CanadianGamingBusiness

Alberta’s government has stopped funding a non-profit organization that provides education and other support for problem gamblers as the province prepares to expand its online gambling market.

The government has provided the Problem Gambling Resources Network with $129,700 in annual funding on an annual basis via a deal that has been in place in some form for more than 30 years.

However, earlier this month, the network’s Executive Director Ray Reshke told the Canadian Press was told the government was ending its three-year contract, meaning that the Edmonton-based organization “had our rug pulled out from under us a year early.” Reshke said the money represents 95% of the network’s annual budget but will now run out at the end of February, and he fears the organization will have to shut down as a result.

The network does not offer direct counselling but does offer a drop-in centre and an education program which Reshke estimates has held “around 10,000 gambling education presentation..

iGaming is a fiercely competitive industry for operators vying for revenue share and market leadership. But when it comes to safer gambling and player protection, it’s crucial to keep a shared goal in mind.

That was the core message of a panel at British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC)’s New Horizons in Safer Gambling conference in October, when operators and regulators gathered to discuss the impacts of regulating gaming on responsible gambling, using Ontario’s commercial open market as a framing.

“Although we’re competing in a lot of ways, we all benefit from having healthy players,” said Ontario Lottery and Gaming (OLG) VP of Community, Sustainability & Social Responsibility, Catherine Meade. “We need to talk about what customer behaviours lead us to intervene and what thresholds we’re using.

“No one really benefits from passing a player from one to the next. Who benefits — and, more importantly, who’s harmed — when we do it without working together? Of course, the answer to ..

The Responsible Gambling Council (RGC) and the NFL are teaming up to provide responsible gaming resources to student-athletes across Canada.

The RGC announced on Thursday a partnership with the NFL to develop and offer a comprehensive RG training program tailored to college-level athletes. The program, which will launch later this year, will have a pilot phase that provides RG resources to eight Canadian universities and colleges. During the 2025-26 academic year, the program will expand to 30 institutions using insights and feedback from this year’s training program.

“Student-athletes face unique pressures from academics, athletics and the accessibility of sports betting, making them vulnerable to risky gambling behaviours,” said new RGC CEO Sarah McCarthy, who officially replaced Shelley White this month. “Our partnership with the NFL is a crucial step in supporting this group by providing the education and tools needed to make informed decisions.”

The NFL and RGC will also work t..

SBC Media’s first Canadian Gaming Business magazine of 2025 focuses on expanding existing horizons and looking towards new ones.

Featuring insights from the likes of BetMGM, PointsBet, AGLC, BCLC, OLG, H2 Gambling Capital, Vixio Regulatory Intelligence, Paramount Commerce, Snuneymuxw First Nation, Fitzdares and more, the issue touches on several of the biggest topics from all corners of the Canadian gaming industry.

A key focus is Alberta, which was one of the biggest storylines of 2024 and is likely to continue in the same vein in 2025. In our cover story, we speak to BetMGM and PointsBet’s Canadian experts Scott Woodgate and Scott Vanderwel about the allure of the province and their eagerness for the ball to drop.

Meanwhile, taking a look at the yearly reporting of iGaming Ontario and OLG paints a picture of how the province’s regulated market continues to boom as we close in on the three-year milestone. As for the grey market in Ontario and elsewhere, H2 Gambling Capital data shi..

The British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) is asking B.C. residents not to gift minors lottery products for Christmas.

BCLC’s Director of Player Health Ryan McCarthy said the crown corporation wants to remind adults that scratch-and-win tickets can be a gateway for children to develop riskier gambling behaviour later in life.

“Scratch & Win tickets can make great stocking-stuffers for the adults in your life, but they’re not for kids,” stressed McCarthy. “The research shows that children who have early encounters with gambling are four times more likely to develop riskier gambling behavior as they grow up.

“While people are out shopping for those last-minute gifts, BCLC wants adults to be aware of the potential risks associated with gifting lottery products to children and to consider safer alternatives.”

McCarthy added that parents should have conversations with their kids about the potential risks associated with gambling and to take proactive measures including:

Monitoring..

