Canada
Exclusive interview with Jo Lambert, Head of Consumer at Verizon Media
It is always a pleasure and honor to work with experienced leaders and without any doubt, this is also the case when interviewing Joanna Lambert, Head of Consumer at Verizon Media.
So, I hope that you enjoy our Q&A with Jo, which you can read below.
Gaming Americas (GA):
Yahoo has been a global household name on the internet. Not many companies of that stature have entered the gaming vertical. Could you share a quick briefing into Yahoo Sportâs entry into gaming?
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Jo Lambert:
That is correct. Today, sports betting serves as a key cornerstone of our holistic strategy at Yahoo Sports to serve as a single destination for sports fans. Years ago, we saw the growing rise of sports betting and pending adoption of online gambling in states across the country and leveraged it as an opportunity to diversify our revenue streams â combining the best-in-class features we already had as a trusted content provider with those of a gaming company.
With our strong roots as a media company and through our cutting edge BetMGM partnership, weâve been able to successfully recast our approach, adopting a hybrid model that balances compelling content with sports betting opportunities to provide a one-stop-shop where fans of all levels can have it all, from AR (augmented reality) to âseeâ more of the game and get the inside information to ultimate fantasy control and the tools they need to wager on BetMGM.
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GA:
It has been over three years since PSPA Act was repealed, opening the way for legalized sports betting in the US states. How do you rate the growth of the sports betting sector in the country both in terms of the increase in the customer base and in terms of the number of states that chose to legalize sports betting? What are the plans to start operating in other states where sports betting is legal?
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Jo Lambert:
In November 2019 we launched a ground-breaking multiyear strategic relationship making Yahoo Sports an official Digital Media Sports Partner of MGM Resorts. Via the BetMGM partnership, we offer sports betting opportunities on BetMGM covering the NBA, NHL, MLB, NFL, college sports, and more and have integrated them into the Yahoo Sports and Yahoo Fantasy apps and desktop experiences. Today we are live in nine states that have legalized sports betting, including New Jersey, Indiana, West Virginia, Colorado, Tennessee, Virginia, Michigan, Iowa, and Pennsylvania.
Since the ruling, the popularity of sports betting has been growing steadily for hardcore sports fans, fantasy sports enthusiasts, and even casual fans. In fact, the number of consumers taking advantage of opportunities to wager on BetMGM continues to grow for us as over 80% of our converted bettors have come from Sports and Fantasy Products.
Additionally, interest in betting has increased from 43% to 58% across our consumers while opposition to it has declined from 21 to 17% over the past 2 years.
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GA:
Tell us more about Yahoo Sportsâ partnership with BetMGM, which is also a pioneering partnership of sorts for an organization dealing with news and editorial content, and how that fits into your overall strategy?
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Jo Lambert:
We were one of the first digitally-native media companies to ink a deal of this type and to this day, remain one of the top betting affiliate partners of BetMGM. Up to that point, our success was due to our commitment to delivering great news and immersive editorial and a 20+ year track record of offering fantasy sports. Today, Yahoo Sports is combining the best-in-class features of a media company, content provider, and gaming company to provide a comprehensive 360 offering, surrounding users with research, insights, technology, immersive experiences, and a seamless connection to sports betting opportunities. As part of our strategy, we are working to create experiences within Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) and sports betting that serve both our casual users as well as our most passionate fans including providing users with opportunities to wager on the BetMGM platform via Yahoo Sportsbook as well as paid and free DFS contests for those looking for different ways to get in on the action.
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GA:
As you mentioned, Yahoo Sports has been offering fantasy sports platform over the last two decades. Is there any change in customer response to the platform after sports betting options became available? What has been the reaction of your long-time fantasy players to this closer linking of DFS with sports betting?
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Jo Lambert:
Our fantasy players love it. The data, tools, analysis, and content we are providing our users have resonated and those users in legal betting states are signing up and betting on BetMGM. And our fantasy integrations with player props have resonated as well, as we have consistently heard from our fantasy users regarding their interest in player props.
We also recently introduced single-game, DFS multi-entry contests for all major events with significant prize pools, beginning with the NBA Playoffs as well as continue to offer paid and free DFS contests for those looking for different ways to get in on the action.
