Canada
The US continues to sweeten the pot

Dmitry Starostenkov, CEO at EvenBet Gaming examines online poker’s prospects stateside
The US has always been associated with manifest destiny, embarking on new regions and making the most of what is there. It seems fitting then that legalised online poker is finding its way across the country, adjusting to different forms of regulation in various states.
Poker is deeply entrenched within American culture, being as symbolic to the country as Mah-jong is for China or Rummy in India. Even so, the US has been without any legitimate means to enjoy the game online for 10 years and there is a real hunger for it now. Despite all this, the estimated number of Americans regularly playing poker in all its forms still reaches 10 million.
As different states become regulated in one guise or another, the game is finally beginning to find its place on people’s computer and smartphone screens. New Jersey, Nevada and Delaware are the most obvious states for an operator to approach from a regulatory point of view. There is also West Virginia, Michigan and Pennsylvania, which are regulating online poker and are likely to join the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement.
Unfortunately, high liquidity is always crucial for the game to be interesting for players and with such prohibitive legislation in the majority of states, the game is not going to be as strong as it could be. This is possibly the biggest obstacle operators will face. However, even in these circumstances major operators like PokerStars are already able to get as much as 500 daily active players in one state, and this number is extremely promising.
That being said, differentiation can always help in standing out from the crowd and that is more important than ever when competing against the industry’s big brands. With poker being synonymous with US gambling, differentiating an offering should not be too great of a challenge. Building a strong and reputable offering, including a balanced tournament schedule are key factors for acquiring players and keeping them engaged.
Obviously, many of these issues could be solved with national gambling regulation, but that is unlikely to be a possibility, certainly not in the next two or three years. In fact, the US is so diverse with respect to state legislation that a national gambling regulation of any kind may simply not be feasible on any timeline.
The current federal government policy is to keep online gaming regulation at the states’ level, so the best outcome we can hope for now is that more states will introduce poker regulation and join the multi-state agreement. However, operators should keep in mind that they will still need to go through licensing in each state separately.
These issues pale in comparison to the sheer potential of the states, however. There is not a country in the world that can compete with the US for the technological infrastructure needed to roll out online poker at scale. The vast majority of US citizens own some form of smartphone. As well as that, for various reasons, desktop gaming is still hugely appealing to customers in the states. As a result of this, I expect that the mobile share will grow, but at a much slower pace than in Asia or South America.
Of course, all this development is promising, but player safety still needs to be a priority. With the current compliance and regulation policies, poker customers in the US are going to be well protected if they play at the legal operators’ websites. The main risk factor that we can foresee is the growth of scam websites passing themselves off as licensed operators. As online gaming gains momentum, monitoring all such activity becomes far more difficult, so players should be careful.
Responsibly enjoying poker, whether offline or online, has always been a special pastime in the US. That explains the initial online poker boom that started in the US and why operators flourish in every state where online poker becomes regulated. Without wanting to sound too optimistic, I hope to see this happening a lot more.
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Canada
Bragg Gaming Group Enteres into New Financing Agreement with Bank of Montreal

