Canada
A Message From Peter Meredith, Chairman of the Board of Great Canadian Gaming Corporation
Great Canadian Gaming Corporation today issued the following statement from Peter Meredith, Chairman of the Board of the Company.
“Given the rapidly escalating COVID-19 pandemic and the significant global uncertainty that has ensued, on behalf of the entire Board of Directors of the Company, we extend our heartfelt thoughts to our shareholders and stakeholders, as well as their families and friends during this unprecedented period. The effects of this emergency may be felt for some time, and thus, good corporate governance is crucial in these extraordinary circumstances. You can trust that our Board is dedicated to timely yet prudent decisions, transparent communication and resilient measures to ensure the long-term stability of the Company.
Under the strong leadership of Rod Baker, the Company’s CEO, our caring, diligent and experienced management team is working with our Board to actively monitor the implications that COVID-19 has had- and may have- on the future of our business. We would also like to acknowledge the incredible efforts that have been undertaken, and continue, across the Company by our operating teams who have been working tirelessly throughout this period to ensure the health and safety of our team members and guests.
This unprecedented situation has no playbook, but our team is well prepared and well-equipped, and making thoughtful decisions on a day-by-day or even hour-by-hour basis. We are making vital strategic and operating decisions to ensure that the Company is in the best possible position to withstand the ongoing volatility.
In our effort to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus and to protect the health of our team members and guests, we worked closely with the respective lottery corporations to suspend operations at the Company’s 25 facilities across Canada. Unfortunately, these closures have impacted a significant number of our team members in Ontario, British Columbia, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. We are hopeful that the suspension of our operations is for a short duration and we look forward to welcoming back our valued team members and guests with the reopening of our facilities.
Recognizing the collective efforts being adopted nationally to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the Company will be holding its annual general meeting (“AGM”) entirely virtually at the advice of our Board of Directors and guidance from the Canadian Securities Administrators. The Company remains committed to providing a safe environment for all its constituents and is thankful for the opportunity to utilize modern technology that will allow our shareholders to be safe while having the opportunity to participate and engage in our upcoming AGM. Full details regarding the AGM, voting and attendance on a virtual basis will be available in the Company’s information circular and proxy materials to be filed on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) in the coming week.
More than ever, we are grateful for the continued support of our dedicated shareholders. As we are sure all investors can appreciate, this is a rapidly evolving situation, and we will endeavour to continue to keep you informed of material developments as they occur.”
ABOUT GREAT CANADIAN GAMING CORPORATION
Founded in 1982, Great Canadian Gaming Corporation is an Ontario based company that operates 25 gaming, entertainment and hospitality facilities in Ontario, British Columbia, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. Fundamental to the Company’s culture is its commitment to social responsibility. “PROUD of our people, our business, our community” is Great Canadian’s brand that unifies the Company’s community, volunteering and social responsibility efforts. Under the PROUD program, Great Canadian annually supports over 1,400 charitable and non-profit organizations across Canada. In each Canadian gaming jurisdiction, a significant portion of gross gaming revenue from gaming facilities is retained by our crown partners on behalf of their provincial government for the purpose of supporting programs like healthcare, education and social services.
SOURCE: Great Canadian Gaming Corporation
affiliate marketing
SEOBROTHERS’ Aleksandra Drigo flags higher barriers for affiliates in regulated Alberta
SEOBROTHERS Chief of Business Development Aleksandra Drigo says Alberta’s move toward a regulated online gambling market is likely to raise the cost and complexity of affiliate acquisition, reshaping competition for SEO-led publishers. Drigo shared the view in an exclusive interview with SiGMA News focused on Canada’s affiliate landscape.
Drigo said regulation can bring more transparency, but also higher compliance demands and tougher economics for smaller players. “Many affiliates, especially independent SEO players, may decide not to enter fully regulated markets and instead focus on regions with more predictable economics and lower regulatory pressure,” she said.
She added that regulated markets typically advantage well-funded affiliate groups with the ability to invest in legal and compliance support and tracking infrastructure. “Regulated markets tend to favour larger players. Big affiliate companies have the resources for legal support, compliance teams, advanced tracking infrastructure, and long-term investment without expecting fast ROI.”
On partner selection, Drigo said affiliates are increasingly weighing operators on operational quality and regulatory readiness, not just commercial terms. “We pay close attention to how consistent an operator is in terms of reporting, responsible gaming policies, speed of communication, and local regulations compliance. Reputation risks affect both sides. If an operator lacks transparency or fails to follow compliance standards, it directly impacts the affiliate business as well.”
Drigo also pointed to communication and access to performance data as major friction points in operator-affiliate relationships. “Financial disagreements can usually be resolved quickly if there is trust and clear communication between both sides. Whereas, when affiliates do not receive timely information, face unclear reporting, or get no explanation for performance changes, tensions escalate very quickly. In regulated markets, communication and transparency become just as important as the financial terms themselves.”
Looking ahead, Drigo said affiliates targeting regulated North American markets will need stronger localisation, trusted brands and more diversified traffic strategies as search behaviour changes. “With AI and online search ecosystem changes already transforming the SEO landscape, affiliates need to become much more flexible and technology-driven than before. And compliance-friendly SEO strategies and diversification beyond traditional search traffic are becoming increasingly important.”
