Canada
What the iGaming industry in the US can learn from the UK
There can be no doubt that the iGaming market in the US represents an increasingly lucrative sector, and one that was worth an estimated $1.978 billion at the end of 2020.
What’s more, this is projected to grow at a CAGR of 17.32% between 2021 and 2026, as the sports betting market continues to boom, and more states consider legalising online casino gameplay.
However, this market continues to face significant regulatory and legislative challenges, while it also lacks the maturity of its contemporaries in the west. But what lesson can it learn from the UK?
The Importance of Regulating Advertising
Through 2021, the UK Gambling Commission has made the safeguarding of vulnerable players its core strategic objective, and this has resulted in a number of regulatory measures and recommendations in Europe’s largest market.
Interestingly, this has also compelled individual operators to take proactive steps in this regard, with a number of UK brands agreeing to a blanket, “whistle-whistle” advertising ban across all pre-watershed broadcasts in 2019.
This trend is commonplace throughout Europe, with Italy having banned all gambling advertising back in 2019 and the Spanish authorities unveiling new restrictions aimed at barring operators’ brands from appearing on football team’s shirts going forward.
Such measures should definitely pique the interest of US operators, especially as the nation’s iGaming market continues to grow at a rapid and exponential rate nationwide.
We will touch more on the concept of responsible gambling below, but there’s no doubt that this will become increasingly prevalent as a growing number of citizens are afforded access to sports betting markets and virtual casino verticals.
With this in mind, proactive US operators have a chance to steal a march on their rivals and become ambassadors for responsible gambling in the region, by creating a more considered approach to advertising (especially on mass channels like TV) and being particularly careful about the precise demographics that they target.
Not only could this be crucial to the long-term function and profitability of the marketplace, but it could help operators to avoid the type of backlash that has been in the UK sector over the course of the last three years or so.
Make Responsible Gambling a Key Watchword
Of course, advertising represents just a single element of the responsible gambling landscape and developing a sensible marketing approach means little if this isn’t followed up in other disciplines throughout the business.
So, we would argue that operators and regulators in the US should proactively make responsible gambling a key watchword across the board, with this providing a broad framework in which they build their platforms and commercial offerings.
This is definitely the case in the UK, where operators almost compete to offer the best and most comprehensive responsible gambling tools to help vulnerable players. These are becoming increasingly tech led too, with the resources made available by the William brand Mr. Green best representing this evolution.
For example, this platform has introduced a relatively high-tech system that enables players to analyse their own gambling behaviour and wagering decisions in detail, while measuring this against the site’s own perception of how they play.
Through the use of complicated algorithms, you subsequently gain access to bespoke dataset and are alerted to potentially problematic behaviour ahead of time.
There’s clearly a demand for this type of technology in the burgeoning US market, which is why we’re seeing so many domestic operators merge and collaborate with UK brands. This is definitely fulfilling a gap in the market, while helping to protect players and deliver a responsible gambling experience for all.
Understanding the Role of Comparison Sites
In order to help players identify the best and most reputable iGaming brands, the UK has seen a number of independent comparison sites spring up in recent times.
The established Mybettingsite.uk is one of the best examples of this, as the site provides a comprehensive list of UK casino brands that are ranked according to a diverse range of factors.
These include everything from an operator’s live welcome bonus and licensing information to their approach to responsible gambling, while you can also access authentic user reviews on the same site.
This type of resource helps to create a sense of trust between players and individual casino brands, while enabling customers to make informed decisions about the brands that they partner with.
It should therefore be welcomed by operators, particularly in the online casino niche which is considerably less popular than sports betting stateside.
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Bally Bet Sportsbook & Casino app
Bally’s Interactive Launches the New Bally Bet Sportsbook & Casino App in Ontario
Bally’s Interactive, the digital and sports betting division of Bally’s Corporation, has launched the all-new Bally Bet Sportsbook & Casino app in Ontario, Canada. This latest release marks another significant milestone for the company, following the recent app update in New Jersey and a series of successful app launches in the past year, including the introduction of Bally Bet Sportsbook across multiple states and Bally Casino in Rhode Island.
