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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Wazdan, the top developer focused on gaming, has initiated its collaboration with Green Brick Labs (GBL) following the launch of several of its titles with Maverick Games, the well-known operator based in Ontario.
The agreement entails an initial selection of Wazdan’s best-performing titles being launched with Maverick Games through an integration from GBL’s seamless aggregation platform, featuring Mighty Fish
: Blue Marlin, 36 Coins, Mighty Wild: Panther Grand Diamond Edition, and Mighty Wild: Gorilla.
After Wazdan’s recently disclosed alliance with GBL, the quickly developing North American platform provider, the partnership has now made significant progress by launching with Maverick Games, featuring its extensive slot collection and sportsbook services.
Wazdan’s captivating games and interaction-enhancing features, such as Cash to Infinity, Sticky to Infinity, and the Hold the Jackpot bonus game, are poised to enhance Maverick Games’ collection as it aims for greater growth across North America.
Wazdan’s newest collaboration highlights the studio’s goal to further establish itself in regulated iGaming markets globally, offering players cutting-edge slot experiences.
Magdalena Wojdyla, Head of Account Management at Wazdan, said: “Going live with Maverick Games through our partnership with GBL marks an exciting moment for Wazdan in Ontario.
“Our innovative titles and engagement-boosting features are designed to deliver memorable experiences for players, and we are confident this collaboration will help Maverick Games strengthen its position in one of North America’s most dynamic markets.”
James Gummerson, UX/UI and Product Manager at Green Brick Labs, said: “We are thrilled to launch our collaboration with Wazdan.
“Our mission is to connect operators with world-class content quickly and seamlessly, and this launch demonstrates how our technology helps accelerate growth for both suppliers and operators in North American markets.”
The post Wazdan taps Green Brick Labs partnership via Maverick Games to strengthen Ontario market appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Wazdan, the leading-gain focused developer, has launched its partnership with Green Brick Labs (GBL) after taking a series of its titles live with Maverick Games, the established Ontario-based operator.
The deal will see an initial pool of Wazdan’s top-performing releases launch with Maverick Games via an integration from GBL’s seamless aggregation platform, including Mighty Fish
: Blue Marlin, 36 Coins, Mighty Wild: Panther Grand Diamond Edition and Mighty Wild: Gorilla.
Following Wazdan’s recently announced partnership with GBL, the rapidly emerging North American platform provider, the collaboration has now taken its first major steps after going live with Maverick Games with its comprehensive slot portfolio and sportsbook offering.
Wazdan’s immersive titles and engagement-boosting mechanics, featuring the likes of Cash to Infinity, Sticky to Infinity and the Hold the Jackpot bonus game, are set to further elevate Maverick Games’ portfolio as it seeks increased expansion throughout North America.
Wazdan’s latest partnership underlines the studio’s ambitions of continuing to gain ground in regulated iGaming territories worldwide, providing players with state-of-the-art slot experiences.
Magdalena Wojdyla, Head of Account Management at Wazdan, said: “Going live with Maverick Games through our partnership with GBL marks an exciting moment for Wazdan in Ontario.
“Our innovative titles and engagement-boosting features are designed to deliver memorable experiences for players, and we are confident this collaboration will help Maverick Games strengthen its position in one of North America’s most dynamic markets.”
James Gummerson, UX/UI and Product Manager at Green Brick Labs, said: “We are thrilled to launch our collaboration with Wazdan.
“Our mission is to connect operators with world-class content quickly and seamlessly, and this launch demonstrates how our technology helps accelerate growth for both suppliers and operators in North American markets.”
The post Wazdan launches Green Brick Labs partnership via Maverick Games to expand Ontario reach appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Caesars Entertainment Windsor Limited
OLG and Caesars Sign Long-term Operating Agreement for Windsor Casino
The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) and Caesars Entertainment Windsor Limited (Caesars) announced that they have entered into a Casino Operating and Services Agreement (COSA) for the Windsor casino.
Under the new, close to 20-year agreement, Caesars continues day-to-day operations of the Windsor casino, ensuring its exciting brand of gaming entertainment remains part of the Windsor skyline.
“This is a great day for OLG, our partners at Caesars and the City of Windsor. The agreement we’ve signed will see our partnership with Caesars continue for many years to come. It’s a partnership that has benefitted the community and local economy in countless ways and we’re thrilled to continue our contribution together,” said OLG’s President and CEO, Duncan Hannay.
The Windsor casino is the final gaming site in Ontario to transition to OLG’s Land-based Gaming modernization model.
In May 2025, Stan Cho, Ontario’s Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming and OLG announced that Caesars had been selected as the operator through a competitive procurement process, with the expected transition to the new agreement with Caesars in early 2026.
“We are proud to continue bringing the iconic Caesars brand to life here in Windsor. For more than three decades, this Resort has been a cornerstone of the region’s tourism economy, and for the past 18 years it has proudly carried the Caesars name. We look forward to building on that legacy by delivering the world‑class hospitality, entertainment, and service our guests expect from Caesars,” said Anthony Carano, President and Chief Operating Officer of Caesars Entertainment.
Under the new agreement, OLG will continue to make Municipality Contribution Agreement (MCA) payments to the City of Windsor. Since 1994, OLG has provided more than $138 million in MCA payments to the city as a gaming host community. Additionally, Caesars must maintain current casino employment levels for a period of no less than 18 months. Unionized employees will be governed by the terms of their collective agreement.
Through its Land-based Gaming modernization, OLG has been transferring day-to-day operations of casinos to private sector service providers who are investing in Ontario communities. To date, OLG’s land-based gaming service providers have invested more than $2.9 billion in communities across the province, which both encourages local economic growth and helps OLG increase its contribution to the Province of Ontario.
OLG promotes safer gambling and empowers players to make informed decisions at every step of their play. PlaySmart provides tools and information that help players stay in control and enjoy games on their terms.
The post OLG and Caesars Sign Long-term Operating Agreement for Windsor Casino appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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