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Canada

Exclusive Q&A w/ Julian Borg-Barthet, Chief Commercial Officer at Lady Luck Games

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You recently made your LatAm debut in Mexico with operator LoGrand Entertainment. What makes Mexico the ideal market for your suite of slot games?

Mexico is a thriving online casino market where regulations are stringent when it comes to player protection while still ensuring it is commercially viable for operators and game studios. There is a strong appetite for engaging and entertaining online casino and slot content among a wide range of player audiences, and, as a studio with bold and ambitious plans for the wider LatAm market, we wanted to be among the first to deploy games in Mexico. Our partnership with LoGrand Entertainment is a testament to the quality of our slots with the operator sharing our belief and confidence that they will hit the mark with players. We are also soon live with Cbet – another tier-one LatAm operator – and the feedback we have received from both operators and their players has been incredible. Titles such as Weight of the Gun, Mr. Alchemister, and Ruler of Egypt have quickly risen to the top of the charts – so too have those that use our innovative pipe mechanic. These are unique, one-reel slots that have really taken the market by storm.

We see Mexico very much as the foundation for building our presence across Latin America and we will continue to enter additional markets as regulations allow. Across the continent, online gambling is growing at a rapid rate – in 2021 alone, revenues increased by $7.2bn with no signs of this slowing down as more countries embrace regulation and licensing, allowing operators and studios such as Lady Luck Games to address more of the 400 million people that live in Latin America.

What are players in Mexico and more broadly across LatAm looking for in an online slot? Does this differ from other global markets? If so, how?

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The Mexican market is broken down as follows – 60% is sports betting and 40% is online casino games such as slots, blackjack, poker, and lottery. Lady Luck Games is focused entirely on the casino vertical and is on a mission to bring top-quality content to players in markets across Latin America. This is already a highly competitive market and the quality of the experience offered by operators will ultimately determine the level of success they achieve. Player expectations are high, and they absolutely must be met and where possible, exceeded. An online casino lives or dies based on the games offered to players, and we want our operator partners to be able to provide a lobby of slots that players keep coming back to. To date, we have launched slots from our international portfolio that we believe offer what players are looking for, but we are now gathering data and feedback which will be used to develop games specifically for the market, allowing operators to truly localise their slot portfolios. In Mexico, this means exploring games around themes such as Inca, Dia de Los Muertos, and Piñatas.

Can you tell us more about your plans for Latin America? What makes it such an attractive market for Lady Luck?

We are keeping a very close eye on how regulations progress in various countries across the region and are always considering the best opportunities for Lady Luck Games to explore. Colombia is certainly on the agenda as well as countries that have regulated or are regulating online gambling. Markets that have gone down this path such as Buenos Aires (Argentina) are seeing significant yet stable growth and this really should make other jurisdictions sit up and take note. All eyes are currently on Brazil – the sleeping giant of Latin America – as legislation getting over the line here would be a game changer. Retail gambling is prohibited but online gambling is grey and some brands are actively targeting the market and building sizable player bases that they will be able to really maximise as and when enabling law is passed. As for Lady Luck, we plan to be in all regulated online casino markets that are commercially viable.

Where is the opportunity greater – North or South America? Why?

This is a really interesting question. If you just look at the size of the addressable market and the predicted GGR from each, North America has the edge. But when you factor in things like licensing, the need to secure market access partnerships and the incredibly high cost of marketing and brand-building, then the scales could tip in the other direction. Either way, it’s safe to say that both markets provide tremendous opportunities for operators and game developers to explore and that’s exactly what we are doing in both North and South America.

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How is your licence application in Ontario progressing? What impact will your games have on the market?

We took the decision to postpone our application for an Ontario licence due to our acquisition of ReelRNG and the launch of our new remote game server, StormRGS. Now that this is live, we plan to pick up our Ontario licence application once again this year. We have already received strong feedback from Ontario operators when we presented at CGA last year, so we are determined to make our full suite of games available to all operators targeting the market as soon as possible and to see how players respond to our striking animations, powerful sound, big bonuses, and action-packed gameplay.

Do you have any plans to make a move in the US? Which states in particular are on your radar?

We are keen to make a move in key US online casino states such as New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Michigan, and these markets are firmly on our roadmap. That said, I doubt we will secure licences and go live in these states this year as we are prioritising Latin America for now while also focusing on the launch of our new state-of-the-art platform for European operators.

What can European developers bring to the table in these markets?

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Online casino is incredibly advanced in most European markets. The studios that have focused on Europe are at the cutting edge of online slot development and are the ones bringing innovations and new concepts to players for the first time. It’s still early days for US studios and many are still concentrating on an omnichannel approach by getting back Casino titles online, while European developers are pushing boundaries and creating the next generation of mobile-first casino content. It won’t be long before players in North and South America seek out games that develop these , never seen before experiences, and that will see them fire up the reels on titles created by European studios such as Lady Luck.

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Canada

Soft2Bet granted Ontario Certification of Registration and readies for imminent launch

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Ontario Certificate is hugely promising as Soft2Bet continues its regulatory expansion

Soft2Bet, a leading provider of online betting and gaming solutions to regulated operators worldwide, is delighted to announce that it has been granted a Certificate of Registration in Ontario, Canada’s largest province, moving it one step closer to being able to launch its Tooniebet.com iGaming brand.

Obtaining its Certificate of Registration (Nbr: OPIG1280338) from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) will enable Soft2Bet to continue its expansion into the world’s largest regulated jurisdictions.

