protect players without pushing them away.

Taking place on Thursday, June 19, at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, this focused track will unite leading policy experts, operators and responsible gambling specialists to examine how Canada’s regulatory and commercial frameworks are developing to safeguard players in a maturing market.

Six expert-led sessions will cover the full spectrum of contemporary challenges, from AI-driven player protection to national self-exclusion models. The symposium offers delegates insight into evolving policies, technologies and collaborations driving the next generation of responsible gaming in Canada.

“Protecting players should never be viewed as a compliance box to tick,” said SBC Founder and CEO Rasmus Sojmark. “It’s a complex, developing challenge that spans tech, policy, and empathy. This symposium brings together the people on the frontline of responsible gambling to share the insights that will help us build a truly sustainable gaming industry across Canada.”

The track will open with a special edition of Martin Lycka’s Safe Bet Show, featuring the very special guest, NHL legend Nick Kypreos. Kypreos will regale attendees with tales from his storied career, which included spells at the Philadelphia Flyers, New York Rangers and Toronto’s very own Maple Leafs.

Among the key panels on the track is Regulation and Responsibility: How the New Politics Affect Player Protection, which will explore what Alberta can learn from Ontario’s approach to responsible gambling and why one in five Ontario gamblers still use unregulated platforms to gamble. Craig Cornforth (Senior Business Development Manager, EPIC Global Solutions), Alistair Facciol (Vice President of iCasino, iGaming Ontario), Steve McAllister (Editor-In-Chief, The Parleh), Ryan McCarthy (Director of Player Health, British Columbia Lottery Corporation) and Geoff Zochodne (Senior News Analyst, Covers), will examine how shifting political landscapes influence player protection strategies and consider whether a coordinated national approach could reduce player reliance on unregulated markets.

Building on these regulatory themes, Self-Exclusion: A Plus for Protection or a Boost to the Black Market? will see panellists examine Ontario’s upcoming centralized self-exclusion system and assess whether it establishes an industry standard for responsible gaming or risks driving players toward unregulated markets. Aaron GlynWilliams (Chief of Staff and Head of Enterprise Strategy, Ontario Lottery and Gaming), Catherine Jarmain (Director – Operations & Player Relations, iGO), Dr. Isabelle Martin (Advanced Specialist, Corporate Office for Responsible Gambling, Loto-Québec), Tracy Parker (Senior Vice President, Accreditation, Advisory and Insights, Responsible Gambling Council), Dr. Kahlil Philander (Carson College of Business, Washington State University) and Al Watson (CEO, Dataworks Group) will explore how regulators and operators can strike the right balance between access, protection, and enforcement.

The session Technology in RG: From Targeted Messaging to AI Support will examine how artificial intelligence can transform responsible gambling measures by using behavioral data to spot at-risk players. Cory Fox (SVP Public Policy & Sustainability, FanDuel), Francesco Rodano (Chief Sustainable Gambling Officer, Playtech) and Dan Umfleet (Group CEO, Kindbridge) will discuss how their organizations are rolling out technology-driven solutions while tackling the ethical questions these tools create, including data privacy concerns, player consent issues, and the dangers of relying too heavily on automated systems when working with vulnerable individuals.

Also featured as part of the Player Protection Symposium is the session It Pays to Be Positive: Changing the Direction of Reinforcement in RG, which will unite leading experts to examine how shifting from punitive messaging to positive reinforcement can help ensure safer gambling behaviors.

The Player Protection Symposium is one of several focused content streams at the Canadian Gaming Summit, alongside dedicated tracks on Sports Betting & Casino, Cybersecurity, Affiliates & Advertising, Leaders and Payments & Compliance.

Get your tickets for the Canadian Gaming Summit!
Full Event Passes are still available at a discounted rate of $795 per person when you book as a group of three or more — saving you $200 per ticket with our Group Discount.

Operators and affiliates are eligible for free Full Event Passes, just apply via the respective links.

