Canada

Improving Accessibility Helps Grow the Sports Betting Market

Published

6 years ago

July 30, 2020

The legal battle for online sports betting has been a subject of debate for many years. But, in 2008, the online betting enthusiasts received positive news. New Jersey won a landmark ruling from the Supreme Court that potentially opened the door to multiple states being able to legalize betting on college and professional sports. Justice Samuel Alito, a New Jersey native, wrote the court’s opinion in the case. “Congress can regulate sports gambling directly, but if it elects not to do so, each state is free to act on its own,” Alito said according to an article by USA Today. “Our job is to interpret the law Congress has enacted and decide whether it is consistent with the Constitution.” Even though strict regulations by various governments are still an obstacle for the online market, according to a Zion Market Research report, the global sports betting market was valued at around USD 104.31 Billion in 2017 and is expected to reach approximately USD 155.49 Billion by 2024 while growing at a healthy CAGR of 8.83% between 2018 to 2024. FansUnite Entertainment Inc. (OTC: FUNFF) (CSE: FANS), Century Casinos, Inc. (NASDAQ: CNTY), Esports Entertainment Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: GMBL), International Game Technology PLC (NYSE: IGT), Boyd Gaming Corporation (NYSE: BYD)

As the legal infrastructure becomes more friendly towards sports betting, specifically in the online space, many companies in the gambling industry are investing in offering more sports betting options. According to a report by the Associated Press, companies like DraftKings are making serious strides in developing easy to use systems available to the public through partnerships with sports leagues. For example, The National Basketball Association and DraftKings had announced a multiyear partnership that will make DraftKings an authorized sports betting operator of the league. And, according to a report by MarketWatch, many have invested money into a new exchange-traded fund that tracks the sports betting and online gambling industries. This represents a “remarkable vote of confidence for a fund that’s only a few days old,” said Dave Nadig, a longtime industry veteran now at ETF Database. “I am a fan of this fund. If you believe online sports betting is the next big thing, this fund will capture everything from back-office infrastructure to front-facing retail plays.”

FansUnite Entertainment Inc. (OTC: FUNFF) (CSE: FANS) announced yesterday the, “acquisition target Askott Entertainment Inc. (“Askott”) has completed its second video game themed casino game ‘Crash Heist’. After the successful launch of ‘Loothunter’, Askott is ready to offer its second game in what will be a series of video game and esports themed casino games for online sportsbooks and casinos to offer.

RNG/casino games represent a large piece of the online real money gaming industry. Many sportsbooks offer casino games and with the recent COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of having such games has been magnified. Askott is developing games that will appeal to a broader target market that includes a growing younger demographic along with traditional gamers.

‘We currently offer a betting solution for esports books and wanted to add RNG casino games to round out our partners’ betting offering to their customers,’ said Scott Burton, CEO of Askott Entertainment. ‘These additional offerings will result in more engagement from bettors and higher retention on our platforms. Without the need for live esports events, these games can be played 24/7 by our players allowing for more consistent betting and predictable revenue.’

‘As a leading developer of casino style games, we have now developed two games that can be leveraged on various platforms. Our partners will now be able to access our full suite of games, and other operators can license these games as stand alone products for their customers.’

The Askott suite of games will be a mix of pure chance games in addition to games that will combine some skill elements. ‘Loothunter’ was modeled on the popular loot case concept used in video games whereby you buy a key for a case and hope to get an item/reward greater than the price of the key. The game also allows you to earn key fragments for free to build out a key.

The Crash Heist concept has the users breaking into a bank vault for an entry fee of their choice. Once in the vault, their money rises steadily until they exit. If they get out of the vault before the police arrive, the money is theirs, if not they crash out.

‘We look forward to our stage of growth with Askott games where we will target casino aggregator partners that serve as an additional channel to leverage and distribute our games to a much broader audience,’ continued Scott Burton.

All of the games are built on our own certified and tested random number generator with provably fair elements built in and adhering to the gaming jurisdictions where our partners have licenses.”

Century Casinos, Inc. (NASDAQ: CNTY) reported back in April that its Colorado subsidiaries received approval for three Sports Betting Master Licenses. The licenses were awarded during a special meeting of the Colorado Limited Gaming Control Commission held on April 2nd, 2020. In addition, the Commission awarded Circa Sports Colorado LLC, the Company’s partner for one of its Master Licenses, with a temporary Internet Sports Betting Operator License. The Commission is moving forward with licensing and will meet the May 1st, 2020 legislative launch date deadline. Due to impact of the pandemic on the sports betting industry, the Company is uncertain of the timeline that the Circa | Sports TM mobile sports betting app will launch.