The updated Bally Bet Sportsbook & Casino app represents a major step forward, as it combines the functionalities of the existing Bally Casino app and Bally Bet Sportsbook app into one comprehensive platform. Powered by White Hat Gaming, this new app allows players residing in or traveling to Ontario to conveniently place wagers on both sports and casino games using a single app, account, and universal wallet.
“We are thrilled to introduce the new Bally Bet Sportsbook & Casino app, marking a significant milestone for Bally’s. This integrated platform merges the features of our previous apps, providing players in Ontario with a seamless experience for both sports and casino betting. Our commitment to enhancing the player experience remains at the forefront as we strive to personalize the enjoyment of playing Bally Bet,” said Robeson Reeves, CEO of Bally’s Corporation.
BCLC reminds adults to gift responsibly this holiday season
With the holiday season in full swing, BCLC is reminding British Columbians to gift responsibly and scratch lottery products from their shopping lists for kids.
“Scratch & Win tickets can make great stocking stuffers for the adults in your life, but they’re not for kids,” said Ryan McCarthy, BCLC’s Director of Player Health. “The research shows that children who have early encounters with gambling are four times more likely to develop riskier gambling behaviour as they grow up. While people are out shopping for those last-minute gifts, BCLC wants adults to be aware of the potential risks associated with gifting lottery products to children and to consider safer alternatives.”
While Scratch & Win tickets are among the most common ways kids can be introduced to gambling, children are increasingly exposed to various online forms, such as gambling streams.
“With the convergence of gaming and gambling, youth are becoming more exposed to gambling content in online spaces like streaming sites, where creators are able to live-stream their own gambling, usually while playing online slots and instant games,” said Dr. Luke Clark, Director for Gambling Research at UBC. “Our research at the UBC Centre for Gambling shows that a higher frequency of watching online gambling streams is associated with a more positive attitude towards gambling and a high intention to gamble in the future.”
In B.C., it is illegal to sell lottery products to anyone under the age of 19 and BCLC encourages adults to have conversations with the kids in their lives about the risks associated with gambling.
“Open and honest conversations are crucial when it comes to navigating childhood exposure to gambling,” said McCarthy, who shared the following tips to adults:
- Monitor for gambling-related lifestyle changes. For example, developing a positive attitude towards gambling or a preoccupation with video games or streaming sites.
- Be a positive role model. Exhibit safer gambling behaviour and talk about the risks.
- Limit exposure. Monitor kids’ online activities and discourage engagement with gambling content. Explain how gambling is based on chance.
Jackpot Digital Inc., a leading provider of innovative dealerless electronic poker gaming solutions, has announced that the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has approved the Company to be licensed as a registered Gaming Related-Supplier (the “Supplier License”) under the Gaming Control Act in the Province of Ontario.
This significant achievement allows Jackpot Digital to enter one of the most dynamic and rapidly growing regulated gaming markets in North America. The Supplier License authorizes Jackpot Digital to supply its electronic table games to Ontario’s gaming venues, including casinos and other regulated gaming facilities.
Jackpot Digital’s flagship product, the Jackpot Blitz electronic table game system, offers a modern, dealerless, player-friendly solution that integrates traditional multiplayer poker games with cutting-edge digital technology. The Supplier License will enable the Company to offer its innovative gaming solutions to operators throughout Ontario, driving new revenue opportunities and enhancing player experiences.
“Receiving AGCO’s approval is a major milestone. This approval provides us with the opportunity to offer our top-tier electronic gaming systems to operators throughout all of Ontario, positioning us for further growth in one of the world’s most robust gaming markets. We are excited to bring our innovative products to Ontario’s gaming community and continue our commitment to providing exciting, technology-driven entertainment experiences,” said Jake Kalpakian, CEO of Jackpot Digital.
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