Canada
Pace-O-Matic Secures Another Legal Victory in Pennsylvania
Pace-O-Matic announced the company won a return of property motion in Dauphin County. This property – gaming machines, related equipment, and cash – was wrongfully seized during raids conducted by the Pennsylvania Bureau of Liquor Control and Enforcement (BLCE) in 2019.
“First and foremost, this ruling again reaffirms our status as legal games of skill. This is another tremendous victory for Pennsylvania Skill games, powered by Pace-O-Matic, and our Pennsylvania small business and fraternal partners,” said Pace-O-Matic spokesman Mike Barley.
The ruling also castigates the Commonwealth and BLCE for their biased conduct in the matter.
Dauphin County Common Pleas Judge Andrew H. Dowling wrote: “All three of the Commonwealth witnesses opined that the games were predominantly games of chance. However, we do not find these opinions to be persuasive for a number of reasons. Initially, it is this Court’s belief that the Commonwealth’s investigation shows case bias. The Commonwealth is seeking to make all machines like the POM Machines into illegal gambling devices, and their whole approach and intent is to shut down games regardless of the actual gameplay. The fact that Officer Wentsler never played the Follow Me feature while undercover is indicative of this. Thus, the Commonwealth as a whole is biased against the games, and their approach lacks case credibility.”
This is the second court in as many months to rule the games were legal games of skill and allege misconduct in the investigation and prosecution of legal skill games.
Last month, Monroe County Common Pleas Judge Jennifer Harlacher Sibum wrote: “The court finds that the Commonwealth improperly withheld and misrepresented material evidence relative to the issuance of the search warrant in this matter, and that such conduct warrants the suppression of the seized property.”
Barley said: “We applaud the most recent court’s decision, especially for highlighting the extreme level of bias shown by the Commonwealth against a legal product. The behavior of the BLCE agents and prosecutors, in this case, has been egregious, and we are deeply concerned about the motivation to disregard, bend and violate the law and our constitutional rights in a coordinated effort to harm our company and the small businesses, clubs, fire halls and veterans groups that benefit from skill game revenue and support.
“Every time the legality of our skill games has been called into question, the legal status of our games has been upheld by the judiciary. Pace-O-Matic stands out among our competitors as the active driving force seeking additional regulation and taxation. We remain steadfast in our commitment to working with the state General Assembly and asking for legislation providing additional regulation and increased tax money for the state.”
Pennsylvania Skill has pumped new life into the commonwealth’s small businesses, fraternal and social clubs, and veterans’ organizations by providing them with an entertainment product that the public enjoys. Meanwhile, research data proves skill games do not impact the revenue of casinos and the lottery, both of which are achieving record profits year after year.
Pennsylvania Skill games are manufactured in the commonwealth, and over 90% of the profits stay inside the state. That is unheard of in gaming and many other industries.
Pace-O-Matic’s Pennsylvania Skill products are manufactured by Miele Manufacturing in Williamsport, which has created nearly 200 direct jobs. Many of the materials used to make up the gaming machines come from companies in the Commonwealth. Additionally, Pennsylvania Skill game revenue has become a lifeline to fraternal clubs and organizations across the commonwealth, including American Legions, VFWs, and local fire companies.
As part of ongoing efforts to ensure compliance, Pace-O-Matic employs a team of former state police officers to enforce all terms of contracts and codes of conduct. These contracted terms limit the number of machines, where they are placed in a location and have protections in place to prevent anyone underage from playing the devices.
In 2014, the Beaver County Court of Common Pleas ruled that Pace-O-Matic’s Pennsylvania Skill games are legal as games of predominant skill.
In addition, last year, the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General and the Clearfield County District Attorney’s office negotiated a settlement to return wrongfully seized Pennsylvania Skill games, related equipment, and cash.
Edict egaming has received approval from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) to provide its games for the online casino market in the Canadian province. This applies to both the German edict egaming GmbH and Edict Malta Limited. From now on, the Merkur Group subsidiary will be able to offer its popular Merkur slots in one of the largest North American markets.