Esports Entertainment Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: GMBL) announced earlier this month that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire LHE Enterprises Ltd, the holding company of online sportsbook and casino operator Argyll Entertainment AG and its operating subsidiaries. Closing of the acquisition is expected to occur on or before July 31st, 2020. “Reaching a definitive agreement to complete our first acquisition as a NASDAQ company is a major milestone,” commented Grant Johnson, CEO of Esports Entertainment Group. “Argyll CEO Stuart Tilly and CFO Dan Marks already joined our senior leadership team in June as Corporate Secretary and Chief Financial Officer, respectively. They are a great addition to our organization and will help us build on Argyll’s base of more than 100,000 registered users, placing us in a great position to grow revenue moving forward.”

International Game Technology PLC (NYSE: IGT) announced last month that its PlaySports platform will power retail and mobile sports betting at Wild Card Saloon and Sasquatch Casino in Black Hawk, Colo. Owned and operated by privately held gaming company, Ed & Shirley’s Inc., both casinos will leverage IGT PlaySports kiosks, platform and mobile technologies to give their patrons choice and convenience for how, when and where they place sports bets. “Offering omni-channel sports betting via the IGT PlaySports solution will introduce an exciting new dimension of gaming to Wild Card Saloon and Sasquatch Casino that sports fans throughout Colorado are ready to embrace,” said Ed Smith, Ed & Shirley’s Inc. President.

Boyd Gaming Corporation (NYSE: BYD) and FanDuel Group announced last year the debut of FanDuel Sportsbooks at four Boyd Gaming properties: Blue Chip Casino Hotel and Spa in Michigan City, Indiana; Diamond Jo Casino in Dubuque, Iowa; Diamond Jo Casino in Northwood, Iowa; and Belterra Casino Resort in Florence, Indiana. The openings follow the successful debut of the FanDuel Sportsbook at Boyd Gaming’s Valley Forge Casino Resort in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, in March, as well as the companies’ launch of mobile sports betting across the state of Pennsylvania in July. In the coming months, the two companies also plan to introduce mobile sports products under the FanDuel brand in both Iowa and Indiana, pending the receipt of required regulatory approvals. “Together, Boyd Gaming and FanDuel Group continue to successfully capitalize on the historic opportunity afforded by the legalization and expansion of sports betting in new states across the country,” said Keith Smith, President and Chief Executive Officer of Boyd Gaming.

SOURCE FinancialBuzz.com

Canada

IGSA Welcomes New Partner Members: Focal Research and RGC Canada

Published

20 hours ago

April 9, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

igsa-welcomes-new-partner-members:-focal-research-and-rgc-canada

As part of a new responsible gaming initiative, the International Gaming Standards Association (IGSA) has welcomed two new Partner Members, Focal Research Consultants and The Responsible Gambling Council, both from Canada.

IGSA President Mark Pace said: “IGSA is excited to welcome our new partners in Responsible Gaming. We are looking to work with organizations that are truly dedicated to doing good in the RG space. There is a lot of time, energy and money being spent in this area and we want to leverage the incredible work being done in an effort to amplify its positive effect.”

Tracy Schrans, Co-Founder and President of Focal Research, said: “We are pleased to partner with IGSA on this important initiative. Drawing on over three decades of applied research, responsible gambling evaluation, and player protection, we look forward to collaborating with IGSA members to advance practical evidence-based industry standards for keeping players safe.”

“Advancing industry standards for player protection depends on collaboration across the full ecosystem. With deep expertise in standards development, applied research, and harm prevention, RGC is pleased to work alongside IGSA members to develop practical, implementable standards that strengthen player protection in meaningful ways,” said Sarah McCarthy, CEO of the Responsible Gambling Council (RGC).

The post IGSA Welcomes New Partner Members: Focal Research and RGC Canada appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Boris Gartner

LALIGA Announces Multi-year Partnership with Polymarket

Published

21 hours ago

April 9, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

laliga-announces-multi-year-partnership-with-polymarket

LALIGA North America has announced a multi-year partnership with Polymarket, the world’s largest prediction market, becoming the first European soccer league to do so.

As the Official and Exclusive Prediction Market Partner of LALIGA in the US and Canada, Polymarket will offer LALIGA fans the ability to engage with Spain’s premier soccer league and its stars at an unprecedented level.

