Canada
Exclusive Q&A with Robb Vecchio Managing Director of Jogo Global US
Jogo Global is one of the industry’s newest suppliers and is already making a name for itself. In the past month, the emerging platform provider and casino content developer announced two high-profile appointments, which highlighted the strong ambitions the company has for its future operations. Cashcade and Gaming Realms co-founder Simon Collins has become its new chairman, while the highly experienced Robb Vecchio joined as Managing Director of Jogo Global US.
Gaming Americas caught up with Robb Vecchio to understand more about what exactly Jogo Global has to offer and the company’s strategic plans for the US market.
Congratulations on your new role at Jogo Global US, Robb. What will be your initial focus over the coming months?
I’m really excited to have joined such an ambitious company. My key focus is to build the brand awareness of Jogo Global within the US casino industry and educate businesses about how our content, platforms and services will drive business growth. I’m very confident we have all the right assets and resources, and know we have a very talented team of highly experienced individuals that are developing quality products. I will be sure to tap into my digital rolodex over the coming months, as there’s a massive opportunity right now in the US as the landscape shifts from the land-based to online. We are in a unique position as a global omnichannel gaming company providing a wide range of services.
What are the types of services that Jogo Global offers in the US right now?
We can offer bespoke solutions, something that a lot of the main organizations within the industry cannot offer right now. Given that we’re a nimble and agile company, we can provide a personalised service and deliver a product that truly meets a customer’s requirements, which is very rare these days.
The localized approach is something I learned during my time at Video Gaming Technology (VGT). We successfully introduced a new foreign subsidiary, VGT Mexico, and turned it into a multi-million nationwide enterprise. That was very much driven by a localized product for the market’s needs. At Jogo, we have that ability at scale to develop bespoke content and platforms for our partners that match their individual requirements.
What can Jogo Global offer that’s different to what’s already available in the market, particularly compared to the main suppliers?
Having a scalable business is very important, even for start-ups. Companies want to know that a third-party provider can match their expectations and deliver a reliable service. We can prove that our offering is scalable to prospective new clients, which has been a driving force behind Jogo Global securing new commercial agreements both in the UK and US, which hopefully will be announced very soon. References and new customer wins are going to be key to truly establish ourselves as a business that is going places. Word of mouth is hugely valuable in helping a young company to position itself in the marketplace.
Secondly, our creative solutions have impressed a number of organizations that we’ve engaged with already. The unique overlay that our solutions can offer to their existing ecosystem is something that is highly advantageous to them.
Close relationships are key and that’s an area we’ll be working hard on to ensure partners get the best possible service. Those deep-seeded partnerships, almost like a family, go along way in this industry and help take a start-up to the next level.
In the US we’re seeing the digital iGaming industry accelerating at warp speed. Given your background in the land-based environment, how are you looking to support those companies in translating their content for online?
There’s a lot of potential in the legalized jurisdictions of both land-based and online gaming, particularly in the Class II category, which requires games to be associated as a form of bingo. Class II machines are heavily prominent in the Native American properties, and there’s an opportunity to adapt that type of content for online use.
Digital gaming has certainly grown, especially as Covid-19 forced venues to shut down and players naturally migrated to online sites. Online activity is likely to double over the next 12 months, and I think in the near future we’ll see smaller land-based casinos as a result, which only showcase the brand and top games, but eventually lead players to their online and mobile offering.
Can you give us an insight into your new business targets for the next few months?
Here in the US, we think more can be done to provide a better service to the tier 2 operators. Most of these operators aren’t being looked after properly, certainly when you compare the support that UK and European companies of a similar size receive from their suppliers, along with the big players in the industry. We have a great opportunity to showcase how nimble we are as a business and be more attentive to operators in their everyday needs. We look forward to maintaining our momentum and interest generated by attending the recent NIGA Conference and carrying it forward to the upcoming OIGA Conference later this month.
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British Columbia Lottery Corporation
SCCG Management Signs Contract with British Columbia Lottery Corporation
SCCG Management has signed a contract with the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC), the B.C. Crown corporation which conducts and manages commercial gambling in the province, including lotteries, casinos, and online gaming. This partnership aims to undertake a comprehensive assessment and strategic enhancement of BCLC’s diverse operations.
The work between SCCG and BCLC will involve a thorough review of technological infrastructures, strategic market positioning, and the integration of various gaming modalities. SCCG’s extensive expertise will be pivotal in harmonizing BCLC’s online and physical gaming experiences.
Stephen Crystal, Founder and CEO of SCCG Management, said: “Our collaboration with BCLC represents a remarkable opportunity to push the boundaries of innovation within the gaming industry. We are committed to deploying our resources and expertise to enhance BCLC’s operational efficiencies and customer engagement strategies. It’s an honor to partner with an organization that has a robust impact on the community through its support of public initiatives.”
