Canada
Exclusive Q&A with Vera Motto, Business Development Executive at Habanero
Having signed a raft of new deals and partnerships in recent months across Latin America, we caught up with Habanero’s business development executive for the region, Vera Motto, to get the lowdown on the supplier’s latest market movements.
Habanero’s certainly signed a lot of deals recently! Can you take us through your recent LatAm successes?
We’re delighted to be live on some of LatAm’s biggest brands, including BetJuego, Ganabet and Big Bola. We will also go live shortly with DoradoBet, expanding our reach in Peru, where we are already live with a number of key players, including Apuesta Total.
These latest deals cap a string of comprehensive agreements with major regional operators such as Salsa, LatamWin and Codere, with plenty of plans for entering new territories together on the table. It’s fantastic to see how far we’ve come in our short time on the continent and we’ll keep that momentum going forward with a range of exciting deals and market entries on the horizon.
Has the regulation of Colombia’s iGaming market set an example for other countries in the region to follow?
Without a doubt. Coljuegos has done a brilliant job of regulating a complex market, creating a safe and open environment with a competitive tax rate. The pro-active approach taken by the regulator has paved the way for a productive dialogue between operators, suppliers and the authorities.
In fact, even in the middle of the pandemic, Coljuegos managed to create entirely new online regulatory frameworks for live casino, scratchcards and bingo – which I’m sure no others can claim to have done! For us certainly, this demonstrated a willingness to go above and beyond in ensuring that operators are equipped with a diverse set of revenue streams, preserving a lucrative market for the local economy amid testing circumstances. We’re thrilled to see such commitment.
Apart from Colombia, which LatAm markets are the ones to watch in 2020?
The city of Buenos Aires and Panama are the two most likely to enter the online domain next; both with sports betting and casino. Puerto Rico’s regulator has also recently appointed Gaming Laboratories International as an advisor, with the jurisdiction likely to finalise the process in the coming months.
Elsewhere, plenty of jurisdictions have pending regulation, with Brazil certainly looking the most promising. Although, even more exciting for us at the moment is Mexico. The market holds a wealth of opportunity, and we’ve only started to make our mark across such a rich and diverse country – and we look forward to solidifying our presence there over the coming months with major local providers.
Do you anticipate entering any of those markets, or launching further LatAm-oriented products?
Absolutely. We expect to enter Argentina and Panama as soon as regulation allows, with Brazil also on Habanero’s long-term radar. When it comes to games, it has been our experience that what works globally also works best in LatAm. A successful game performs well anywhere, and that’s exactly what we’ve observed with international hits such as Egyptian Dreams Deluxe and Hot Hot Fruit.
That’s not to say that localised content isn’t effective too. Our Mexican-themed title, 5 Mariachis, has performed fantastically on the continent, as have games with Asian themes, most likely due to the historic linkages between the two cultures.
Has LatAm’s gaming industry been affected by COVID-19 in broadly the same way as other territories? Or have you observed differing impacts?
Geographically speaking, the impact of COVID-19 on our industry has been consistent across the board. An increase in online gaming traffic has been an internationally observed trend, due in large part to the near universal closure of land-based and retail outlets.
One potential difference I may expect in the future is a varied retention rate, mostly due to a larger part of the population being unfamiliar with online gaming before the lockdown compared to Europe or other areas. As part of this, we’re very excited to be stepping up to the challenge of converting a whole demographic of land-based players – and we stand ready to equip our operator partners with everything they need to boost player engagement.
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Alex Cuoci
Wealthsimple and Kalshi Partner to Bring Prediction Markets to Canada
Wealthsimple announced the release of Wealthsimple Predict, providing retail investors the ability to trade event contracts on Kalshi. The standalone application is scheduled to launch this summer. Through the app, users will have access to approximately 4000 Kalshi event-based contracts in categories Wealthsimple is authorized to offer in the Canadian market, specifically climate, financial markets, and economic indicators.
“Prediction markets are the fastest-growing segment of global financial markets, letting traders turn an opinion into a position on the factors that shape our world – where inflation is headed, what happens to rates, or how the year unfolds. Until now, Canadians have had limited access. Wealthsimple Predict gives Canadians a clean, well-designed way to access these markets, with education and guardrails built in from day one,” said Brett Huneycutt, co-founder and Chief Product Officer, Wealthsimple.
