Canada
Statement From The Chair Ontario Lottery And Gaming Corporation
“President and CEO to Leave OLG after Five Years”
This is to advise that Stephen Rigby has agreed with the Board of Directors that he will leave the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) after five years at the helm. Stephen will remain at OLG until the Summer when a new CEO is confirmed, working with new leadership to ensure a smooth transition.
The Board of Directors thanks Stephen for his outstanding service as the President and Chief Executive Officer of OLG. During that time, OLG has delivered unprecedented value to the Province. OLG’s returns have grown from $1.7 billion in 2015 to nearly $2.5 billion and are on track to attain over $3.0 billion by 2022-23. This growth reflects a healthy and thriving land-based gaming, lottery and digital business.
In land-based gaming, we implemented one of the largest public-private partnership projects in Canada. Through an open, fair and transparent procurement, four operators have been selected to manage the day-to-day operations of casinos, expend capital, and invest in communities throughout Ontario. Since 2015, four new facilities have opened in Belleville, Peterborough, Chatham, and Sarnia, with construction well underway for new casinos in Pickering and North Bay, as well as the Niagara Falls Entertainment Centre. So far, $600 million has been invested by the private sector in new capital, creating 500 new gaming jobs. By 2023, these investments will grow to $4 billion, creating thousands of new jobs across Ontario.
OLG’s growing returns also reflect a thriving lottery business, with nearly 10,000 points of sale across Ontario lottery retail in support of small business and larger outlets, featuring popular products such as LOTTO MAX. Lottery sales have hit an unprecedented $4 billion under Stephen’s leadership. OLG is now deploying new lottery terminals in each of these locations, marrying state-of-the-art integrity with customer service.
OLG is also making investments in new digital technologies that will transform its online presence, building on PlayOLG which has doubled its customer base in the last 18 months.
While generating more money for the Province to support critical public services, we’ve also served the broader public interest. We invested wisely in our responsible gambling programs which earned global recognition through the World Lottery Association.
At the same time, we’ve put in place historic agreements which fund 1,800 charities province wide, and put horse racing on the path of sustainability, protecting jobs in communities big and small.
As Chair of the Board of Directors, you have my assurance that OLG’s commitment to its business and stakeholder partnerships, and dedication to world-class gaming entertainment is unwavering, today and in the future.
As Chair of the Board, I have launched a process to identify a successor to the outgoing President and CEO. We thank Stephen Rigby for his outstanding tenure which positions OLG for continued success going forward.
Peter M. Deeb
Chair, Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation
OLG is a crown agency that develops world-class gaming entertainment for the Province of Ontario. Acting in a socially responsible way, OLG conducts and manages land-based gaming facilities; the sale of province-wide lottery games; PlayOLG Internet gaming; and the delivery of bingo and other electronic gaming products at Charitable Gaming Centres. OLG is also helping to build a more sustainable horse racing industry in Ontario. Since 1975, OLG has provided more than $52 billion to the people and Province of Ontario to support key government priorities like health care; the treatment and prevention of problem gambling; and support for amateur athletes. Each year, proceeds from OLG’s operations also support host communities, Ontario First Nations, lottery retailers and local charities across the province.
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.
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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.”
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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.
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