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has mandated all Ontario-registered sportsbook operators to halt offering and accepting wagers on World Boxing Association (WBA) events immediately. This measure is being taken to protect the Ontario betting public following concerns that WBA-sanctioned boxing matches are not adequately being safeguarded against match-fixing and insider betting.
Since December 2023, the AGCO has been conducting a comprehensive review of suspicious wagering activity on a WBA-sanctioned title fight between Yoenis Tellez and Livan Navarro that was held in Orlando, Florida. Suspicious betting patterns on the bout lasting over 5.5 rounds were reported to the AGCO by two registered independent integrity monitors and detected in Ontario by a registered igaming operator. Media reports also alleged that Tellez’s Manager placed $110,000 on the match lasting longer than 5.5 rounds at a Florida casino. The bout ended with Tellez knocking out Navarro in the 10th round.
Following an intensive review that included outreach to the WBA, Ontario-registered gaming operators, independent integrity monitors, and regulators in other jurisdictions, the AGCO has concluded that bets related to WBA events do not currently meet the Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming.
The AGCO requires all Ontario-registered gaming operators to ensure the sport betting products they offer are on events that are effectively supervised by a sport governing body. At a minimum, the sport governing body must have and enforce codes of conduct that prohibit betting by insiders.
Registered gaming operators were unable to demonstrate to the AGCO that the WBA prohibits betting from insiders, which could include an athlete’s coaches, managers, handlers, athletic trainers, medical professionals, or others with access to non-public information. Further, registered gaming operators were unable to demonstrate that the WBA took any action to investigate or enforce the allegations of potential match-fixing and insider wagering.
The AGCO has indicated to registered operators that in order for WBA betting products to be reinstated in Ontario, operators must demonstrate that the WBA effectively supervises its events, thus bringing them into compliance with the Registrar’s Standards. In December 2022, the AGCO required gaming operators to stop offering bets on UFC events for similar issues related to insider betting safeguards. Within a month, UFC amended its policies and implemented new protocols that allowed the AGCO to reinstate betting on UFC events in the province.
“Ontarians who wish to bet on sporting events need to be confident that those events are fairly run, and that clear integrity safeguards are in place and enforced by an effective sport governing body. Knowing the popularity of boxing in Ontario, we look forward to reinstating betting on WBA events once appropriate safeguards against possible match-fixing and insider betting have been confirmed,” Dr. Karin Schnarr, Registrar and CEO of AGCO, said.
Andrew Cochrane Chief Business Officer of GiG
GiG increases Ontario market presence, powering the launch of Casino Time
Gaming Innovation Group Inc. (GiG), has announced the launch of Casino Time, powered by its award winning iGaming platform and pioneering real-time rules engine LogicX, with revolutionary sportsbook, SportX soon to follow, to further extend its footprint in the regulated Canadian province of Ontario.
The launch of Casino Time carries extra significance, marking only the second time that on-demand, regulated online Bingo has been made available in Ontario. The new Bingo product vertical, launched alongside a strong Casino offering, will be boosted by GiG’s new sportsbook, SportX, as part of a planned release later this year.
GiG has focused its solutions on driving exponential growth in revenue for operators with its highly scalable iGaming platform, offering localised third party content and leading suppliers for the Ontarian market. GiGs peerless gamification layer creates an optimised and immersive casino experience tailored to regional preferences, swelling client retention and player engagement.
Canadian owned and operated, Casino Time is a joint venture amongst leading retail operators in Ontario’s Charitable Gaming sector, delivering Bingo, Slots and Live Dealer Casino Games. Promising a personalised service and community experience, Casino Time is continuing its long-standing partnership with local charities, introducing its joint fundraising model into the iGaming space for the first time.
Now coming towards the end of its second year of licensed operations, Ontario has emerged as one of the largest iGaming markets in North America, second only to New Jersey according to data supplied by Vixio. The first and as yet only Canadian province to launch a regulated market, Ontario boasts more than 1.6 million active player accounts spread over 40 plus operators, generating €1.3 billion in Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) in its first year of trading, with this data supplied by iGaming Ontario.
Andrew Cochrane, Chief Business Officer of GiG, said: “GiG continues to set the pace with a strong cadence of brand launches in 2024, and I’m pleased that when operators are seeking platform solutions in regulated markets, GiG is leading the pack. Our partnership with Casino Time, will help deliver something new and exciting to the Ontarian market, and further helps to demonstrate the flexibility of our solutions, adapting to match the regional aspirations of our partners to deliver growth.”
D’Arcy Stuart, CEO of Casino Time, said: “We are thrilled to partner with GiG as the core technology provider of our iGaming platform. Their powerful suite of player engagement tools, as well as diverse content and regulatory integrations, underpin our ability to serve and delight our player community. Our hybrid online and offline customer network, as well as unique bingo offerings, will drive exciting opportunities as the platform and the marketplace continues to grow.”
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