“Kalshi was founded on a simple belief: views on the future should have markets, and those markets should be available to everyone. That’s why we’re partnering with Wealthsimple, Canada’s leading financial innovator – to give everyday investors in Canada access to fair, secure, and regulated prediction markets,” said Alex Cuoci, Kalshi.
In March, the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO) authorized Wealthsimple to offer event and forecast contract trading, also known as prediction markets. These contracts are regulated as futures contracts (derivatives). The approval covers contracts with a 30-day settlement period or longer, within the categories of economic indicators, financial markets, and climate. Wealthsimple is the second investment dealer to receive regulatory approval from CIRO for prediction markets.
To access trading through Wealthsimple Predict, new clients must complete a standard Know Your Client (KYC) process. Education is built into every stage of the experience, including a guided orientation of a client’s first trade. The app also shows users key disclosures and definitions, including trading risk reminders, contract resolution information, notices that positions can be sold at any time, and liquidity risk warnings on lower-activity markets. Wealthsimple Predict will only be available to Canadian residents.
Kalshi is authorized to operate in the US as an event contracts exchange, with federal authority from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the regulatory authority for the U.S. derivatives market. Prediction markets follow the same regulatory framework applied to other financial assets traded in the US, such as equities, bonds, and traditional derivatives, with clear rules for price formation, settlement, and governance.
The post Wealthsimple and Kalshi Partner to Bring Prediction Markets to Canada appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Alberta
MediaTroopers lines up eight operator partners ahead of Alberta launch
MediaTroopers said it is preparing to launch in Alberta’s regulated gaming market on July 13, as Canada’s next regulated commercial gaming market opens.
The digital marketing and customer acquisition firm said it plans to enter Alberta alongside eight “premium operator” clients, which it said are also preparing for their own market entries. MediaTroopers did not name the operators.
The company said its Alberta offering will mirror its work in Ontario, including localized acquisition strategies, compliance-focused marketing, regional player education, and market-tailored performance campaigns.
MediaTroopers also said it has seen “strong interest” from Alberta players through pre-registration activity, without providing figures.
“Alberta represents an exciting next step for regulated iGaming in Canada, and Media Troopers is ready to support operators from day one,” said Shmulik Segal, CEO of Media Troopers. “Our experience in Ontario has given us a strong understanding of what it takes to enter a new Canadian market successfully, from compliance and localization to scalable player acquisition. With eight of our premium clients already preparing for launch and early pre-registration traction underway, we see Alberta as a market with tremendous potential.”
The post MediaTroopers lines up eight operator partners ahead of Alberta launch appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Canada
MediaTroopers Makes Preparations for Upcoming Alberta Launch with Eight Premium Operator Partners
MediaTroopers, the leading digital marketing and customer acquisition firm, has announced that preparations are underway for its upcoming launch in Alberta’s regulated gaming market, scheduled to go live on July 13. As part of those preparations, MediaTroopers will enter the province with eight of its premium operator clients, who are already preparing for their own entries.
With the launch of Canada’s second regulated commercial gaming market, Alberta has quickly become one of the most anticipated market opportunities for operators looking to expand. MediaTroopers has already cemented itself as a reliable partner in Ontario’s regulated market, supporting operators in one of North America’s most competitive markets, and it will bring that same expertise as it enters Alberta.
Much like Ontario, MediaTroopers will continue to support operators in Alberta with localized acquisition strategies, compliance-focused marketing, regional player education, and market-tailored performance-driven campaigns.
MediaTroopers has already seen strong interest from Alberta players through pre-registration activity. With eight of its premium clients also preparing to go live, the company expects to play a pivotal role in helping other licensed operators to build up brand visibility and recognition among players in the region from day one.
With its launch in Alberta, MediaTroopers remains committed to supporting sustainable, responsible, and compliant growth across Canada’s regulated market.
“Alberta represents an exciting next step for regulated iGaming in Canada, and Media Troopers is ready to support operators from day one,” said Shmulik Segal, CEO of Media Troopers. “Our experience in Ontario has given us a strong understanding of what it takes to enter a new Canadian market successfully, from compliance and localization to scalable player acquisition. With eight of our premium clients already preparing for launch and early pre-registration traction underway, we see Alberta as a market with tremendous potential.”
The post MediaTroopers Makes Preparations for Upcoming Alberta Launch with Eight Premium Operator Partners appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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