If anything, our success with fantasy sports has grown since sports betting has been an option. In fact, 80+ percent of total Yahoo Sportsbook users registered with BetMGM are also active in the Yahoo Sports and Yahoo Fantasy Sports apps.
Today, we reach millions of fans per month and in 2020 those fans consumed over 80 million pieces of betting content across our properties â so we believe we are well-positioned to continue driving adoption as user interests evolve, especially with the increased momentum around sports betting.
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GA:
Could you elaborate on the cutting edge of content that Yahoo Sports offers to end customers compared with that of the other affiliate or betting websites?
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Jo Lambert: At Yahoo, we have the unique opportunity to tap into our ecosystem that serves nearly 900 million users monthly. Weâve been strategically embedding new customer promos in our betting content to help seed the BetMGM accounts of our core sports followers in anticipation of major sporting events. We amplify that marketing strategy with content to help inform potential new bettors of everything they need to know to start betting responsibly while helping our existing betting audience form their own strategy in anticipation of marquee events.
At Yahoo, we truly have the unique position as BetMGMâs partner to be able to program multiple endpoints to reach all fans â one of the fantastic opportunities presented by major sporting events ranging from the NBA Playoffs to the Super Bowl. To add on to our strategy for core sports fans, youâll see betting content on our homepage, in Yahoo Mail, on Yahoo Finance and In the Know, and more.
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GA:
Tell us more about Draft Together, a recent feature in the fantasy league platform.
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Jo Lambert:
Draft Together on Yahoo Fantasy Sports showcases our innovative spirit to deliver next-gen experiences that create connection and community. By leveraging Yahooâs ecosystem, technology, and streaming capabilities, we have the unique ability to create the powerful and immersive entertainment experiences of the future today. Draft Together is a first-of-its-kind feature in the massively popular fantasy sports industry, enabling multiple fans to uniquely experience and interact with each other through video chat as they draft their fantasy baseball team on yahoo.com/fantasybaseball and create a personalized community of friends and family.
The experience is now available for live drafts and to private leagues with 12 teams or less. At launch, Draft Together will offer support for 12 rotating video frames to be displayed alongside the Yahoo Fantasy draft interface for the 2021 fantasy baseball season. For the first time, users can virtually smack talk, taunt their opponents, bond over all the action and more through video chat while drafting fantasy leagues in real time.
Draft Together continues to evolve the consumer experience of Yahooâs first-to-market co-viewing product â Watch Together, that debuted in September 2020 and connects audiences to live news, sports and entertainment by providing them with the ability to video chat, interact and immerse themselves in top cultural events. The NFL was the first launch partner for Watch Together. Draft Together will be available to private baseball leagues at launch, with additional features and league support available in the coming months.
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GA:
You have recently launched Yahoo Fantasy Plus. Whatâs new in it and how are the customers responding to it?
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Jo Lambert
Weâve seen great responses so far to Yahoo Fantasy Plus, a new premium subscription product that offers tools to bring the fantasy experience to the next level and improve the user experience. Yahoo Fantasy Plus offers valuable features, including a Research Assistant, Start Optimal Players tool, Trade Insights, and Advanced Stats. Users have expressed excitement over several upcoming features including the Trade Hub and Draft Assistant. While weâve only launched with Baseball to date, we will be rolling out Fantasy Plus across all Fantasy Sports we support as new seasons kick-off. As far as early signs go, Fantasy Plus subscribers have displayed significantly increased engagement with the game they play over other fantasy players. Retention has also been a highlight as 90% of trialists have stayed on as subscribers.
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GA:
What is your take on the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on fantasy sports and sports betting in general? Â
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Jo Lambert:
People are social and want to connect, whether that is with their friends, families, or their favorite sports. With empty stadiums during the peak of the pandemic and the inability to gather together to watch the game or host a fantasy draft has, in my opinion, created a void⊠a void which fans previously filled with all the excitement and action of live, in-person sports shared with others, whether that was in a bar or at the stadium. Our unique range of offerings, including Draft Together, Watch Together and integrated sports betting enable fans to enjoy the social aspects and excitement of sporting events by delivering immersive experiences around the sports they love while also enabling them to enjoy connecting with others.
