

Canada
Jackpocket Appoints Tony Vartanian as Chief Growth and Revenue Officer
Jackpocket, the leading third-party app in the US to provide a secure way to order official state lottery tickets, has announced that growth marketing and digital consumer products veteran Tony Vartanian has joined the company as Chief Growth and Revenue Officer.
In this newly-created leadership role, Vartanian will drive new product and revenue opportunities, including the launch of new gameplay formats, new interactive gaming content, partnerships across digital and retail verticals, and monetization strategies across both current and new product offerings.
Vartanian comes to Jackpocket from Jump Ramp Games, a top 10 app publisher and leading mobile-first performance advertising network. As founder and CEO, he scaled the growth and monetization for Jump Ramp’s owned apps as well as those of partners across mobile gaming, e-commerce, fintech and entertainment. In 2019, the company was acquired by mobile and casual gaming pioneer MobilityWare where he was a member of the leadership team focused on a forward-looking competitive strategy for the company. His responsibilities included rethinking product strategy, monetization and direct partnerships, alongside the integration of Jump Ramp’s Advertising & Monetization platforms, CDP, Customer and Marketing Automation platforms and Data/AI capabilities. Throughout his career, Tony has partnered with some of the fastest growing startups and recognizable brands to digitally transform their businesses through product innovation leveraging strong data and technology leadership.
“We are thrilled to welcome Tony to the team and bring his diverse expertise in growth marketing, product and monetization to our Jackpocket lottery world as we continue our rapid growth. I’ve long watched and admired what Tony has accomplished at Jump Ramp Games (Jackpocket was even a former client!), and I know he shares our vision to provide our players with the very best user experiences and products in gaming,” Jackpocket founder and CEO Pete Sullivan said.
Vartanian will play a key role in supporting Jackpocket’s rapid geographic expansion, including international markets, developing new gaming verticals and content, and launching Jackpocket’s first loyalty program alongside other programs that align players and brand partners.
“Jackpocket is the proven leader in the digital lottery space, and I couldn’t be more eager to join the leadership team at this time of exciting national growth and product expansion. Their drive to continually innovate and bring their customers new experiences at the intersection of gaming and entertainment is very much in step with where I believe the market is headed. With over 150 million U.S. consumers playing the lottery yearly, I look forward to building on the impressive momentum that the Jackpocket team has delivered and capture the interest of this massive consumer audience that we believe has much more room to grow through digital products,” Tony Vartanian said.
Canada
absolutebet Secures AGCO Registration as an Internet Gaming Operator in Ontario

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 milestone—it’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.
Alex Malchenko Head of Sales at Evoplay
Evoplay strengthens Ontario presence in partnership with Caesars Entertainment

Evoplay, the award-winning game development studio, has partnered with Caesars Entertainment to expand its footprint in the Canadian market, following its initial entry earlier this year. The partnership integrates 20 of the studio’s top-performing titles onto Caesars Palace Online Casino, Horseshoe Online Casino and Caesars Sportsbook & Casino in Ontario, including fan-favourites such as Hot Triple Sevens, Triple Chili, and The Greatest Catch Bonus Buy.
Having announced its official entrance into Ontario in March, the collaboration with Caesars marks a significant step in Evoplay’s local strategy. Further standout releases, such as Inner Fire Bonus Buy and Hot Volcano, also launched as part of the initial package, with additional player favourites, including Fruit Nova and Ice Mania.
The collaboration underlines Evoplay’s commitment to working with leading operators to deliver high-quality content tailored to regional audiences.
Alex Malchenko, Head of Sales at Evoplay, said: “Launching with Caesars in Ontario marks a key milestone in our North American strategy.
“It reflects both the strength of our portfolio and our commitment to providing innovative, high-performing content to operators of the highest caliber.”
Ricardo Cornejo Rivas, Vice President of Online Gaming at Caesars Digital, said: “Evoplay brings a fresh and dynamic approach to online gaming, which we’re excited to offer to our players in Ontario. This portfolio of standout titles adds to our growing content library and furthering our ongoing goal of delivering top-tier entertainment experiences to our players.”
The post Evoplay strengthens Ontario presence in partnership with Caesars Entertainment appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Canada
iGaming Ontario Appoints Joseph Hillier as its New President and CEO

The iGaming Ontario Board of Directors has announced Joseph Hillier as the organization’s new President and Chief Executive Officer, effective September 8, 2025. Joseph’s depth in the Ontario igaming market combined with successful public and private sector careers make him the ideal President and CEO at this critical point in iGaming Ontario’s growth.
Joseph was most recently Chief Strategy Officer and Corporate Secretary at the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), where he delivered significant strategic and regulatory initiatives across the province’s alcohol, cannabis, gaming, and horse racing sectors. Prior to the AGCO, he served as Chief of Staff to Ontario Attorney General Hon. Doug Downey and led the development, launch and implementation of Canada’s first private sector-driven igaming market and the creation of iGaming Ontario. Joseph also spent more than a decade working in the financial and legal services sectors.
The Board expressed its sincere thanks to David Smith for serving as Interim President and Chief Executive Officer since Martha Otton’s retirement.
The post iGaming Ontario Appoints Joseph Hillier as its New President and CEO appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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