Canada
NCAA and EPIC Provide Sports Gambling Harm Prevention Education to Over 10,000 Student-Athletes
As sports wagering expands across the US, the NCAA national office has continued to work to protect both the well-being of student-athletes and the integrity of competition. Since the U.S. Supreme Court declared the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act unconstitutional in 2018, the NCAA has focused on increasing educational efforts surrounding sports wagering integrity.
As part of the sports wagering educational strategy, the NCAA engaged EPIC Risk Management to provide a comprehensive and customized sports wagering gambling harm prevention program. Since the first full year of the program in 2022, over 10,000 student-athletes and administrators have attended in-person programming offered free to the membership.
The most recent NCAA Social Series welcomed Paul Buck, CEO of EPIC Risk Management, and Trever Wright, associate director of athletics for Cincinnati, to talk about the importance of the program.
“We specialize in the prevention of gambling related harm. For us, working with the college athletes is a really important program because we know that athletes are four times more likely to suffer from gambling related harm than the general population for a number of different reasons,” Buck said.
As part of the program, the in-person campus sessions focus on sports wagering awareness, protecting the integrity of competitions, gambling addiction and harm, and student-athlete well-being.
“It’s really important that during these educational sessions, we make them aware of what the potential dangers are. We make sure they understand the importance of talking to the support they’ve got around them and just make sure that this doesn’t become a problem that ever affects their current life or their future career, either in the game or elsewhere,” Buck said.
With 33 states plus the District of Columbia accepting wagers on athletics competitions and 11 additional jurisdictions either considering or having already legalized sports wagering that is not yet operational, many student-athletes are surrounded by peers who wager on sports.
“What we are really trying to educate with our student-athletes is that there are a lot of things that are permissible for the general public that just aren’t for you, and it’s the same for the coaches and the administrators. We really try to focus on that aspect while really tying in our psychologists and mental health because one unique aspect of this is that when it (sports wagering) used to be illegal, they (student-athletes) didn’t really have any students or peers saying, ‘Hey, you cost me $200.’ Now with it being legal in the state of Ohio, you could face that within your own class, let alone social media,” Wright said.
Mixing gambling addiction education with real life stories from EPIC’s presenters, the sessions have been helpful for Cincinnati’s student-athletes, according to Wright.
“Our athletes really benefit from real-world experience. Having somebody sit in front of them and speak of gambling addiction, what it looked like, how they went through it, how it affected his life, really was impactful, so much so that we’re having them (EPIC) back for another session,” Wright said.
If a student-athlete or someone they know does have a problem with sports wagering, Buck said it is important to reach out to somebody about it.
“If you do have a problem, talk. It’s one of the most stigmatized and silent addictions that there are, so if somebody is suffering a problem, we need to get the environment and ethos that it’s OK for that player or that staff member to come forward and talk about it because the real problems come with this if somebody bottles it up, doesn’t talk about it, doesn’t feel like they can talk about it and suddenly something happens like a suicide or mental health problems or certainly career over or that sort of thing,” he said.
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Maverick Games has launched sports betting operations in Ontario, through a partnership with Delasport.
Maverick Games will offer Ontarian players a premium sports betting experience, built on Delasport’s superior technology and known for its unique innovative features that players love including personalization, recommendations, gamification, quick bets, player engagement features, and more.
Maverick Games is the second brand to launch on Delasport’s technology in Ontario, with another full turnkey brand set to go live soon. Delasport also recently unveiled its innovative sports betting jackpot network game, SuperPot. The company will showcase this unique product at the Canadian Gaming Summit next month and begin rolling it out to Ontarian operators shortly thereafter.
“We are proud to see Maverick Games live and thriving with our one of a kind sportsbook solution at its core. They have been a fantastic partner from the start, and this launch further demonstrates how fast and efficient our technology is when paired with a clear vision and strong collaboration,” said Rosaire Galea Cavallaro, VP of Business Development at Delasport.
“Maverick Games’s sports vertical is a major step forward for us and launching it with Delasport has been the right move from day one. The platform’s performance and flexibility allow us to deliver the kind of user experience we believe Ontario players deserve. We’re excited to now bring that vision to life,” CEO Matt Rathbun said.
The post Maverick Games Launches Sports Betting Operations in Ontario appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Tsleil-Waututh Nation (TWN) announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding to acquire the casino business and related real property interests at Hastings Racecourse & Casino (Hastings) in the City of Vancouver from Great Canadian Gaming Corporation (Great Canadian Entertainment).
“We are thrilled to take another important step towards economic self-determination for our Nation in our traditional territory, and we are eager to work with the senior management team at Great Canadian Entertainment to finalize due diligence and execute a definitive agreement, as well as working with the City of Vancouver to ensure the best long-term use of this important asset within the City. We believe that this opportunity is historic for us in many ways, and we look forward to entering the gaming industry in due course,” said Jen Thomas, Chief of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation.
“We are excited about working with TWN on their potential acquisition of the casino operations and related real property interests at Hastings Racecourse & Casino. Recognizing that Hastings is part of the TWN’s traditional territory, we can think of no better entity to inherit this asset, and we look forward to supporting them in the transition after the anticipated close of the sale,” Matt Anfinson, Chief Executive Officer of Great Canadian Entertainment.
The agreement is subject to further due diligence, finalization of financial terms and the execution of a definitive purchase and sale agreement. Once a definitive agreement has been executed by the parties, it is anticipated that the transaction will be subject to customary closing conditions as well as customary approvals by gaming regulatory and other authorities, including certain approvals by the City of Vancouver given its ownership of the real property. It is expected that Great Canadian Entertainment will provide transition services to TWN for a period of time following the anticipated closing.
The post Tsleil-Waututh Nation Signs MoU to Acquire Casino Business at Hastings Racecourse & Casino appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
High Roller Technologies, operator of the premium online casino brands High Roller and Fruta, announced the submission of its Internet Gaming Operator license application in Ontario, Canada, targeting the launch of its flagship brand HighRoller.com in the second half of 2025.
“The submission of our licensing application to access Ontario’s regulated online gambling market is an important milestone in our Company’s journey. Once our application is approved, we anticipate that we will have the opportunity to launch our online casino product into the market later this year,” said Ben Clemes, Chief Executive Officer at High Roller.
Ontario is one of the largest regulated online gambling markets in the world as measured by gross gaming revenue. In 2024, regulated online gambling operators within the province generated approximately $2.3B in gross gaming revenue, and growth continues to be recorded in the first half of 2025. Recently, the province of Alberta passed enabling legislation to establish a regulatory framework for online gambling. Once available, the Company also intends to pursue licensure in Alberta to expand its regulated market footprint in Canada.
“Ontario is missing an elegant brand like High Roller. We’re excited to roll out the red carpet for our new customers, and we’re looking forward to showcasing our tremendous product,” said Clemes.
The post High Roller Submits Gaming License Application in Ontario appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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