“We are delighted to have received AGCO approval for our Merkur games in Ontario. This is definitely a big step for edict and we are very excited to showcase ourselves to new audiences on the global stage in this dynamic market,” Dominic-Daniel Liénard, CEO of edict egaming GmbH, said.
The AGCO is working with the Government of Ontario and iGaming Ontario (iGO) to establish a new online gaming market that helps protect consumers gambling through private gaming companies. This license certifies that edict operates within the framework of strict laws and meets the requirements for responsible gaming.
CasinoCanada, the number one gambling guide for players in Canada, has put pen to paper on a major partnership with WinSpirit, one of the most popular crypto casinos in the country, in a significant boost to both parties.
The lifetime partnership will see WinSpirit gain premium positioning on high-traffic pages throughout the English site of CasinoCanada, which has been providing information and guides to Canadian players for more than 20 years.
The CasinoCanada team will also carry out a comprehensive review of WinSpirit so that its readers can get the full lowdown on what the casino has to offer.
CasinoCanada is famous for its casino ranking system, with each site given a total score out of ten. This is calculated based on how the casino scores across key areas including registration process, usability, promotions, VIP experience, slots, game types, payments, mobile and customer support.
Each casino is played by a real person and CasinoCanada is always honest about the experience the casino offers to players. This is why it’s good that WinSpirit offers one of the best overall online casino experiences in Canada.
Players can enjoy a hugely generous welcome bonus as well as a great selection of slots and games such as Dice, Crash, Limbo, Wheel of Fortune and many more.
Aleksandra Drigo, Sales Director at CasinoCanada, said: “WinSpirit has taken the market by storm and is one of the most played online casino brands in Canada, so we are thrilled to have signed this lifetime partnership and to bring it to our players for the first time.
“Our team has already put the casino through its paces, and it’s scored incredibly highly so we look forward to seeing our players sign up and enjoy what it has to offer.
“It’s partnerships such as this that strengthen our position as the leading online casino guide for players in Canada. Players trust our information and reviews and know that the casinos we list on our site are among the best.”
Pavel Miroshnichenko, Head of Affiliates at WinSpirit, added: “We are delighted to have signed such a significant partnership with CasinoCanada, one of the leading online casino guides in the country.
“We go to great lengths to deliver a top player experience, from the welcome bonus we offer to the games we stock and the payment methods available in our lobby, and it’s great to see CasinoCanada recognise this by giving us such a high score.”
Canada
mkodo Joins the Canadian Gaming Association in its Commitment to Supporting the Regulated Canadian Gaming Market
mkodo, the leading provider of mobile apps, websites, front-end UX and geolocation technology to the Canadian lotteries, including OLG, BCLC, WCLC, ALC and AGLC for over 13 years, is proud to announce its recent membership to the Canadian Gaming Association (CGA). This strategic partnership demonstrates mkodo’s commitment to supporting and enhancing the digital experience within Canada’s dynamic regulated iGaming sector.
As a member of the CGA, mkodo will collaborate with other industry leaders to drive innovation, advocate for responsible gaming practices, and contribute to the overall growth and sustainability of lottery, betting and gaming, both land-based and online, across the Canadian provinces.
Joining the CGA highlights mkodo’s dedication to delivering high-quality, secure, and user-friendly products and services that meet the changing needs of iGaming operators and their players, including their geolocation compliance service, GeoLocs, that is used by lottery operators across Canada, including OLG and WCLC, along with iGaming operators and platforms in Ontario including White Hat Gaming,, Casino Time and Betty.
Stuart Godfree, Managing Director of mkodo, said of the new partnership: “We are thrilled to join the Canadian Gaming Association, an organisation that plays a crucial role in shaping the future of the regulated gaming industry in Canada. This membership aligns perfectly with our mission to provide exceptional user experiences in iGaming and Lottery and reinforces our commitment to supporting responsible gaming initiatives within Canada. We look forward to collaborating with CGA members to drive forward the industry’s standards and innovation.”
Paul Burns, President and CEO of the Canadian Gaming Association, welcomed mkodo to the association, saying: “We are delighted to have mkodo join our membership. Their expertise as the leading mobile apps and geolocation supplier to Crown Corporations Lotteries will be a valuable addition to our community.”
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