You can also grab an Expo Plus Pass for $195, which gives you access to all conference tracks, sessions, and the show floor. Please note: this pass does not include access to networking events.

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Exclusive interview: RGC on how to stay responsible while online gaming speeds ahead

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They say you never stop learning. When it comes to responsible gaming in a fast-moving digital world, that may be an understatement. Keeping up with the pace of change is no mean feat, as the Responsible Gambling Council’s Tracy Parker knows well.

Parker is the RGC’s Senior Vice President of Accreditation, Advisory and Insights. In her five-and-a-half years with RGC and her six years with the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) before that, she’s seen the landscape change significantly both at home and across borders.

Online gambling has long been available to Canadians. But since Canada legalized single-event sports betting in summer 2021 and Ontario opened its regulated market in April 2022, things have changed hugely. With every year that passes, both inside and outside Ontario, the industry evolves further, new gaming options emerge, and staying ahead of the curve requires nimble footwork and a deft hand.

“New forms of gambling create new risks,” Parker told Canadian Gaming Business recently. “I do think there is a lag in RG awareness generally, and we work on keeping pace with the evolution of the industry as new forms of gambling emerge, whether it’s things like sports betting or access to a broader range of products and services. It’s a constant effort to keep up.”

Building on a strong base
It’s probably past time to stop calling regulated online gambling in Ontario new, given that we’re more than three years into a market that is embracing its own maturity and already drawing upon its own past experiences to iterate and refine itself.

What certainly is not new is gambling in Canada, nor the concept of protecting players and keeping the industry responsible and sustainable. The history of government involvement in gambling in Canada is decades long, and the focus on responsible gambling has been a constant thread of continuity.

“I think that foundation gave it a public interest slant from early on,” she reflects. “And I see a lot of that coming through in the continued investments in employee training and player education. The profit motive isn’t the be-all and end-all.”

Programs such as the British Columbia Lottery Corporation’s GameSense, established in 2009 and used under license by everyone from other Canadian lotteries to MGM Resorts and BetMGM to the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, are often held up as examples of Canada’s leadership in responsible gambling. Parker notes there’s also a strong history in academic research around RG. “We’re lucky in Canada that there is still a collaborative relationship between research and industry,” she notes. “That’s not the case in all jurisdictions.”

That thoughtful history and dedicated groundwork gave Canada a solid research and evidence base for implementing responsible gambling programs and safeguards in an impactful way. The direct ties between government and regulated gambling before Ontario’s market opened helped to ensure that when the big shift of 2021-22 did arrive, there was a deep resource pool to draw from.

“I think when it has been a public entity, there is a natural inclination to engage the community around prevention education, treatment, and support services. And I think we see evidence of that across the country.”

Helping to steer the ship
The RGC plays a unique role in Ontario’s online market, in that its RG Check accreditation program has been embedded into the requirements for all private operators contracting with iGaming Ontario (iGO). That program was developed in 2010 and was already used by land-based casinos in Ontario before 2022. Parker stresses it is a mutually beneficial experience; RGC may be the accreditor, but the organization is constantly learning, too.

“As we’ve been processing all of those operators, we’ve been learning a lot and doing some work on an update to the accreditation program to make sure it’s keeping up,” she continues. “We’ve done stakeholder expert interviews, player surveys, public consultations, research and reviews, all with the aim of pulling together the evidence base that exists to make sure that the standards that we’re assessing operators against are meaningful and relevant and robust.”

“New forms of gambling and new levels of access necessitate leveling up conversations, and with different audiences.”

Like everything in Canadian gaming, RG Check has evolved with time. A big facet of a recent update to the program focused on stakeholder engagement.

