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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The Swedish gaming giant confirms its entry into another regulated market, with its industry-leading portfolio of games set to launch in Alberta.
Play’n GO, one of the world’s leading casino entertainment providers, has been granted a licence to supply online gaming content in the Canadian province of Alberta, marking another milestone in the company’s expansion across regulated North American markets.
The licence, awarded by the Alberta Gaming, Liquor & Cannabis Commission (AGLC), allows the company to offer its portfolio of premium online casino titles to licensed operators in the province ahead of Alberta’s planned market launch later this year.
Alberta represents an important new regulated opportunity within Canada, complementing Play’n GO’s established presence in Ontario and Quebec, while reinforcing the company’s commitment to operating exclusively in regulated jurisdictions.
Magnus Olsson said: “Being granted a licence in Alberta is another important step in our North American growth journey and further strengthens our presence in Canada.
“Regulated markets are the foundation of our business, and Alberta represents an exciting opportunity to expand our footprint in a jurisdiction that shares our commitment to high standards, player protection and long-term sustainability.”
The Alberta licence forms part of Play’n GO’s broader strategy of expanding through regulated markets, working closely with licensed operators to deliver compliant, high-quality gaming content focused on innovation, responsibility, and long-term commercial value.
As part of its market entry preparations, the company has aligned its technology and game portfolio with Alberta’s regulatory standards and requirements, with an initial batch of titles already undergoing certification to ensure launch readiness.
About Play’n GO
With more than 20 years of experience in mobile-first gaming, Play’n GO is a global leader in casino entertainment and the creator of some of the industry’s most iconic online titles, including Rich Wilde and the Book of Dead, Reactoonz, and Moon Princess.
A pioneer in the sector, Play’n GO was among the first to recognize the potential of mobile gaming, developing casino content for mobile devices as early as 2005, before the smartphone era.
Today, the company offers a portfolio of more than 450 premium titles, available to regulated operators across over 35 jurisdictions.
Play’n GO is strongly committed to a fully regulated, sustainable gaming industry built around entertainment, safety, and long-term collaboration.
The company works closely with operators, regulators, and research institutions to promote responsible gaming standards across all markets in which it operates.
With a deep understanding of both operators’ and players’ needs, Play’n GO focuses on creating high-quality, enduring content designed for long-term engagement.
In addition to game development, the company also provides backend services and solutions that support operators in delivering a seamless gaming experience.
Beyond gaming, Play’n GO has expanded into complementary entertainment verticals with Play’n GO Music and Play’n GO Shop, and is also a proud partner of the TGR Haas F1 Team.
For more information, please visit www.playngo.com
The post Play’n GO granted Alberta iGaming licence, expanding Canadian market footprint appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Play’n GO has been granted a licence to supply online gaming content in Alberta, as the province prepares to launch its regulated online market later this year.
The licence was awarded by the Alberta Gaming, Liquor & Cannabis Commission (AGLC). Play’n GO said the approval allows it to provide its online casino games to licensed operators in the province.
Magnus Olsson, Chief Commercial Officer at Play’n GO, said:
“Being granted a licence in Alberta is another important step in our North American growth journey and further strengthens our presence in Canada.
“Regulated markets are the foundation of our business, and Alberta represents an exciting opportunity to expand our footprint in a jurisdiction that shares our commitment to high standards, player protection and long‑term sustainability.”
Play’n GO said it has aligned its technology and game portfolio with Alberta’s regulatory requirements, with an initial batch of titles undergoing certification ahead of launch. The supplier is already active in Canada, with an established presence in Ontario and Quebec, according to the company.
The post Play’n GO secures Alberta iGaming supplier licence from AGLC appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Dan Keene, who served as the interim CEO of the Alberta iGaming Corporation (AiGC), has been appointed to the role permanently, effective April 21, 2026. Under his leadership, AiGC will launch Alberta’s regulated iGaming market on July 13. Keene has played a pivotal role in shaping the province’s gaming landscape, both through his work standing up AiGC and in his previous roles at the Alberta Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis Commission (AGLC).
“Dan brings deep operational experience and a strong track record in gaming and market development. His leadership will be essential as the Alberta iGaming Corporation prepares for launch and delivers a regulated market built on social responsibility and player protection,” said Sanjeev Kad, Board Chair, Alberta iGaming Corporation.
About Dan Keene
Serving as Vice-President, Gaming at AGLC since July 2022, Keene overseen a broad portfolio, including gaming retail services, technical operations, compliance, online gambling, player loyalty, supply chain, electronic gaming, and product development across Alberta. He has been instrumental in advancing consumer-focused initiatives. He co-led the creation of Winner’s Edge, Alberta’s first province-wide casino loyalty program, and guided the operations of PlayAlberta.ca, currently, the province’s only regulated online gambling platform. Previously, Keene worked at AGLC as Manager, Casino Products. In this role, he led a team of specialists responsible for selecting slot games and terminals for Alberta’s 30 casinos and 750 VLT locations. Before joining AGLC, he completed successful tenures with Molson Breweries and Century Casinos Inc.
The post Alberta iGaming Corporation Appoints Dan Keene as its CEO appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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