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Canada
Evolution Starts Internal Review Over Illegal Gambling Claim
Swedish online gambling giant Evolution AB reached out to regulators in New Jersey and launched an internal review after a competitor accused the company of doing business in banned countries.
Chief Executive Officer Martin Carlesund said on a conference call with investors Wednesday that the company “pro-actively” contacted the regulators and initiated the internal review “to ensure that we can respond swiftly to any questions.”
Evolution held the call in response to a letter attorney Ralph Marra sent to New Jersey’s Division of Gaming Enforcement on November 12. He said the company allows its products to be played in countries where online wagering is illegal or that are subject to U.S. sanctions. Reports say the letter was based on research from private investigators hired by an unnamed US-based competitor.
Carlesund believes the people behind the letter used an internet address from a non-banned country to enter Evolution’s gaming lobby and then make it seem like the company was accepting business from markets subject to sanctions.
“We use all tools at our disposal to block play from certain countries,” he said.
A spokesperson for the private investigators disputed Carlesund’s claim, saying their research and videos show the full process of entering websites, and playing and withdrawing from Evolution games, without any use of any technical manipulation. The people were located in Iran, France, Spain, Hong Kong, Italy, and Sweden.
In the letter to regulators, attorney Marra also said a current Evolution executive told the private investigators that the company does business in countries that had U.S. sanctions against them, including Iran, Sudan, and Syria.
The methods used by the private investigators were “very questionable,” Carlesund said, adding: “I would not draw any conclusions about our culture based on that report.”
Canada
Greo and CCSA Release New Report Named “Gambling Availability and Advertising in Canada: A Call to Action”
Recent gambling policy changes in Canada have led to increased opportunities to legally bet on sports and gamble online, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The report “Gambling Availability and Advertising in Canada: A Call to Action” looks at the impacts of legal gambling in Canada since the approval of the Safe and Regulated Sports Betting Act in 2021. The report recommends developing a pan-Canadian strategy to address gambling-related harms. This is a new report by Greo Evidence Insights (Greo) and the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA).
This call to action is in response to the significant increase in gambling advertising on billboards, social media, at commercial breaks during sports broadcasts and during sporting events. Increased gambling availability and advertising are expected to contribute to increased gambling in Canada, thereby posing a significant risk of harms among the general population, particularly for youth, young adults and other vulnerable populations.
The report also describes how the increased availability of gambling and in gambling advertising are of great concern because:
- The types of gambling being made available and promoted (single-event sports betting and live or in-play betting) are associated with a greater risk of harm. For example, single-event sports betting increases gambling intensity and gives an illusion of control over the outcome as people believe their knowledge of the game gives them a competitive edge.
- The volume of gambling advertisements repeatedly pairing sports with betting normalizes gambling, leading people to think of betting as an integral part of being a sports fan.
- Increased availability of gambling and in gambling advertising are happening at a time when many people in Canada are more vulnerable to problematic gambling and gambling-related harms because of the lingering health impacts of COVID-19 and a rise in the cost of living.
“Over the last few years, we have witnessed some of the most significant changes in gambling policy since the 1970s. We have seen a massive increase in gambling advertising and opportunities to gamble. We can no longer watch sports with our kids or go online without being subjected to an overwhelming amount of gambling advertising. Canada is at a critical moment in how it manages gambling. A national strategy or framework — similar to what we have for alcohol, tobacco and cannabis — is critical to manage the expected increase in gambling harm, especially among youth and other vulnerable people,” explained Dr. Matthew Young, Chief Research Officer at Greo, Senior Research Associate at the CCSA and Adjunct Professor at Carleton University.
The report recommends developing a national strategy that will:
- Develop national standards governing the promotion and availability of gambling;
- Manage conflicts of interest among gambling stakeholders;
- Address inadequate funding for gambling harm prevention and reduction initiatives and research;
- Monitor systematic changes in gambling-related harm, including any assessments of the social and economic costs of gambling; and
- Increase awareness of gambling-related harms among health and social service professionals and the public.