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The Canadian iGaming market has evolved from an emerging opportunity into one of the most competitive and innovative digital gaming arenas worldwide. Ontarioâs regulated framework has paved the way for rapid expansion, attracting established international operators alongside ambitious newcomers that are carving out share through brand differentiation and data-driven acquisition.
Methodology: How Growth Was Measured
To understand which casino brands are gaining momentum and why, the award-winning Mr. Gamble Casino Trends Meterâa proprietary performance index powered by Semrush, Ahrefs, in-house click tracking, market benchmarks, and predictive analyticsâanalyzed year-over-year (YoY) performance from JanuaryâJune 2024 versus JanuaryâJune 2025. The results point to a vibrant, fiercely competitive landscape where execution, trust, and experience are the real drivers of sustained growth.
Brands Showing Standout Growth in 2025
Strong outperformance highlights different paths to scale
Wild Tokyo posted an extraordinary +134% YoY, showing how bold branding, a distinctive identity, and targeted acquisition can resonate with players seeking unique experiences. Clean yet edgy design, paired with robust SEO execution and engagement programs, helped the brand cut through a crowded market.
LuckyDays delivered +110% YoY by striking a balance between simplicity and substance. A minimalistic UX, a vast game library, and strong affiliate relationships have positioned it as a trusted destination for Canadian players.
BetVictor, a legacy operator with deep roots, recorded +107% YoY. Its evolution from traditional bookmaker to diversified iGaming powerhouse underscores how credibility and adaptability can translate into modern growth.
Agile mid-tier brands are also accelerating: SlotsMagic at +94% and Betibet at +88% demonstrate how focused SEO, analytics-led decision making, and smart promotional strategy can punch above weight.
Crypto-forward momentum and broader market depth
The joint rise of BetFury and SmokAceâboth at +74%âsignals growing acceptance of crypto and blockchain-based gaming among Canadian users, driven by transparency, fast payments, and a tech-forward ethos.
Meanwhile, Paripesa, Mond, and ComeOn maintained robust double-digit YoY growth, underscoring the marketâs depth and diversity beyond a handful of headline names.
Market Maturity: Compliance, Trust, and UX Win
As more provinces explore regulated frameworks modeled on Ontario, competition is intensifying. The brands pulling ahead are those investing in compliance, transparency, and player satisfactionâprioritizing product quality and retention over short-term promotions.
âPlayers are becoming more selective, more informed, and more focused on trust,â says Paul Puolakka, CMO at Mr. Gamble. âWeâre seeing a clear shift toward quality brands that prioritize experience, safety, and innovationâthe ones achieving real, sustained growth.â
Puolakka adds: âData doesnât just tell us whoâs growingâit shows us why. The operators succeeding in Canada are those that deeply understand their audience, use insights effectively, and build long-term value instead of chasing short-term hype.â
Trends Shaping the Next Phase of iGaming in Canada
- Branding + data-led acquisition let emerging brands challenge incumbents more effectively than ever.
- Crypto-friendly casinos are moving from niche to mainstream consideration for Canadian users.
- SEO, content strategy, and affiliate partnerships remain reliable, capital-efficient growth levers.
- Compliance, transparency, and UX are central to sustainable market share gains.
Looking Ahead
The fastest-growing casino brands capture more than impressive statisticsâthey reflect a market in transformation. With Wild Tokyo setting creative benchmarks and veterans like BetVictor and ComeOn proving that brand equity still matters, Canadaâs iGaming sector is entering a phase defined by intelligent growth, regulatory maturity, and player empowerment.
As the industry continues to evolve, the Mr. Gamble Casino Trends Meter remains a useful compass for players, affiliates, and operators navigating this fast-changing landscape.
The post Canadian iGaming Growth Trends 2025: Data, Strategy, and the Brands Defining the Market appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Ezugi, an innovative live dealer casino supplier known for pushing the boundaries of live gaming, retention, and distribution solutions, is proud to announce a new partnership with PokerStars, the worldâs largest online poker site.
Through this partnership, PokerStarsâ players in the UK and Ontario will gain access to Ezugiâs standout portfolio, including Revolution Roulette, Ultimate Roulette, Unlimited Blackjack and Lucky 7 online casino games.
