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Celebrating a milestone: welcoming back Canada’s gaming industry!

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The Canadian Gaming Association is thrilled to be able to say “welcome back” as Canada’s gaming industry slowly begins to re-open. First up are Alberta and Nova Scotia, who announced that they will allow charitable gaming centres and casinos to open their doors to employees, customers, charities and communities. This is a milestone worth celebrating.

As you are well aware, in mid-March, Canada’s gaming service providers worked in cooperation with provincial governments to close down all casinos and casino amenities – restaurant, hotels, entertainment, and conferences and meetings – as we are a part of the broader hospitality and tourism industry.

We supported taking whatever steps were necessary to slow the spread of COVID-19 and to keep our employees, customers, and communities safe and healthy, and that is the same commitment we are making to re-open our facilities.

The Canadian gaming industry is uniquely qualified to implement enhanced health and safety measures as we are the most highly regulated industry in the hospitality sector, and gaming sites implement operating standards that cover all facets of our operations on a daily basis.

We follow rigorous standards for health & safety and have a strong culture of compliance, as required by provincial regulatory frameworks set out by regulators. This is how we do business.

Regardless of where we are located, every service provider across Canada has created a detailed health & safety plan that will be implemented before facilities re-open and will be used to help keep people safe as we learn to live and work with COVID-19.

We are also working cooperatively with our provincial partners – regulators, lottery corporations, public health agencies – to ensure that we have a coordinated effort that demonstrates our unwavering commitment to health & safety.

The Canadian gaming industry is a large, mature industry that is present in every region of the country and generates significant benefits and activities across the broader Canadian economy.

Legalized gaming continues to be a pillar of the broader hospitality industry and raise significant non-tax revenues to fund key government programs and initiatives. Cities with casinos augment the tourism and convention industries and help transform the local tourism sector by driving new and greater volumes of local, domestic and international visitation.

We have approximately 100,000 front line employees who could not come to work during the government-mandated shutdown. We look forward to welcoming more service providers, employees, charities and customers back over the weeks and months to come.

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Betty

Thunderkick commits to growth in Ontario with Betty partnership

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Independent slots studio Thunderkick has agreed a deal with Ontario-based operator Betty to supply the rapidly growing online casino with a diverse collection of globally popular titles.

Betty, an official partner of sporting franchises Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors, has risen to prominence since its 2022 establishment, when it was built following the consultation of 300 casino players to create the optimal iGaming environment.

Distinguishing itself from North American competitors by catering specifically to slot enthusiasts rather than sports bettors, the operator has curated a portfolio of 2,800 games, hand-picked to deliver customers maximum entertainment value.

Thunderkick’s content is the latest to be integrated into Betty’s online casino, and the agreement will see a selection of its most popular titles, including The Wildos 2, Midas Golden Touch 3, and Esqueleto Explosivo 3, made available to a greater number of Ontarian players.

Thunderkick marked its debut in the Canadian province in Q2 of 2024, and has since partnered with a network of leading operators to improve its market position. The collaboration with Betty will further amplify its visibility in a key jurisdiction as the provider looks to reinforce its reputation as a global slot developer.

Svante Sahlström, CCO at Thunderkick, said: “It’s our mission at Thunderkick to go deeper, not wider, in 2025. That means forging meaningful, lasting relationships in target markets as opposed to securing as many commercial deals as possible.

“Since entering Ontario over 12 months ago, we have worked tirelessly to enhance our presence in the province, and working with leading brands such as Betty allows us to bring our unique games to a deeper pool of Canadian players.”

Paraskeva Smirnova, Casino Operations Manager at Betty, added: “Betty’s USP has always been our drive to build a slot portfolio with the very best titles from the industry’s most creative suppliers.

“Thunderkick’s passion for slot development is there for all to see, and the introduction of its games to our casino further elevates the consumer experience.”

The post Thunderkick commits to growth in Ontario with Betty partnership appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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BCLC

Save the Date: BCLC’s New Horizons in Safer Gambling Conference Returns November 2026

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BCLC is pleased to announce the return of the New Horizons in Safer Gambling Conference, taking place November 2–4, 2026, at the JW Marriott Parq Vancouver.

This global event brings leading voices in research, policy and industry together to explore innovative approaches to safer gambling. Attendees can expect two days of forward-thinking dialogue, evidence-based insights and collaborative solutions to help shape the future of player health.

Sponsorship Opportunities Now Available

New to the 2026 conference, BCLC is excited to offer sponsorship opportunities to organizations that share BCLC’s passion for safer gambling. Benefits of sponsoring New Horizons 2026 include industry visibility, leadership recognition and meaningful engagement with a global audience. To learn more about sponsorship, please e-mail [email protected].

Registration and program details will be released later this fall.

The post Save the Date: BCLC’s New Horizons in Safer Gambling Conference Returns November 2026 appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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Canada

absolutebet Secures AGCO Registration as an Internet Gaming Operator in Ontario

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Internet Gaming Operator by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).

This significant milestone authorizes absolutebet to offer regulated iGaming services in Ontario’s legal market under the oversight of AGCO and iGaming Ontario (iGO).

The registration marks a key step in absolutebet’s mission to bring a trusted, responsible, and innovative online casino experience to Ontario players. absolutebet is committed to operating with integrity and transparency, meeting all provincial standards for player protection, responsible gambling, anti-money laundering, and game integrity.

Securing AGCO registration is more than a milestoneit’s the start of absolutebet’s journey in one of the most exciting regulated markets in the world,” said Chen Truman, Founder of absolutebet. “We are building a brand that will grow with the Ontario community and set the stage for future expansion.”

On the regulatory milestone, Krisztina Kalla, Legal & Regulatory Compliance Advisor of absolutebet, commented: “I’m incredibly proud to see all the hard work behind this license pay off. Securing AGCO registration has taken months of preparation and close collaboration with regulators and partners. I am very happy to see the result of that work, and even more excited as we move into the launch phase and open up the absolutebet community to Ontario players in a fun and responsible way.”

Ontario is recognized as one of the most competitive and fast-growing regulated iGaming markets in North America. With AGCO registration secured, absolutebet will move forward with the final stages of its iGO onboarding process in preparation for launch.

 

The post absolutebet Secures AGCO Registration as an Internet Gaming Operator in Ontario appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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