“Increased gambling among people living in Canada will undoubtebly result in increased harms and therefore increased societal costs. These include healthcare costs, criminal-justice costs, child welfare costs, increased unemployment and lost productivity costs because of gambling-related suicide. We need to think about our approach and ensure that it considers not only short-term government revenue and economic activity but also the longer-term societal costs. That’s why we need a national strategy,” Dr. Pam Kent, Director of Research and Emerging Trends at CCSA, said.
Canada
Call for a National Strategy to Address Gambling-Related Harms in Wake of Sports Betting Boom
![call-for-a-national-strategy-to-address-gambling-related-harms-in-wake-of-sports-betting-boom](https://igamingradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/132821-call-for-a-national-strategy-to-address-gambling-related-harms-in-wake-of-sports-betting-boom.png)
Recent gambling policy changes in Canada have led to increased opportunities to legally bet on sports and gamble online, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Released today, Gambling Availability and Advertising in Canada: A Call to Action looks at the impacts of legal gambling in Canada since the approval of the Safe and Regulated Sports Betting Act in 2021. The report recommends developing a pan-Canadian strategy to address gambling-related harms. This is a new report by Greo Evidence Insights (Greo) and the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA).
This call to action is in response to the significant increase in gambling advertising on billboards, social media, at commercial breaks during sports broadcasts and during sporting events. Increased gambling availability and advertising are expected to contribute to increased gambling in Canada, thereby posing a significant risk of harms among the general population, particularly for youth, young adults and other vulnerable populations.
The report also describes how the increased availability of gambling and in gambling advertising are of great concern because:
- The types of gambling being made available and promoted (single-event sports betting and live or in-play betting) are associated with a greater risk of harm. For example, single-event sports betting increases gambling intensity and gives an illusion of control over the outcome as people believe their knowledge of the game gives them a competitive edge.
- The volume of gambling advertisements repeatedly pairing sports with betting normalizes gambling, leading people to think of betting as an integral part of being a sports fan.
- Increased availability of gambling and in gambling advertising are happening at a time when many people in Canada are more vulnerable to problematic gambling and gambling-related harms because of the lingering health impacts of COVID-19 and a rise in the cost of living.
“Over the last few years, we have witnessed some of the most significant changes in gambling policy since the 1970s,” explained Dr. Matthew Young, Chief Research Officer at Greo, Senior Research Associate at the CCSA and Adjunct Professor at Carleton University. “We have seen a massive increase in gambling advertising and opportunities to gamble. We can no longer watch sports with our kids or go online without being subjected to an overwhelming amount of gambling advertising. Canada is at a critical moment in how it manages gambling. A national strategy or framework — similar to what we have for alcohol, tobacco and cannabis — is critical to manage the expected increased in gambling harm, especially among youth and other vulnerable people.”
The report recommends developing a national strategy that will:
- Develop national standards governing the promotion and availability of gambling;
- Manage conflicts of interest among gambling stakeholders;
- Address inadequate funding for gambling harm prevention and reduction initiatives and research;
- Monitor systematic changes in gambling-related harm, including any assessments of the social and economic costs of gambling; and
- Increase awareness of gambling-related harms among health and social service professionals and the public.
“Increased gambling among people living in Canada will undoubtebly result in increased harms and therefore increased societal costs. These include healthcare costs, criminal-justice costs, child welfare costs, increased unemployment and lost productivity costs because of gambling-related suicide,” says Dr. Pam Kent, Director of Research and Emerging Trends at CCSA. “We need to think about our approach and ensure that it considers not only short-term government revenue and economic activity but also the longer-term societal costs. That’s why we need a national strategy.”
AGCO
Edict Egaming Secures Approval for Ontario Licence
![edict-egaming-secures-approval-for-ontario-licence](https://igamingradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/132773-edict-egaming-secures-approval-for-ontario-licence.jpg)
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.
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