Bragg Gaming Group, a leading global B2B iGaming content and technology provider, announced it has entered into a new financing agreement with the Bank of Montreal (BMO), a leading North American financial institution, pursuant to which BMO has made available to the Company certain credit facilities in a maximum aggregate amount of up to US$6.0 million to support its ongoing working capital and general corporate requirements (the BMO Facilities).
In connection with the closing of the BMO Facilities, Bragg has successfully repaid in full the outstanding promissory note with entities controlled by Doug Fallon (the Prior Note Indebtedness). The new BMO Facilities replace the Prior Note Indebtedness, signalling a significant step in the Company’s financial strategy to partner with a major commercial bank to support its growth.
“We are very pleased to establish this new relationship with the Bank of Montreal, a recognized leader in financial services. This new credit facility strengthens our balance sheet and provides us with a flexible capital structure to execute our strategic plan. The ability to secure financing from a major North American bank underscores the confidence in our business and our long-term growth prospects. We look forward to a long and successful partnership with BMO,” said Robbie Bressler, CFO of Bragg Gaming Group.
The BMO Facilities are secured by, amongst other things, a first-ranking security interest over all of the assets of the Company and certain of its key operating subsidiaries, and are uncommitted and are repayable upon the earlier of (i) demand by BMO, (ii) the occurrence of certain insolvency events, and (iii) on the one-year anniversary of the closing date, unless a one-year extension is granted at BMO’s discretion.
The agreement includes customary legal and financial covenants, including a requirement for the Company to maintain a Total Funded Debt to EBITDA ratio not exceeding 2.50:1.00, and a Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio of not less than 1.25:1.00. These financial covenants are to be tested on a consolidated basis at the end of each fiscal quarter.
The Company currently expects to draw on the BMO Facilities in Canadian dollars, which would result in estimated borrowing costs of 6.9%–7.9% for Prime-based loans or 5.9%–6.9% for CORRA-based loans, depending on the period of the draw and the Company’s leverage ratio. Standby fees on the unused portion of the revolving facility will range from 0.75% to 1.75% per annum, depending on leverage.
Management believes that based on the terms of the BMO Facilities, the Company’s borrowing costs on an annualized basis will be less than half of its Prior Note Debt.
Matevž Mazij, CEO of Bragg Gaming Group, said: “Securing this BMO facility represents a critical milestone in our strategic plan to strengthen Bragg’s financial foundation and accelerate value creation for our shareholders. With our cybersecurity incident contained and our borrowing costs cut by more than half, we are laser-focused on executing our strategic shift toward higher-quality earnings. The Company is prioritizing margin and cash generation over lower-margin revenue, and synergies realized post-quarter end to become a leaner operation. We’ve already realized EUR 2 million in annualized synergies and are on track to achieve our 20% Adjusted EBITDA margin target for the second half of 2025.
“Our recent leadership additions in AI and innovation, combined with our expanding partnerships with operators like Fanatics and Hard Rock Digital, position us to pursue highly accretive growth opportunities methodically. The Company remains focused on growing the business in a sustainable and margin-accretive manner, with strong momentum in the proprietary content and technology pipeline positioning Bragg for long-term profitable growth.
“We understand the importance of delivering results for our shareholders, and our board and management team are fully aligned and committed to executing the strategic initiatives that will drive value. With improved financial flexibility, a strengthened operational foundation, and clear milestones ahead, we believe we have the right strategy and team in place to unlock Bragg’s full potential. We remain committed to maximizing shareholder value as we build sustainable, profitable growth and ensure our strong operational performance translates into appropriate market valuation.”
Cyber Breach Update
The Company has also provided an update on its previously announced cybersecurity incident initially detected on August 16, 2025.
Immediately following detection, Bragg took appropriate steps to mitigate any potential impact of the breach. With the assistance of independent cybersecurity experts, the Company has followed industry best practices and considers that the incident is now resolved.
There continues to be no indication that any personal information was affected and the breach has had no impact on the ability of the Company to continue its operations. Bragg has also provided assurances to its customers regarding the security of its game titles. The Company has experienced no negative impact on its revenue or profitability and does not expect that the cost of responding to the incident will have a material financial impact on the Company.
The Company has already applied knowledge gathered from the investigation of the event to enhance its cyber security defenses.
The post Bragg Gaming Group Enteres into New Financing Agreement with Bank of Montreal appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Betty
Thunderkick commits to growth in Ontario with Betty partnership

Independent slots studio Thunderkick has agreed a deal with Ontario-based operator Betty to supply the rapidly growing online casino with a diverse collection of globally popular titles.
Betty, an official partner of sporting franchises Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors, has risen to prominence since its 2022 establishment, when it was built following the consultation of 300 casino players to create the optimal iGaming environment.
Distinguishing itself from North American competitors by catering specifically to slot enthusiasts rather than sports bettors, the operator has curated a portfolio of 2,800 games, hand-picked to deliver customers maximum entertainment value.
Thunderkick’s content is the latest to be integrated into Betty’s online casino, and the agreement will see a selection of its most popular titles, including The Wildos 2, Midas Golden Touch 3, and Esqueleto Explosivo 3, made available to a greater number of Ontarian players.
Thunderkick marked its debut in the Canadian province in Q2 of 2024, and has since partnered with a network of leading operators to improve its market position. The collaboration with Betty will further amplify its visibility in a key jurisdiction as the provider looks to reinforce its reputation as a global slot developer.
Svante Sahlström, CCO at Thunderkick, said: “It’s our mission at Thunderkick to go deeper, not wider, in 2025. That means forging meaningful, lasting relationships in target markets as opposed to securing as many commercial deals as possible.
“Since entering Ontario over 12 months ago, we have worked tirelessly to enhance our presence in the province, and working with leading brands such as Betty allows us to bring our unique games to a deeper pool of Canadian players.”
Paraskeva Smirnova, Casino Operations Manager at Betty, added: “Betty’s USP has always been our drive to build a slot portfolio with the very best titles from the industry’s most creative suppliers.
“Thunderkick’s passion for slot development is there for all to see, and the introduction of its games to our casino further elevates the consumer experience.”
The post Thunderkick commits to growth in Ontario with Betty partnership appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
BCLC
Save the Date: BCLC’s New Horizons in Safer Gambling Conference Returns November 2026

BCLC is pleased to announce the return of the New Horizons in Safer Gambling Conference, taking place November 2–4, 2026, at the JW Marriott Parq Vancouver.
This global event brings leading voices in research, policy and industry together to explore innovative approaches to safer gambling. Attendees can expect two days of forward-thinking dialogue, evidence-based insights and collaborative solutions to help shape the future of player health.
Sponsorship Opportunities Now Available
New to the 2026 conference, BCLC is excited to offer sponsorship opportunities to organizations that share BCLC’s passion for safer gambling. Benefits of sponsoring New Horizons 2026 include industry visibility, leadership recognition and meaningful engagement with a global audience. To learn more about sponsorship, please e-mail [email protected].
Registration and program details will be released later this fall.
The post Save the Date: BCLC’s New Horizons in Safer Gambling Conference Returns November 2026 appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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