“We have found that we’ve needed to talk to more people,” Parker adds. “It really is about the collective understanding of impact and collaboration around solutions. And that’s not just operators. We need to be talking to manufacturers and marketing affiliates, payment solution providers, leagues, athletes, coaches, university campuses, the whole ecosystem. While there’s been some progress and diversification, I think new forms of gambling and new levels of access necessitate leveling up conversations, and with different audiences.”

Connecting with the digital-native player
Canadians have always been able to gamble. From retail casinos to government-operated online platforms and both regulated and grey market commercial websites, from the rise of mobile apps and the present-day gamification of so much that is accessible to so many, the options have never been greater.

And just as new products and delivery methods are always surfacing, so too are new players.

“There’s always youth coming of age and needing to gain some gambling literacy,” Parker adds. “So, that’s always been a key focus for us. When you get digital natives, they just interact with the product differently, there’s that exposure to the merging of gaming and gambling and the gamification of gambling.”

Does that necessitate a re-evaluation of what responsible gambling even means?

“Certainly, I would say something that’s coming into sharper focus is the connection between mental health, digital health, and gambling,” Parker explains. “We’re not looking at just gambling behaviour, but we’re looking at it in the context of a person’s overall well-being and how they use their phone or the internet, their digital well-being.”

To that end, Parker notes that algorithms and risk-monitoring detection software provide more insights and information than ever were previously available about when and how to interact with a player.

“The core practices and behaviours around safe habits are relatively similar. It’s just the form that changes.”

Real-time customized and contextualized interactions, she says, have proven to be the most impactful. That could look like a pop-up message noting that players in a certain user’s profile usually play for an average of a certain number of minutes, or that a break around a certain time is typical.

“Providing messaging in context and personalizing it is really, really important. Talk to people in the moment or as close to the behaviour as possible. In our accreditation and operator training, we stress the importance of that touchpoint. It’s very complicated from an operational point of view, but it really is the most impactful.”

No time to stand still
The truth is that the work simply never stops. Responsible gambling means something different now than it did 20 years ago. In many ways, the core concerns are relatively static, but the context and the issues within it are constantly evolving.

“That’s what RG is all about, really. “The core practices and behaviours around safe habits are relatively similar,” concludes Parker. “It’s just the form that changes. And it’s up to all of us to keep up.”

A version of this story appears in the Summer 2025 issue of Canadian Gaming Business magazine.

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Record-breaking Canadian Gaming Summit set to rebrand as SBC Summit Canada

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The 2025 Canadian Gaming Summit concluded last week, breaking attendance records and setting the stage for the event’s evolution into SBC Summit Canada.

In what marked both a culmination and a turning point, the 28th and final edition under the current name brought together key stakeholders from across Canada and beyond to reflect on challenges and chart a future course for the country’s gaming industry.

“There are always moves and changes within the industry, so this is the perfect venue for us to collaborate, collaborate with the operators, collaborate with the providers, just to see what’s going on, what’s coming up and really being able to exchange ideas,” Gigadat Inc. COO Cliff Nywening said of the event.

Over the course of two days, the summit welcomed over 3,000 professionals, 40% of whom held key decision-making roles. The event also featured strong representation from operators and affiliates, with 1,000 operator representatives and 200 affiliates in attendance.

In addition, the event welcomed delegates, including leading suppliers, game studios, regulators and government bodies.

The high caliber of attendees was a point noted by many, including Nywening.

“Size doesn’t really matter, it’s about the quality. You’ve got quality attendees, quality vendors exhibiting, that’s all that makes a good event.”

“We have been at the helm of the Canadian Gaming Summit for three years now, and every year we have worked tirelessly to evolve this event that was already loved by many,” noted SBC CEO and Founder Rasmus Sojmark.

“This year has undoubtedly been our most successful yet. The feedback I’ve received has been incredible—conference rooms were full, the show floor was alive with conversation and our networking parties were by far the most memorable to date. I would like to extend a huge thank you to everyone who attended.”

