The search for responsible gambling research continues in Ontario

The latest Gaming News Canada dispatch, Thursday edition, dedicated a significant amount of wordage to recent reporting on problem gambling, especially among young adults.

So, the latest Gaming News Canada Show went down the same road with the help of Phill Gray, Kris Abbott and Brock University sports management professor Dr. Michael Naraine, who’s been a frequently loud voice for the provincial government - and the operators in Ontario’s regulated gambling industry - to make funding available for research into a market that will be two years old on April 4th. The conversation also referenced the soon-to-come changes imposed by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission on Ontario for advertising and marketing campaigns.

Nathalie Bergeron, the spokesperson for the Quebec Online Gaming Coalition, also made her return to show and responded to reporting by a Sherbrooke news outlet last week that the provincial government in La Belle Province has no intentions to follow Ontario and open up a regulated marketplace. Gray, who has called Quebec home for almost 25 years, provided his thoughts on the issue.

The coalition also recently submitted a pre-budget brief to the province to once again make the case for an expanded legal industry, and Bergeron weighed on that report.

iGaming Ontario, Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke face off in court

Almost 15 months after filing an application against iGaming Ontario and the province’s attorney general, the Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke is getting its day? in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice.

A 10 a.m. hearing is scheduled this morning with lawyers for the province and iGO ready to request the court to dismiss the council’s contention that Ontario’s regulated sports betting and igaming market is illegal.?

In case you missed the original filing at the end of November 2022, the MCK alleged in court documents it was private operators “conducting and managing” gambling in Ontario and not the province, as allowed by federal law. Not so fast, countered the province’s legal beagles at the time:

“In sum, iGO controls the games, the money, the data, the advertising, and retains ultimate discretion over conduct and management. In these circumstances, iGO, as Ontario’s agent, must be conducting and managing the igaming regime in the province.”

Both Geoff Zochodne at Covers and Matthew Lomon of Play Canada set the stage for today’s court rendezvous. Phill Gray, the former head sports trader for Sports Interaction - formerly owned by MCK socio-economic subsidiary Mohawk Online - provided a few bon mots on the latest Gaming News Canada Show.

“Their argument goes back to the passing of Bill C-218 that enabled single-event sports betting and turned it over to the provinces,” said Gray, adding the council requested a “carve-out” of the bill which would have allowed it to self-govern in a new Canadian gambling ecosystem. “They do have an argument. As a First Nation, and their constitutional right to self-commerce and self-governance, they were denied that. Now they’re challenging Ontario’s position they can (operate) as a nation inside a nation.”

Unibet to bid adieu to Ontario on March 26

A tap of ye olde Sherbrooke hockey twig to the aforementioned Zochodne, who before shutting down the laptop to begin the Family Day weekend here in Ontario, delivered an update on Unibet’s withdrawal from the province’s regulated gambling market.

Rivalry unveils basketball trading cards

From the Department of Tres Cool. . . .?

The creative folks at Rivalry have. . . er. . . created card collectibles that were made available during NBA All-Star Weekend. The Rivalry Booster Packs feature hand-drawn illustrations of NBA players, esports-inspired characters, and the online gambling company’s creator partners. Rivalry’s newest marketing endeavour also includes “higher rarity cards” with a QR code on the backs that can be scanned to claim NBA merchandise, gift cards and bonus bets.

Rivalry customers in southeast Asia who wager on NBA games will be entered to earn their own booster packs, and the company is also collaboration with its creators to live stream pack openings to their followers.

“Rivalry has found repeatable success using its creative and design to usher in new and exclusive experiences in sports betting for its customers that they won’t find elsewhere,” said Grant Flannery, global head of marketing. “There is a growing audience of NBA fans on Rivalry and our booster packs are set to add another meaningful element to engage them throughout the season.”

The Company Line

On this penultimate Tuesday of February 2024, The Company Line zooms in on Booming Games, which was recently granted a supplier’s licence by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario.

Birthdate: 2014

Home Base: Birkirkara, Malta

Founder: Xi Wang

Raison d'être: Booming Games is a provider of online slot games, including Hoop Kings, Dice Dice Baby and The Wild Wings of Phoenix.

If you’d like to be featured in The Company Line, please drop us a note ([email protected]).

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