The post SEOBROTHERS’ Aleksandra Drigo flags higher barriers for affiliates in regulated Alberta appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Affiliate Industry
SiGMA exclusive: Aleksandra Drigo on traffic shifts, transparency, and the future of SEO affiliates
In an exclusive interview for the SiGMA News, Aleksandra Drigo, Chief of Business Development at SEOBROTHERS, shared her perspective on the future of affiliate marketing in Canada.
She discussed how Alberta’s upcoming market launch could reshape competition, why transparency has become a cornerstone of operator-affiliate partnerships, how compliance is changing the way affiliates choose partners, and why localisation, trusted brands, and data-driven decision-making will define the next generation of SEO affiliates.
Regulation will reshape Alberta’s affiliate landscape
As Alberta prepares to regulate its online gambling market, affiliates are entering a more challenging environment. While regulation brings greater transparency, it also increases compliance demands, acquisition costs, and competition – particularly from larger, well-funded companies.
“Many affiliates, especially independent SEO players, may decide not to enter fully regulated markets and instead focus on regions with more predictable economics and lower regulatory pressure,” Aleksandra said.
Bigger brands gain the advantage
According to Drigo, regulated markets naturally favour established affiliate businesses, whereas smaller publishers face much higher barriers to entry despite niche opportunities still existing.
“Regulated markets tend to favour larger players. Big affiliate companies have the resources for legal support, compliance teams, advanced tracking infrastructure, and long-term investment without expecting fast ROI.”
Compliance is now a deciding factor
Operator selection is no longer based solely on commercial terms. Affiliates increasingly assess partners by their transparency, reporting quality, responsible gaming standards, responsiveness, and ability to meet local regulatory requirements.
“We pay close attention to how consistent an operator is in terms of reporting, responsible gaming policies, speed of communication, and local regulations compliance. Reputation risks affect both sides. If an operator lacks transparency or fails to follow compliance standards, it directly impacts the affiliate business as well.”
Communication matters more than financial disputes
Drigo believes that most partnership conflicts arise not from payment issues, but from poor communication and limited access to performance data.
“Financial disagreements can usually be resolved quickly if there is trust and clear communication between both sides. Whereas, when affiliates do not receive timely information, face unclear reporting, or get no explanation for performance changes, tensions escalate very quickly. In regulated markets, communication and transparency become just as important as the financial terms themselves.”
The future belongs to trusted brands and localisation
Looking ahead, Drigo expects meticulous localisation, brand authority, first-party audiences, and community-driven products to define success in regulated North American markets. As AI reshapes search, affiliates will need stronger technology, diversified traffic sources, and compliance-friendly SEO strategies to remain competitive.
“With AI and online search ecosystem changes already transforming the SEO landscape, affiliates need to become much more flexible and technology-driven than before. And compliance-friendly SEO strategies and diversification beyond traditional search traffic are becoming increasingly important.”
The post SiGMA exclusive: Aleksandra Drigo on traffic shifts, transparency, and the future of SEO affiliates appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
St8 has extended its content partnership with Octoplay into Ontario and the UK, expanding distribution of Octoplay’s casino games in two regulated markets. The companies announced the move on 2 July, 2026.
Under the expanded agreement, St8 will make Octoplay’s full portfolio available to operators in both jurisdictions through St8’s single API integration.
David Fall, Business Development Manager at St8, said:
“Expanding our partnership with Octoplay into Ontario and the UK is another important milestone as we continue to strengthen our aggregation platform with premium content from leading suppliers.
“Octoplay has built an excellent reputation for developing engaging, high-performing games, and we’re delighted to extend this collaboration into two highly strategic regulated markets. This agreement enables our operator partners to access even more quality content through a single integration while supporting their growth in competitive jurisdictions.”
Ralitsa Georgieva, CEO at Octoplay added:
“We’re pleased to expand our partnership with St8 into Ontario and the UK, making our full portfolio available to even more operators through its aggregation platform. St8 has established itself as a trusted technology partner for regulated markets, and we look forward to building on our successful collaboration together.”
The post St8 expands Octoplay aggregation deal to Ontario and the UK appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
-
Africa7 days agoBooming Games renews Hollywoodbets Durban July activation partnership
-
Africa7 days ago
SpringbokCasino ties July free spins to ‘Minions in the Wild’ campaign
-
Evoplay7 days ago
Evoplay launches Safari Coins slot with fixed jackpots and collector mechanic
-
Baltics7 days ago
From Ronaldinho Roulette to Next-Generation Game Shows: How CreedRoomz is Expanding Live Casino Entertainment
-
game launches7 days ago
Habanero launches Happy Hatchlings slot with screen-wide Wild transforms
-
Arizona Department of Gaming6 days agoArizona Department of Gaming Concludes Legislative Session with Approved Agency Continuation and Enhanced Spending Authority for Problem Gambling
-
Amusnet6 days ago
Connecting Business and Diplomacy: Amusnet Supports BBLF’s Annual Meeting of the Diplomatic Corps
-
Arizona6 days ago
Arizona extends Gaming Department for six years; problem gambling budget rises 20%
