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Easy Accessibility to Online Betting Helps Grow the Industry

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5 years ago

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The online sports betting market has drastically changed after the landmark Supreme Court ruling in 2018, as any state got the option to pursue legalization. In total, sports betting became legal in some form in 24 states, according to date provided by ESPN. The big prize is, as usual, California, where sports betting in not officially legal yet. Nevertheless, despite the legal challenges, interest in the industry is high. According to a report by MarketWatch, many have invested money into a new exchange-traded fund that tracks the sports betting and online gambling industries. Dave Nadig, a longtime industry veteran now at ETF Database, explained that this represents a “remarkable vote of confidence for a fund that’s only a few days old… I am a fan of this fund. If you believe online sports betting is the next big thing, this fund will capture everything from back-office infrastructure to front-facing retail plays.” FansUnite Entertainment Inc. (OTC: FUNFF) (CSE: FANS), GAN Limited (NASDAQ: GAN), Full House Resorts, Inc. (NASDAQ: FLL), Century Casinos, Inc. (NASDAQ: CNTY), Caesars Entertainment Corporation (NASDAQ: CZR)

The most significant boost to the sports betting segment is attributed to the usage of smartphones, which have easy user interfaces and can be used at anytime and anywhere. According to a report by the Associated Press, companies like DraftKings are making serious strides in developing easy to use systems available to the public through partnerships with sports leagues. For example, The National Basketball Association and DraftKings had announced a multiyear partnership that will make DraftKings an authorized sports betting operator of the league. In addition, it was reported that BetIndiana and Sportradar, the provider of sports data and content, inked a partnership to bring Sportradar’s real-time sports data and managed trading services to BetIndiana’s mobile sportsbook.

FansUnite Entertainment Inc. (OTC: FUNFF) (CSE: FANS) announced earlier this week breaking news that it, “is preparing to welcome back Scottish football for the first time in five months. The 2020/21 Scottish Premiership season is set to start on Saturday, August 1, 2020.

The new season kicks off this weekend with six games played over Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. Fans will be able to watch this weekend’s best matches, and more fixtures than ever before through Sky Sports exclusive deal to televise 48 Premiership games this season.

‘We are excited to welcome back Scottish football, as it represents the largest betting volume per single sport on our platform,’ said Paul Petrie, McBookie founder and Director. ‘During the 2019 season, McBookie saw the Scottish Premiership produce $567k CAD of betting volume, representing approximately 13% of the total $4.42M CAD in betting that was placed in the football category of the platform.’

With the Scottish football season being cut short in 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, McBookie customers were still able to enjoy betting on alternative sports such as the English Premier League.

‘It has been a long five months without football in this country and we’re excited for the first ball to be kicked,” continued Paul Petrie. “Our customers have enjoyed betting on the English Premier League, but nothing really beats betting on football from your own country. After a strong month with the completion of the English Premier League, the new Scottish Premiership season gives McBookie the opportunity to start the journey on their home turf and watch the business achieve new heights.’

‘As a versatile betting platform, McBookie has once again showcased they are able to provide a diverse set of betting solutions to a growing customer base in any market environment,” commented Darius Eghdami, CEO and Chairman of FansUnite Entertainment. “When we purchased McBookie earlier this year, our goal was to provide the team with the resources needed to drive customer registration numbers. With one of their most popular sports returning to market, we are excited to see how the company can scale in 2020 and future years.’

McBookie is also launching a revamped loyalty program in conjunction with the start of the 2020 Scottish Premiership season, and has introduced the Tartan Club to reward regular customers with free bets, enhanced odds, and enhanced prices.

The platform will also continue its sponsorship of the Daily Record’s Mr Fixit column and Jim Delahunt’s column in the Scottish Sun, the most impactful gambling coverage in the country’s two biggest national newspapers.”

GAN Limited (NASDAQ: GAN) announced last year, the delivery of Internet sports betting in the State of Pennsylvania for the FanDuel Group following the January 10, 2019 announcement to be FDG’s Platform for rapid deployment of Internet casino, and account services for Internet sports betting in Pennsylvania (pop. 13M), in addition to the long-standing existing services provided since 2013 by GAN to FDG in the State of New Jersey (pop. 9M).  The expanded relationship announced on January 10, 2019 is now commercially operational in Pennsylvania and represents a material increase in the value of the partnership to GAN. Jeff Berman, Chief Commercial Officer of GAN said, “The launch by FanDuel of Internet sports betting in the State of Pennsylvania extends our relationship across the border from neighboring New Jersey and represents a significant milestone for GAN. Our effective and compliant Platform represents a premium component of the supply chain rather than a commodity and our team delivered on-time for the #1 operator of Internet gambling in the U.S. today.”

Full House Resorts, Inc. (NASDAQ: FLL) reported last year, an update on sports wagering affecting the Company’s operations in Colorado and Indiana. Regarding Colorado, the state legislature approved sports wagering throughout the state, subject to voter ratification on November 5, 2019.  In that statewide election, Colorado voters approved Proposition DD, thereby ratifying sports wagering in the state.  With the legislative and voter approval processes complete, the Colorado Division of Gaming can commence the rulemaking process and develop the regulatory framework that will govern sports wagering.  The Company believes that sports wagering could begin at its Bronco Billy’s Casino & Hotel and its Christmas Casino & Inn – as well as throughout the state via mobile sports wagering – in mid-2020.