Serving as a platform to explore the current challenges and future opportunities in the Canadian market, the event’s three-stage conference programme featured 150 industry experts covering key topics such as leadership, sports betting and casino, player protection, affiliation and advertising and payments and compliance. The event also featured a dedicated Cybersecurity Symposium in partnership with the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG).

Amongst the notable figures that took the stage was Duncan Hannay (President, OLG), who kicked off the conference with an opening address, followed directly by Honourable Doug Downey (Attorney General, Ontario), who partook in a fireside chat. In the afternoon, delegates were treated to a special keynote panel with Dale Nally (Minister for Service & Red Tape Reduction, Alberta).

“What I’ve been very surprised by is the attention on the panels and the quality of the panelists… the collaboration between the regulators, like the AGCO and the operators. It’s amazing to see,” observed Game Lounge Director of Casino Keith Geary.

The show floor served as the heart of the event, hosting a number of local and global brands and giving attendees ample choices and opportunities to explore the products that can power their presence in Canada.

The show floor also gave new market entrants a chance to introduce themselves and build a foothold in the Canadian market.

“We are new to the Canadian market, and trying to make a splash here. To have so many people engage with us, come by, be curious, and even interact with some of our goods. It definitely gives us a lot of encouragement about the market as a whole,” Head of External Affairs at Lotto.com Kweku Separu-Grant.

This sentiment was echoed by Maverick Games CEO Matt Rathburn.

“You’ll really find everybody that you would need to connect with. If you’re going to launch a new site, you could probably start here and collect all the different pieces that you need to put it all together.”

Alongside the networking opportunities on the show floor, the Canadian Gaming Summit also featured two dedicated evening networking events.

On Tuesday, delegates gathered at the RS Sports Bar for the SBC Canadian Gaming Summit opening party. The evening featured a live screening of the Stanley Cup Final Game 6 between the Florida Panthers and Canada’s own Edmonton Oilers.

The following night, delegates were treated to a memorable experience at the NHL Hockey Hall of Fame for the official networking party. Attendees explored the iconic museum celebrating Canada’s national sport, took part in interactive virtual hockey activations and had the chance to meet NHL and Maple Leafs legend Wendel Clark.

“Our Canada event has earned its place among the SBC Summits. We’re rebranding it as SBC Summit Canada to better align with our global event portfolio and deliver the signature SBC experience. We hope to see you next year.” Sojmark added.

Save the date: SBC Summit Canada will take place in Toronto on May 19-21. For exhibition and sponsorship opportunities, contact sales@sbcgaming.com

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Ontario regulator advises gambling platforms on how to spot players at risk

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Ontario’s online gambling regulator, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), has updated its advice on how licensed operators can identify and support players at risk of harm.

In a recent post on its website, the AGCO noted that its regulatory model places accountability on operators to actively shield players from gambling-related harm. The agency said its guidance helps clarify its expectations of operators in meeting their regulatory expectations.

In the updated guidance, the AGCO stressed that, based on players’ risk profiles, operators are required to intervene in timely fashion and in a manner that is commensurate with the level of risk and likely to have the desired effect of reducing that player’s risk of harm.

How to identify players who may be experiencing harm
In its guidance for Standard 2.10, the AGCO emphasizes that operators must have an effective mechanism for monitoring player behaviour and proactively identifying those who may be at risk of harm, enabling timely support once signs of risk emerge. The mechanism should address the different ways in which gambling-related harm can occur and draw on all available data sources to assess risk on a player-by-player basis.

The AGCO expects operators to use both automated and manual tools to monitor players’ behaviour and to utilize available information from various sources to effectively identify indicators such as:

Chasing losses, playing multiple products, choosing higher-risk products or erratic betting patterns.
Amounts wagered and lost
“Binge” gambling, changes in session duration or time-of-play patterns or late-night gambling
Failed deposits, cancelled withdrawals, higher-risk forms of payment or multiple payment methods
Expressions of financial or emotional distress, use of keywords associated with harm or indicators of vulnerability such as bereavement or job loss
Refusal to use tools after operator intervention, frequent increases or removals of bet limits, repeated use of play break tools or previous use of self-exclusion

In addition, operators are expected to regularly assess and evaluate the effectiveness of risk monitoring methods to ensure that players at risk of experiencing harm are accurately identified, as well as to promptly to correct and improve methods.