Ontario has been a major success story for regulated online sports betting and casino in North America in the past two years. The province launched its regulations in April 2022 and latest figures for the fourth quarter of 2023 showed that operators recorded a 21% rise in wagers to CA$17.2bn and a 22% increase in gross gaming revenues to CA$658m, the highest ever revenue total in Ontario’s wagering history. Online casino was the main driver of this growth and generated CA$13.7bn of the total stakes and CA$471m in GGR.

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Elisabeth Isaksson, Head of Regulatory Compliance at Soft2Bet, commented: “Being registered with the AGCO in Ontario is testament to the work our compliance and regulatory teams are doing daily to enable our continued expansion in the world’s largest regulated markets. We’re immensely excited about taking our first steps in North America and look forward to licensing and launching in more jurisdictions in the region.”

Chief Business Development Officer Martin Collins added: “This Ontario certification is another significant and important step in our corporate expansion plans. It fits perfectly with our stated aim of growing our regulatory footprint and we very much look forward to continuing forward on this path.”

Soft2Bet is also actively working to obtain a licence in New Jersey and continue its expansion in the Americas. This activity comes after the group obtained B2C licences in Italy, Greece and Romania in 2023.

 

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Hacksaw Gaming and DraftKings Score Again in Ontario

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2023 saw Hacksaw Gaming go live in West Virginia and New Jersey and now we have made our long-awaited entry in Ontario, Canada. Securing this trio has hit new heights and hopes for further successes throughout the rest of this year.

DraftKings Casino entered the iGaming market in Ontario in May of 2022 and partnered with Hacksaw Gaming in the back end of the same year. As Ontario’s regulated iGaming market only went live in April of 2022, the pair have given an outstanding performance with effective launch strategies and expansive footing in North America.

Apart from gaining an unprecedented reach across regulated markets, the mobile-friendly format of Hacksaw Gaming games can be visited on phone or tablet via the DraftKings Casino app. Boasting an impressive online casino’s selection of over 300 games, DraftKings now welcomes Hacksaw Gaming favourites such as Chaos Crew, Mines, Omnom and Boxes.

“The benchmarks we have set as a partnership are remarkable and we are ready to take on more challenges continuing into 2024,” the Chief Executive Officer for Hacksaw Gaming, Marcus Cordes, said.

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BetVictor

Exploring Canada’s video Game Market: Survey Insights

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Technology has become a great source of entertainment to many. Video games particularly have garnered interest from all demographics. In Canada, the gaming industry has experienced significant growth, fuelled by increased accessibility to gaming platforms and the growth of online gaming communities.

Statistics indicate that a large percentage of Canadians are engaged in gaming activities, whether it be playing console or PC games, mobile games, or online multiplayer games. The popularity of video games extends beyond leisure pastimes, with many Canadians participating in gaming competitions, attending gaming conventions, and consuming gaming-related content on platforms like Twitch and YouTube.

The number of video game users in Canada reflects how broad the sector is, from mobile games to digital video games, download games and live streaming. In 2024, the gaming sector will see millions of users in each of these categories. Statista projects 13.38 million users for digital video games and 7.35 million users for online games respectively. It estimates that revenue in the Canadian video game market is expected to reach US$3,925.00m in 2024, so it is no surprise to observe the increasing popularity of the sector.

Well-known online casino provider BetVictor has compiled some key points from major surveys detailing the video game market to give further insight into its makeup and potential. The gaming culture in Canada is growing, which means the type of games and genres will grow along with the sector. Statista recently conducted a survey of 1 576 respondents aged 18 – 64 who are avid video game players, with telling results. ​​In December 2023, a survey about preferred video game genres in Canada revealed the top four genres as being Action, Action – adventure, Adventure and casual games accounting for 31% of respondents’ preferences.

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David Winter, Marketing Manager at BetVictor notes that “We’ve seen a steady increase in the popularity of action-themed and adventure-themed slots and many providers are exploring how to expand further into this market.”

The popularity of Action games such as platform and fighting games can be attributed to various factors, such as: social interaction, accessibility and inclusivity, social appeal, and cultural influence. With such a diverse audience, all these factors are crucial to understand the appeal of Action games.

In the digital age, gaming has transcended mere entertainment to become a cornerstone of culture, and nowhere is this more evident than in Canada. From coast to coast, a diverse community of gamers is thriving, reflecting the country’s inclusive spirit and passion for technology. Whether it’s the casual gamer enjoying a quick session on their smartphone or the dedicated enthusiast meticulously building a custom gaming PC, Canada offers a welcome haven for all kinds of gamers.

Diving deeper into the Statista results, Strategy games accounted for 29%. This shows us that players have a strong interest in tactical and decision-making games. While role-playing (RPG) and sports games garnered 22% each, simulation and shooters trailed slightly behind at 21% and 20% respectively.

MMO (massively multiplayer online games), as well as MMORPGs (massively multiplayer online role-playing games) and MOBA (multi online battle arenas) came in at 13% and 8% respectively, representing a significant but niche following. With such a diverse array of preferences, the survey underscores the multifaceted nature of interests among Canadian gamers. It highlights the need for game developers to cater for a wide range of genres and gameplaying styles in the Canadian market.

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From action shooter games to role-playing adventures, the industry has something for every gaming enthusiast in the Canadian market. Overall, the popularity of video games in Canada reflects a growing cultural phenomenon, where gaming has become a mainstream form of entertainment and a significant aspect of modern-day leisure activities.

Statistics anticipate a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.10% for 2022-2027, resulting in a projected market volume of US$24.52bn by 2027. Canada’s online gaming market is experiencing a surge in popularity, with a surging number of Canadian players engaging in immersive virtual reality experiences.

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