PokerStars, launched in 2001, is one of the worldâs leading online poker and casino brands and operates as part of Flutter Entertainment. It has grown to become the largest poker site globally, offering the widest selection of online games and hosting prestigious live tournaments.
Formed in 2012, Ezugi is a global live casino provider with a focus on meeting operator and player needs with best-of-breed localised content. The Ezugi games portfolio includes a wide range of live dealer games, many of which are unique. Ezugi became part of Evolution in 2018 and continues to build on its reputation for providing unique and innovative games and solutions for online casino and retail betting shop operators.
Gilad Ben-Ami, Chief Executive Officer at Ezugi, said: âPokerStarsâ players already enjoy a wide range of live casino and online slot games from Evolution brands such as Evolution, NetEnt, Red Tiger and Big Time Gaming. Now Ezugi is delighted and honoured to add even more choice for PokerStarsâ players with our own innovative games.â
Ben-Ami continued: âThe release of Ezugi games to PokerStars clearly demonstrates the rich variety and innovative features of the Ezugi games portfolio. Ultimate Roulette is a unique multiplier Roulette that blends circus-themed fun and TV game show excitement; Revolution Roulette puts a unique spin on classic Roulette by adding special multiplier pockets to the wheel; Unlimited Blackjack allows an unlimited number of players to play at the table, while also featuring Auto-Split functionality and a choice of four side bets â Perfect Pairs, 21+3, Perfect 11 and Ten20; and Lucky 7 is a very popular game with its origins in the Indian subcontinent â a fast-paced, simple and exciting Hi-Lo card game.â
Ben-Ami concluded: âWe are confident that PokerStarsâ players will love playing these games and we look forward to adding more Ezugi titles for them in the future.â
The post Ezugi partners with PokerStars to further extend live casino game choice for players appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
After A Review Of Canadaâs Gambling Landscape, RoboCat Casino Was Awarded The âBest Online Casino In Canada 2025â Based On 8,000+ Games, Responsible Gambling and Fast Payouts
Vancouver, Sept. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — 
RoboCat Casino, an award-winning online casino with presence on Europe, Australia, New Zealand, UK, USA and LATAM, was recently awarded the title of âBest Online Casino in Canada 2025â after a comprehensive review of the online gambling industry in the country, performed by experienced iGaming specialists.
New players can take advantage of RoboCat Casinoâs welcome bonus by joining their platform today:
CLAIM YOUR WELCOME BONUS AND PLAY 8,000+ GAMES AT ROBOCAT CASINO
RoboCat currently offers the biggest welcome bonus, because new players can get 100% extra on their first deposit + 200 Free Spins + a surprise bonus (more free spins, free money, cashback, amongst other possible rewards).
In addition, the Canadian online casino also offers over 8,000 real money games from the best providers in the world, putting the best online slots, blackjack, poker, baccarat, craps, crash, plinko, live dealer, lotto and bingo games at the disposal of online players and bettors in Canada.
âThe mission of our team is to help players find the best sites for gambling online so they can enjoy an exciting, rewarding and safe online gaming experienceâ â â… and we found that RoboCat is on top of all the other online casinos in Canada, because it delivers more value in all the areas that matter for online players and bettorsâ.
A Comprehensive Review Focused on the Player
The team that performed the review and research revealed that they focused it on the player, hence they targeted the following areas:
- License
- Fairness
- Quality of Games
- Quality of Bonuses and Promotions
- Payment Methods and Banking Experience
- Online Security
- Mobile Experience
- Quality of Sportsbook
- KYC
- Limits for Deposits and Withdrawals
- Customer Support Service
The team used these key elements to develop the criteria for selecting, reviewing, and comparing the top online casinos in Canada, ultimately choosing RoboCat Casino as the best real money gambling platform for 2025.
The team explained that RoboCat was named ‘Best Online Casino in Canada 2025’ due to its outstanding performance across all evaluated criteria.
âRoboCat offers over 8,000 games from nearly 100 top-class providers, which is the largest library of real money games in Canada nowadaysâ â âoffering such an outstanding number of high-quality games allows RoboCat to bring its customers a significantly better online gaming experience, especially for online slots playersâ.