The AGCO specifically notes that having effective systems and processes in place to continually monitor, identify and promptly address high-risk player activity is important for operators that contract with one or more third-party providers.

How to help those in need
Meanwhile, the AGCO’s guidance for Standard 2.11 concerns helping gamblers who may be experiencing harm once they have been identified.

Operators should use tools to immediately identify potential player harm, intervene according to the severity of the situation, provide support for all players who may be at risk of experiencing harm, not just those already identified as high-risk and use technology to scale tailor interventions to more players, rather than relying solely on individual interactions for only highest-risk players.

The AGCO lists several examples of current practices for tailored and escalating interventions, including:

Interacting with a player to help inform the player’s risk profile
Conducting player self-assessment surveys
Sending reminder emails highlighting available resources, support services and responsible gambling tools
Personalizing communications of potential responsible gambling concerns identified by the operator through channels such as phone calls, email alerts or interactive nudges and pop-ups
Requiring active acknowledgement or response from the player
Providing players with information about their play, such as the duration of their play session since the last break
Restricting gameplay through measures such as operator-imposed breaks and limit-setting, or suspending or closing accounts

Following the execution of each intervention, operators are expected to take the necessary steps to assess the impact on the player’s behaviour and whether evidence of potential harm persists that necessitates further action, as well as to proactively and carefully monitor new players to identify early signs of concerning behaviour and provide immediate assistance.

The AGCO also stresses the importance of employee training, documentation of such training and continuous assessment in upholding these standards.

“We recognize that the ongoing evaluation of these expectations may indicate the need for adjustments to AGCO’s guidance,” adds the regulator. “As operators uncover such insights, we encourage open information sharing with AGCO to support future updates.”

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Canadian Gaming Business Magazine: Moving at full speed ahead

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Summer is close, and that means it’s time for SBC Media’s second issue of Canadian Gaming Business Magazine of 2025, with a focus on how the industry and its various stakeholders are not only keeping up with the pace of change but staying ahead of the curve.

As we were putting together this issue soon after Ontario’s regulated market celebrated its third anniversary, we’ve taken some time to reflect on where we are now. Our cover story is a chat with Responsible Gambling Council (RGC) VP Tracy Parker about why Canada has such a strong reputation for robust responsible gambling, how things have evolved since single-event sports betting came onto the scene and where we still need to go.

There’s also a dive into the fraudulent casino advertising trend that unfortunately seems to be sweeping across the internet and social media in Canada (and beyond), and we chat with Great Canadian Entertainment’s Chuck Keeling about how it harms both operators and consumers.

After the first Canadian general election since Ontario began regulating online gambling, sportsbooks tell us why offering political betting can be an important piece of their puzzle, and we also dive into how the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and fellow stakeholders tackle the tough topic of match-fixing.

We check in with leaders at the lotteries out east and west. Through his first year on the job, new Atlantic Lottery Corporation (ALC) CEO Dallas McCready discusses his hopes and aims for the crown corporation and for gaming out east, while British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) chat with us about providing a full service out to in-person customers out west.

Elsewhere, Betty Canada discuss their shift to a franchising model and we speak with Indigenous Gaming Partners (IGP) about First Nations casino opportunities in Alberta. Plus, we look at how esports has become a core offering for some operators. And, with a Canadian co-hosted FIFA World Cup on the horizon in summer 2026, what kind of opportunities could it bring for sportsbooks and their partners?

You can pick up a physical copy of Canadian Gaming Business Magazine at the 2025 Canadian Gaming Summit or read the digital version of the magazine below.

