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Governor Lombardo Appoints George Markantonis to Nevada Gaming Commission

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Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo announced that he has appointed George Markantonis to the Nevada Gaming Commission. George Markantonis will replace outgoing Commissioner Steve Cohen.

“I’m grateful for Steve Cohen’s hard work on the Nevada Gaming Commission. He’s worked diligently to advance the goals of the commission, and I thank Steve for all of his efforts,” Governor Joe Lombardo said.

“I’m pleased to announce that I’ve appointed George Markantonis to the Nevada Gaming Commission. George is an experienced gaming executive with international and multijurisdictional experience, and I appreciate his willingness to serve our state. I know that George’s proven leadership, outstanding character, and decades of experience will be a tremendous asset on the Nevada Gaming Commission,” Governor Joe Lombardo added.

“I’m honored to serve on the Nevada Gaming Commission, and I’m grateful to Governor Lombardo for entrusting me with this role. I look forward to utilizing my industry experiences to serve the commission in its work protecting the integrity of Nevada’s gaming industry and the interests of all the Nevadans who rely on its ongoing success for their livelihoods,” George Markantonis said.

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Markantonis began his international career with Westin Hotels & Resorts, serving in numerous leadership roles in South Africa, Canada, and the US for over 17 years.

Following his tenure with Westin Hotels & Resorts, Markantonis joined Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, as the Senior Vice President of Hotel Operations. Markantonis then went on to serve as the CEO overseeing the development of Kerzner International’s Atlantis, The Palm, Dubai, U.A.E. and, later as the President & Managing Director of Kerzner International Bahamas Limited. and the company’s casino resort flagship Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas.

After nearly a decade in the Bahamas, Markantonis was appointed by Las Vegas Sands Corp as the President & COO of The Venetian and The Palazzo resorts and the Sands Expo Center in Las Vegas in March 2015. Markantonis served as President, COO, and after the early 2021 sale of the property, as CEO until mid-2022, before transitioning to Special Advisor to the newly formed board of the property last year.

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Canada

Greo and CCSA Release New Report Named “Gambling Availability and Advertising in Canada: A Call to Action”

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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:

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  • 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.

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Canada

Call for a National Strategy to Address Gambling-Related Harms in Wake of Sports Betting Boom

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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.”

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AGCO

Edict Egaming Secures Approval for Ontario Licence

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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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