FanDuel has launched a new My Spend tool designed to help users track and manage their spending and gaming activity habits.

Customers can view personalized stats including deposit and wager amounts and net winnings over a range of timeframes, from seven days to three months. The dashboard encourages customers to utilize FanDuel’s existing suite of responsible gaming tools, including deposit and wager limits.

My Spend was developed based on internal and external research that demonstrated players’ interest in accessing personalized insights into their activity and a deeper understanding of their own gambling behaviour.

FanDuel is supporting the launch with a new multi-platform advertising campaign that encourages customers to use the dashboard.

“FanDuel believes our customers should always have a budget and plan in mind when they engage with our products, and we are thrilled to introduce My Spend to help customers track their spending and manage their play,” said FanDuel VP of Respo..

The Responsible Gambling Council (RGC) has partnered with Toronto sports ownership conglomerate Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) with the aim of increasing visibility and awareness of sports betting myths.

The campaign will see RGC responsible gambling messages delivered prominently at every home game of a Toronto sports team at Scotiabank Arena and BMO Field, as well as select away games. The campaign will extend throughout the season across all MLSE teams including the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Toronto Raptors, Toronto FC and the Toronto Argonauts.

The RGC noted in a release that “it is essential for fans to understand the associated risks and to engage in gambling with access to tools required to participate in informed play.”

“RGC’s partnership with MLSE is a significant step forward in our united goals of promoting responsible gambling,” said Elaine McDougall, VP of marketing and communications at the RGC. “By leveraging MLSE’s platforms and brand, we can engage a larger..

The Responsible Gambling Council (RGC) has settled on its replacement for retiring CEO Shelley White.

After an extensive search process, the RGC has appointed Sarah McCarthy, the former Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at the Rick Hansen Foundation. McCarthy will start work officially on Jan. 5, 2025.

In a memo to stakeholders, the RGC described McCarthy as “a collaborative executive leader with 15 years of experience in leading teams to build and deliver social impact through the development of innovative solutions to complex challenges.”

At the Rick Hansen Foundation, a charity dedicated to raising awareness, changing attitudes, helping create accessible spaces, and liberating the amazing potential of people with disabilities, McCarthy’s responsibilities encompassed strategic and operational planning, program implementation, and the stewardship of impactful business development strategies.

Under her leadership, the organization successfully launched and implemented the RHF..

Former Toronto Raptor Tracy McGrady has plenty of experience as a victor, having twice been named NBA scoring champion during his career.

Now, the seven-time All-Star is making it official. The 45-year-old has signed up with BVGroup as the BetVictor brand’s Safer Gambling Ambassador in Canada.

McGrady only played three of his 16 NBA seasons in Toronto but remains a popular figure among the city’s basketball fans, thanks in no small part to the double-act he formed with his cousin, Raptors legend Vince Carter, in the 1999-2000 season which led the franchise to their first-ever postseason berth.

Now, he will help to promote BetVictor’s responsible gambling practices and raise awareness of responsible betting behaviours among the brand’s Canadian customers.

“Safer gambling is an important issue across Canada and I look forward to helping to promote this message alongside BetVictor to encourage Canadian customers to bet and play safely and responsibly,” said McGrady.

“We are thrilled ..

The Responsible Gambling Council (RGC) has illustrated how a year of education, certification and other action continued to propagate responsible gambling in Ontario and beyond.

In its 2023-24 annual report, titled “Impact: Action Drives Change,” the RGC noted that as rapidly evolving technology, media, politics and culture continue to transform the industry, it has become more important to raise RG standards and produce evidence-based recommendations to guide the strategic development of policies and regulations.

Against that backdrop, the RGC said industry leaders have contributed increased funding to advance evidence-informed recommendations for gambling marketing and advertising and digital health policy. The RGC called that “an impact that will result in ripple effects throughout our industry.”

The momentum of those industry-wide efforts is resulting in meaningful impact, said the council.

In particular, RGC conducted research in partnership with Playtech into where new opport..