

Canada
Comprehensive COVID-19 Secret Shopper Study Reveals Las Vegas Hospitality and Gaming Brand/Cleanliness Perceptions
Experience Strategy Associates, a boutique consulting group focused on assisting organizations with customer experience and branding strategy, in partnership with HS Brands Global, a global leader in deploying field resources to verify and assess expectations of some of the world’s favorite brands, announced results from a comprehensive secret shopper study focused on perceptions of how brands are managing operations through a COVID-19 lens.
Secret shoppers were sent out to evaluate 600 customer touch-points across the LV Strip, LV Locals and Downtown LV gaming properties on re-opening weekend and again two weeks later to learn how well brands were maintaining consistent safety standards and where there may be opportunity to continue to focus for optimal brand perception.
According to the study, the LV Strip properties and Downtown properties scored the highest consistently among all three key segments.
“This is a very positive story,” said Greg Chase, Founder and Chief Thought Provoker of Experience Strategy Associates. “This data was very specific to key elements that would ultimately make a customer feel safe or not, such as if sanitizer machines were functional and if they observed employees cleaning public areas, which we know has a lot of consumer focus in the present time.”
Secret shops were conducted across three key segments, Downtown LV properties, LV Locals Casinos and LV Strip Properties on both re-opening weekend and again two weeks post re-opening, totaling over 560 customer touchpoints.
- Top 5 Areas for Opportunity Across All Segments to Improve Customer Perception Amid COVID-19
- Allowing customers to see some element of sanitation practice on table games
- Ensuring Staff are proactively offering masks to customers who are not wearing them or do not have on their person
- Supporting staff in enforcing social distancing standards in F&B venue lines
- Allowing customers to see staff cleaning and sanitizing F&B tables and chairs
- Ensuring sanitizer dispensers are properly functional
“As a member of the Las Vegas community, HS Brands is proud to provide our partners with tools necessary to measure their COVID protocols to better protect their employees and guests.” Michael Mills Vice President of Sales at HS Brands
To learn more about this study, please view the attached infographics or visit https://hsbrands.com
About HS Brands Global
Founded in 1992, HS Brands is the leader in deploying the global field resources necessary to assess and verify customer experiences, brand image, compliance standards, and operational integrity. Based in Las Vegas with 13 global offices, HS Brands is the largest mystery shopping provider to casinos in the world.
About Experience Strategy Associates (ESA)
Founded in May 2019, Experience Strategy Associates is a Las Vegas-based boutique consulting group focused on assisting organizations with customer experience and branding strategy. Composed of Las Vegas industry experts, ESA brings rich insights to the forefront to help clients understand their customers with data-driven studies, develop customer experience strategies and foster strong employee and customer engagement.
SOURCE Experience Strategy Associates
Canada
Thunderkick’s portfolio makes Ontario debut through SkillOnNet brands

Global entertainment brand SkillOnNet is deepening its existing partnership with Stockholm-based game studio Thunderkick to launch the developer’s unique, engaging slot titles in Ontario.
The Canadian province is one of the most exciting regulated markets in North America, and the Ontario players will now gain access to Thunderkick’s full portfolio of highly acclaimed games via SkillOnNet-powered online casino brands such as PlayOJO, SlotsMagic, and SpinGenie.
Thunderkick is known for its independent, boundary-pushing slot games like Pink Elephants, Esqueleto Explosivo, and Beat the Beast and has established a strong reputation for creativity and originality in the iGaming space. The deal allows the studio to further expand its global footprint while giving Ontario players the chance to enjoy a fresh wave of premium content.
Ontario’s regulated online gaming market, which officially opened in 2022, has quickly become a key market for the iGaming industry, and SkillOnNet was among the first brands to secure licensing in the province. The expansion reinforces SkillOnNet’s commitment to delivering top-tier entertainment in regulated markets globally.
Jani Kontturi at SkillOnNet said: “Thunderkick has been a key partner of ours in other markets, and we’re delighted to bring their outstanding content to Ontario. This region is fast becoming a vital part of our operations, and we’re confident players here will respond just as positively to Thunderkick’s games as they have elsewhere.”
Mariam Dodosh, Account Manager at Thunderkick said: “We’re thrilled to expand our relationship with SkillOnNet and enter the Ontario market together. Our games have a track record of strong performance, and we’re excited to see them go live in one of the most dynamic new regions in iGaming.”
The post Thunderkick’s portfolio makes Ontario debut through SkillOnNet brands appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Canada
Maverick Games Launches Sports Betting Operations in Ontario

Maverick Games has launched sports betting operations in Ontario, through a partnership with Delasport.
Maverick Games will offer Ontarian players a premium sports betting experience, built on Delasport’s superior technology and known for its unique innovative features that players love including personalization, recommendations, gamification, quick bets, player engagement features, and more.
Maverick Games is the second brand to launch on Delasport’s technology in Ontario, with another full turnkey brand set to go live soon. Delasport also recently unveiled its innovative sports betting jackpot network game, SuperPot. The company will showcase this unique product at the Canadian Gaming Summit next month and begin rolling it out to Ontarian operators shortly thereafter.
“We are proud to see Maverick Games live and thriving with our one of a kind sportsbook solution at its core. They have been a fantastic partner from the start, and this launch further demonstrates how fast and efficient our technology is when paired with a clear vision and strong collaboration,” said Rosaire Galea Cavallaro, VP of Business Development at Delasport.
“Maverick Games’s sports vertical is a major step forward for us and launching it with Delasport has been the right move from day one. The platform’s performance and flexibility allow us to deliver the kind of user experience we believe Ontario players deserve. We’re excited to now bring that vision to life,” CEO Matt Rathbun said.
The post Maverick Games Launches Sports Betting Operations in Ontario appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Canada
Tsleil-Waututh Nation Signs MoU to Acquire Casino Business at Hastings Racecourse & Casino

Tsleil-Waututh Nation (TWN) announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding to acquire the casino business and related real property interests at Hastings Racecourse & Casino (Hastings) in the City of Vancouver from Great Canadian Gaming Corporation (Great Canadian Entertainment).
“We are thrilled to take another important step towards economic self-determination for our Nation in our traditional territory, and we are eager to work with the senior management team at Great Canadian Entertainment to finalize due diligence and execute a definitive agreement, as well as working with the City of Vancouver to ensure the best long-term use of this important asset within the City. We believe that this opportunity is historic for us in many ways, and we look forward to entering the gaming industry in due course,” said Jen Thomas, Chief of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation.
“We are excited about working with TWN on their potential acquisition of the casino operations and related real property interests at Hastings Racecourse & Casino. Recognizing that Hastings is part of the TWN’s traditional territory, we can think of no better entity to inherit this asset, and we look forward to supporting them in the transition after the anticipated close of the sale,” Matt Anfinson, Chief Executive Officer of Great Canadian Entertainment.
The agreement is subject to further due diligence, finalization of financial terms and the execution of a definitive purchase and sale agreement. Once a definitive agreement has been executed by the parties, it is anticipated that the transaction will be subject to customary closing conditions as well as customary approvals by gaming regulatory and other authorities, including certain approvals by the City of Vancouver given its ownership of the real property. It is expected that Great Canadian Entertainment will provide transition services to TWN for a period of time following the anticipated closing.
The post Tsleil-Waututh Nation Signs MoU to Acquire Casino Business at Hastings Racecourse & Casino appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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