âRegarding bonuses, RoboCat Casino is the most generous platform in Canada because it offers a big welcome bonus, plenty of weekly and weekend reload bonuses which reward players with free money and free spins, extra rewards of free spins, cashback, rakeback, amongst other benefits that other Canadian online casinos fail to deliverâ.
The team shared their comments for all the evaluated criteria regarding RoboCat, offering a complete overview on why they elected this brand as the best platform for real money gambling in Canada:
- License: License issued by the Offshore Finance Authority of The State of Anjouan
- Fairness: Audited by independent third-party auditing firms
- Quality of Games: 8,000+ real money games from industry-leading providers such as NetEnt, Evolution, Microgaming, Habanero and Jumpman
- Quality of Bonuses and Promotions: 100% extra on first deposit + 200 Free Spins; reload bonuses, cashback, free bets, rakeback and free spins rewards. Featuring low wagering requirements
- Payment Methods and Banking Experience: Instant deposits, fast payouts, plenty of payment methods including credit cards, debit cards, trending digital wallet currencies, FundID and Interac
- Online Security: Uses military-grade encryption, has a dedicated online security team, secured servers, no history of data leaks or breaches
- Mobile Experience: Offers an HTML5-powered mobile website available on all browsers, runs on Android and iOS flawlessly
- Quality of Sportsbook: Offers over 35 sports and esports with high odds and exclusive bonuses such as free bets, deposit bonuses, reload bonuses and cashback
- KYC: Easy to fulfill KYC procedures, no requirement to complete KYC as a new user or to get first withdrawal approved
- Limits for Deposits and Withdrawals: Unlimited limit for deposits and withdrawals up to $10,000 per day. The casino can increase the limits for high rollers
- Customer Support Service: Available via live chat, email and phone. Fast answer time and professional customer support team
The team expressed their happiness in finding an online casino which can offer Canadian players and bettors the online betting and gambling experience they deserved: âRoboCat scores high in all the areas that matter, offering an outstanding, exciting, safe and fair experienceâ.
All players interested in joining RoboCat to play 8,000+ real money games can sign up today and claim an exclusive welcome bonus offer:
CLAIM YOUR WELCOME BONUS AND PLAY 8,000+ GAMES AT ROBOCAT CASINO
RoboCat Casino Actively Promotes and Enforces Responsible Gambling
The team explained that they considered the commitment to responsible gambling as an important factor in their comprehensive review of the industry: âA platform can deliver everything players want, but if they fail to protect players and promote responsible gambling, we take it out of our ranking⊠because gambling must be fun but also safeâ.
RoboCat Casino is equipped with technology and a dedicated team which can detect problematic gambling patterns, providing affected players with prompt solutions and assistance.
The online casino also offers tools and features to limit the spending on their platform, granting players the possibility to control their online gambling activities.
The specialists also confirmed that RoboCat Casino provides a self-exclusion feature, with 24/7 customer support available to assist players in closing their accounts if needed.
“The era of unregulated online gambling is over. Today, safety comes firstâone of the key reasons we chose RoboCat as Canadaâs top online casino for 2025. They prioritise player protection and take responsible gambling seriously.”
âRoboCat Is The Best Brand in 2025, But Letâs See If They Retain Their Place in 2026â
âAfter making this in-depth review, analysis and research, we found out RoboCat is the best online casino brand for Canadian players in 2025â – â… but you know, the online gambling industry is extremely fast-paced. You have new brands every single month, and theyâre competing fiercely against each other. Therefore, we are going to revisit our research and perform a new analysis in 2026, to see if RoboCat remains the best online casino in Canada or if another brand is going to take its placeâ – concluded Angel K.
To celebrate this award, RoboCat has released a new welcome bonus of 100% extra on the first deposit + 200 Free Spins + 1 surprise bonus, which new players can redeem below:
CLAIM YOUR WELCOME BONUS AND PLAY 8,000+ GAMES AT ROBOCAT CASINO
- Live Chat: https://casinos.cc/robocat-casino/support/
- Email: [email protected]
Disclaimer
This article contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, a commission may be earned at no additional cost to you. The information provided is for informational purposes only and is not investment, financial, medical, or legal advice. Readers should verify details independently and consult qualified professionals before making any purchasing or financial decisions
CONTACT: Live Chat: https://casinos.cc/robocat-casino/support/ Email: [email protected]
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