Canada
Finnish Gambling Landscape To Allow Offshore Online Casinos

Despite its small population of 5,6 million and housing only two land-based casinos, Finland is the world’s fifth gambling economy. With the government owned Veikkaus granted the monopoly in Finland, the gaming industry is facing many obstacles as there is only one legal operator available at the moment. As such, many Finnish players have started to embrace foreign based online casinos. At the same time, the EU continues to address the country’s regulators, underlining that the current monopoly is a form of protectionism.
Kasinopartio: The Market Will Be Open in Few Years
Interestingly, Veikkaus reported in its Q3 2022 report that it is no longer able to compete with the growing number of international online casino operators. It now calls for reforms in the gambling landscape, which sees the casino market to open for offshore operators. The Finnish government is therefore expected to come with new regulations for the first time allowing offshore online casino operators to enter the Finnish gambling landscape. For example, a Finnish online casino site Kasinopartio.com is projecting that the opening of the Finnish casino market will be done within the next few years.
2023 Finnish Parliamentary Election
Parliamentary elections will be held in the Scandinavian country on the 2nd of April 2023 to members of parliament for the 2023-2027 term. Reforms of the gambling landscape seem inevitable with most parties in favour of adopting a licence system and thus potential opening of the online casino industry. The Left Alliance is the country’s only party opposing the gambling reforms. According to the preliminary polls, a right-wing government between the National Coalition Party and Finns Party is expected to win the elections. As most of the parties are in favour of the reform, it is not likely that the outcome of the parliamentary elections will affect the adoption of a new gambling law. After the formation of the new government, it will usually takes between 2 and 3 years for the regulation to come into effect. As per Kasinopartio, the regulation has been long waiting, which would mean the new government will tackle it straight after being formed.
Best Practices
With countries such as the UK, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Sweden having adopted and/or reformed their gambling landscapes in recent years, there is enough data that can be used by Finnish industry experts. Finland has announced its willingness to make use of best practices and learn the best lessons in other countries. It is now widely believed that Finland will turn its attention to Sweden and analyse which best practices could be used for the Finnish market. A survey conducted by Finnish opinion poll specialist Bilendi on behalf of the international operator Kasino Curt, has shown that more Finns (31%) support than oppose (27%) the idea of abolishing Finland’s monopoly and adopting a licence system. The interviews were conducted by Bilendi Oy’s nationwide consumer panel in the period from March 20 to 24, 2019. The error margin is set at ±3.1 percentage points.
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Canada
absolutebet Secures AGCO Registration as an Internet Gaming Operator in Ontario

Internet Gaming Operator by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).
This significant milestone authorizes absolutebet to offer regulated iGaming services in Ontario’s legal market under the oversight of AGCO and iGaming Ontario (iGO).
The registration marks a key step in absolutebet’s mission to bring a trusted, responsible, and innovative online casino experience to Ontario players. absolutebet is committed to operating with integrity and transparency, meeting all provincial standards for player protection, responsible gambling, anti-money laundering, and game integrity.
“Securing AGCO registration is more than a milestone—it’s the start of absolutebet’s journey in one of the most exciting regulated markets in the world,” said Chen Truman, Founder of absolutebet. “We are building a brand that will grow with the Ontario community and set the stage for future expansion.”
On the regulatory milestone, Krisztina Kalla, Legal & Regulatory Compliance Advisor of absolutebet, commented: “I’m incredibly proud to see all the hard work behind this license pay off. Securing AGCO registration has taken months of preparation and close collaboration with regulators and partners. I am very happy to see the result of that work, and even more excited as we move into the launch phase and open up the absolutebet community to Ontario players in a fun and responsible way.”
Ontario is recognized as one of the most competitive and fast-growing regulated iGaming markets in North America. With AGCO registration secured, absolutebet will move forward with the final stages of its iGO onboarding process in preparation for launch.
The post absolutebet Secures AGCO Registration as an Internet Gaming Operator in Ontario appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Alex Malchenko Head of Sales at Evoplay
Evoplay strengthens Ontario presence in partnership with Caesars Entertainment

Evoplay, the award-winning game development studio, has partnered with Caesars Entertainment to expand its footprint in the Canadian market, following its initial entry earlier this year. The partnership integrates 20 of the studio’s top-performing titles onto Caesars Palace Online Casino, Horseshoe Online Casino and Caesars Sportsbook & Casino in Ontario, including fan-favourites such as Hot Triple Sevens, Triple Chili, and The Greatest Catch Bonus Buy.
Having announced its official entrance into Ontario in March, the collaboration with Caesars marks a significant step in Evoplay’s local strategy. Further standout releases, such as Inner Fire Bonus Buy and Hot Volcano, also launched as part of the initial package, with additional player favourites, including Fruit Nova and Ice Mania.
The collaboration underlines Evoplay’s commitment to working with leading operators to deliver high-quality content tailored to regional audiences.
Alex Malchenko, Head of Sales at Evoplay, said: “Launching with Caesars in Ontario marks a key milestone in our North American strategy.
“It reflects both the strength of our portfolio and our commitment to providing innovative, high-performing content to operators of the highest caliber.”
Ricardo Cornejo Rivas, Vice President of Online Gaming at Caesars Digital, said: “Evoplay brings a fresh and dynamic approach to online gaming, which we’re excited to offer to our players in Ontario. This portfolio of standout titles adds to our growing content library and furthering our ongoing goal of delivering top-tier entertainment experiences to our players.”
The post Evoplay strengthens Ontario presence in partnership with Caesars Entertainment appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Canada
iGaming Ontario Appoints Joseph Hillier as its New President and CEO

The iGaming Ontario Board of Directors has announced Joseph Hillier as the organization’s new President and Chief Executive Officer, effective September 8, 2025. Joseph’s depth in the Ontario igaming market combined with successful public and private sector careers make him the ideal President and CEO at this critical point in iGaming Ontario’s growth.
Joseph was most recently Chief Strategy Officer and Corporate Secretary at the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), where he delivered significant strategic and regulatory initiatives across the province’s alcohol, cannabis, gaming, and horse racing sectors. Prior to the AGCO, he served as Chief of Staff to Ontario Attorney General Hon. Doug Downey and led the development, launch and implementation of Canada’s first private sector-driven igaming market and the creation of iGaming Ontario. Joseph also spent more than a decade working in the financial and legal services sectors.
The Board expressed its sincere thanks to David Smith for serving as Interim President and Chief Executive Officer since Martha Otton’s retirement.
The post iGaming Ontario Appoints Joseph Hillier as its New President and CEO appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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