Century Casinos, Inc. (NASDAQ: CNTY), announced on May 19th, that it has finalized an agreement with bet365 to become the company’s second internet sports betting operator partner in Colorado. The Company, through a subsidiary, has already obtained its master license with the State of Colorado. bet365 will complete the necessary application and approval process with the State of Colorado. They will operate an internet and mobile sports betting application under the bet365 brand.  The online sportsbook operations agreement with bet365 is a 10-year agreement that includes a minimum annual revenue guarantee and a percentage share of net gaming revenue payable to the Company each year, with an advance fee being paid on contract signing.

Caesars Entertainment Corporation (NASDAQ: CZR) and DraftKings reached an agreement last year, under which Caesars will offer DraftKings market access for its online gaming products, subject to passage of applicable laws and the parties securing applicable gaming licenses. DraftKings’ market access is exclusive to Caesars across certain states in which Caesars operates casino properties. “Caesars’ agreement with DraftKings, their first multi-state partnership, brings together the established leaders in gaming, daily fantasy sports and sports betting to provide customers more options,” said Mark Frissora, President and CEO of Caesars Entertainment. “This alliance is the latest initiative by Caesars to capitalize on our database, generate a new revenue stream in a growth market and raise our profile in sports, in part by creating new sports-themed guest experiences at our resorts across the country.”

 

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Bragg Gaming Group Enteres into New Financing Agreement with Bank of Montreal

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1 day ago

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September 15, 2025

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Bragg Gaming Group, a leading global B2B iGaming content and technology provider, announced it has entered into a new financing agreement with the Bank of Montreal (BMO), a leading North American financial institution, pursuant to which BMO has made available to the Company certain credit facilities in a maximum aggregate amount of up to US$6.0 million to support its ongoing working capital and general corporate requirements (the BMO Facilities).

In connection with the closing of the BMO Facilities, Bragg has successfully repaid in full the outstanding promissory note with entities controlled by Doug Fallon (the Prior Note Indebtedness). The new BMO Facilities replace the Prior Note Indebtedness, signalling a significant step in the Company’s financial strategy to partner with a major commercial bank to support its growth.

“We are very pleased to establish this new relationship with the Bank of Montreal, a recognized leader in financial services. This new credit facility strengthens our balance sheet and provides us with a flexible capital structure to execute our strategic plan. The ability to secure financing from a major North American bank underscores the confidence in our business and our long-term growth prospects. We look forward to a long and successful partnership with BMO,” said Robbie Bressler, CFO of Bragg Gaming Group.

The BMO Facilities are secured by, amongst other things, a first-ranking security interest over all of the assets of the Company and certain of its key operating subsidiaries, and are uncommitted and are repayable upon the earlier of (i) demand by BMO, (ii) the occurrence of certain insolvency events, and (iii) on the one-year anniversary of the closing date, unless a one-year extension is granted at BMO’s discretion.

The agreement includes customary legal and financial covenants, including a requirement for the Company to maintain a Total Funded Debt to EBITDA ratio not exceeding 2.50:1.00, and a Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio of not less than 1.25:1.00. These financial covenants are to be tested on a consolidated basis at the end of each fiscal quarter.

The Company currently expects to draw on the BMO Facilities in Canadian dollars, which would result in estimated borrowing costs of 6.9%–7.9% for Prime-based loans or 5.9%–6.9% for CORRA-based loans, depending on the period of the draw and the Company’s leverage ratio. Standby fees on the unused portion of the revolving facility will range from 0.75% to 1.75% per annum, depending on leverage.

Management believes that based on the terms of the BMO Facilities, the Company’s borrowing costs on an annualized basis will be less than half of its Prior Note Debt.

Matevž Mazij, CEO of Bragg Gaming Group, said: “Securing this BMO facility represents a critical milestone in our strategic plan to strengthen Bragg’s financial foundation and accelerate value creation for our shareholders. With our cybersecurity incident contained and our borrowing costs cut by more than half, we are laser-focused on executing our strategic shift toward higher-quality earnings. The Company is prioritizing margin and cash generation over lower-margin revenue, and synergies realized post-quarter end to become a leaner operation. We’ve already realized EUR 2 million in annualized synergies and are on track to achieve our 20% Adjusted EBITDA margin target for the second half of 2025.

“Our recent leadership additions in AI and innovation, combined with our expanding partnerships with operators like Fanatics and Hard Rock Digital, position us to pursue highly accretive growth opportunities methodically. The Company remains focused on growing the business in a sustainable and margin-accretive manner, with strong momentum in the proprietary content and technology pipeline positioning Bragg for long-term profitable growth.

“We understand the importance of delivering results for our shareholders, and our board and management team are fully aligned and committed to executing the strategic initiatives that will drive value. With improved financial flexibility, a strengthened operational foundation, and clear milestones ahead, we believe we have the right strategy and team in place to unlock Bragg’s full potential. We remain committed to maximizing shareholder value as we build sustainable, profitable growth and ensure our strong operational performance translates into appropriate market valuation.”

Cyber Breach Update

The Company has also provided an update on its previously announced cybersecurity incident initially detected on August 16, 2025.

Immediately following detection, Bragg took appropriate steps to mitigate any potential impact of the breach. With the assistance of independent cybersecurity experts, the Company has followed industry best practices and considers that the incident is now resolved.

There continues to be no indication that any personal information was affected and the breach has had no impact on the ability of the Company to continue its operations. Bragg has also provided assurances to its customers regarding the security of its game titles. The Company has experienced no negative impact on its revenue or profitability and does not expect that the cost of responding to the incident will have a material financial impact on the Company.

The Company has already applied knowledge gathered from the investigation of the event to enhance its cyber security defenses.

The post Bragg Gaming Group Enteres into New Financing Agreement with Bank of Montreal appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Betty

Thunderkick commits to growth in Ontario with Betty partnership

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6 days ago

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September 10, 2025

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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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6 days ago

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September 10, 2025

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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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