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Ontario gambling regulator calls out Bodog in note to media platforms

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The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) on Wednesday said it has urged media platforms to stop advertising unregulated online gambling sites in the province.

Specifically calling out offshore operator Bodog, the AGCO said it has called upon more than a dozen traditional and digital media platforms to “step up the fight” and stop promoting unregulated sites in Ontario by pulling down any existing ads and refusing to run any others in the future. The regulator added that, by advertising unregulated online casinos and sportsbooks, legitimate media offer those operators “a veneer of legitimacy.”

Bodog is operated by Caribbean-based Il Nido Inc. and is available to residents of numerous provinces. It has blocked access in Québec for years and went dark in Nova Scotia last September. However, the AGCO noted it is “actively targeting Ontarians by advertising on popular traditional and digital media platforms” despite not holding a licence to operate in the province.

“By refusing to carry advertising from unregulated and high-risk operators like Bodog, media organizations can exemplify social responsibility and play an important role in protecting Ontarians and supporting Ontario’s regulated market,” said AGCO CEO and Registrar Dr. Karin Schnarr.

Advertising creates consumer confusion, says industry
The AGCO implied in its statement that by advertising unregulated operators like Bodog, media platforms such as websites and social media apps add to what it calls “confusion” among consumers.

That’s something we’ve heard in the past.

At the time Bodog shut down in Nova Scotia, then-Atlantic Lottery Corporation President and Patrick Daigle added to CGB that a lack of public awareness of the legalities “has lent an air of legitimacy to these operators and misleads the public.”

Last year, Canadian Gaming Association President and CEO Paul Burns and research experts from Ipsos discussed at the Canadian Gaming Summit that considerable “confusion” remains among consumers (even some regular gamblers) over the differences between regulated and unregulated gambling offerings and what exactly they are seeing in the adverts they are exposed to.

AGCO looks to ‘remove oxygen’ from unregulated market
Last month, Ipsos data shared by the regulated market’s now-independent conduct-and-manage agency iGaming Ontario (iGO) suggested that not only do 16.3% of Ontario gamblers play only on unregulated websites, but more than one-fifth (20.2%) of the 83.7% who said they gambled via licensed operators have also wagered on unlicensed and unregulated platforms.

The AGCO’s Chief Operating Officer, Dave Phillips, told attendees at the International Masters of Gaming Law (IMGL) spring conference in Vancouver in late April that while the AGCO works to “remove the oxygen” from the unregulated market, it suffers from “a real significant lack of authority” to take firm action.

Within its scope of powers, the AGCO continues to work with partners both in Ontario and internationally. It stated earlier this year that it is working on “a comprehensive strategy” to make it harder for the industry and the public to engage with the unregulated market “by delivering a second generation of high-impact, coordinated and relevant regulatory activities.”

“Building off of our early channelization success, we continue to work with industry stakeholders and other jurisdictions to combat the unregulated market while continuing to work towards crafting a comprehensive strategy with our government partners,” the AGCO’s Raymond Kahnert told CGB in January.

Canadian lotteries take Bodog to court
Meanwhile, the AGCO’s specific call-out of Bodog comes as a lawsuit filed against Bodog’s owner by several Canadian lotteries awaits a hearing.

Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries (MBLL) filed an injunction application in late January on behalf of the Canadian Lottery Coalition (CLC) to prevent Bodog from operating or advertising in Manitoba. The suit accuses Bodog of “false and misleading” advertising in which it purports to be a “trusted” online gaming operator across Canada.

The CLC’s membership is made up of crown corporations from Manitoba, the Atlantics, Québec, British Columbia and Saskatchewan. Ontario is not represented within the group. CLC Executive Director Will Hill told CGB that the CLC and its members are “committed to the idea of addressing unlawful gambling through all available means on a pan-national basis.”

A court hearing in that case is scheduled for May 26.

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