“Soccer’s growth, especially in North America, is spearheaded by young, diverse and multicultural audiences who consume the game across multiple screens, so it’s our goal to continue to engage these demographics in new and unique ways. It’s imperative we go beyond traditional engagement efforts in order to bring these audiences closer to the beautiful game than ever before, and we couldn’t think of a better partner than Polymarket to achieve that,” said Boris Gartner, Relevent CEO & Partner.

For LALIGA North America, the partnership with Polymarket is a testament to the long-term investment and growth in the region as a result of the 20-year joint venture between LALIGA and Relevent launched in 2018. Polymarket joins a robust roster of regional partners including Walmart, Lowe’s, McDonald’s, Verizon, Remitly, and Panini, among others.

The multi-year partnership with Polymarket includes premium broadcast visibility, fan-focused digital and social programming, and exclusive fan experiences such as VIP match hospitality and virtual meet-and-greets with LALIGA legends. Polymarket will also receive exclusive rights to use LALIGA and club intellectual property in connection with LALIGA matches.

Through this partnership, LALIGA and Polymarket will collaborate to establish a responsible and transparent framework that promotes innovative fan participation while upholding the highest standards of sporting integrity, leveraging Polymarket’s recently announced next-generation sports integrity platform launched in partnership with Palantir Technologies and TWG AI.

“Our goal is to give fans a more expressive way to follow the game, where opinions on players, matches, and season outcomes can be reflected in real time. Partnering with LALIGA brings that level of interaction to one of the most passionate global fanbases and introduces a new, more dynamic way for North American audiences to engage with the league,” said Shayne Coplan, Founder and CEO of Polymarket.

Polymarket has rapidly established itself as the prediction market partner of choice for major sports leagues, having announced partnerships with MLB, NHL, UFC, and MLS, which includes serving as the exclusive and official prediction market for MLS Cup, MLS All-Star, and Leagues Cup.

The post LALIGA Announces Multi-year Partnership with Polymarket appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Bede Gaming

OLG Launches Innovative New React Native Mobile App with Bede Gaming

Published

3 days ago

April 7, 2026

Wladimir P.

olg-launches-innovative-new-react-native-mobile-app-with-bede-gaming

Bede Gaming is proud to continue its partnership with Ontario Lottery & Gaming Corporation (OLG), which is now delivering an enhanced experience to its OLG.ca mobile customers across the province after successfully transitioning to the Bede Gaming React Native App.

The upgraded app, built for fast and seamless omnichannel performance, provides an exceptional player experience that leverages a data-efficient design model.

With over 1 million monthly app users, the lightweight network delivery and core functionality of Bede’s technical solution ensures an accessible and high-quality player experience across devices, even during peak traffic periods.

Structured with a flexible foundation for future development, ongoing app enhancements will now be delivered quickly and consistently across device types. In addition, the new app uses one build for all devices, making it much more operationally efficient and cost effective, and far easier for the Ontario operator to implement and manage future changes.

The new agile solution is also highly scalable and customisable, offering the flexibility to build a bespoke mobile set-up that’s truly brand-tailored and easily self-managed by operator admins. With direct connection into Bede’s full platform capabilities, engaging in-house product suite, and catalogue of third-party integrations, the new app eliminates the need for additional integration steps, significantly improves speed to market, and enables a fast response to changing player behaviours and trends.

Given online gambling is regulated on a province-to-province basis in Canada, the new app will also help OLG continue to provide a responsible and compliant iGaming service through geolocation technology powered by mkodo’s GeoLocs product, leveraging robust location management tools to ensure a seamless and fully regulated experience for players across Ontario.

Following the transition to Bede’s React Native App, OLG has reported a smooth and successful launch, with a carefully planned rollout and no impact to the customer experience.

Dave Pridmore, Chief Gaming Officer at OLG, said: “We’re delighted with how quickly and efficiently the transition to Bede’s React Native app has been – and the fact there’s been no disruption for our existing OLG.ca players speaks volumes about the impressive teamwork shown on both sides. The intuitive experience built and well-considered support are representative of the high quality of work we’ve come to expect from our partners at Bede Gaming.

“As OLG continues to prioritise our players’ experiences and expectations, we look forward to implementing even more market-leading enhancements throughout our ongoing digital growth.”

Further phases of strategic enhancements applied to the app’s user journey will deliver continual user improvements, supporting a more streamlined customer experience that encourages returning traffic.

With increasing demand across the industry for seamless omnichannel gaming experiences, having this degree of personalisation, accessibility and smooth user journeys offers an increasingly significant role in player retention.

“The successful roll-out of our React Native App is testament to Bede’s continued commitment to our partnership with OLG and further proof of the passion we have for providing operational efficiencies to their team,” said Andrew Humphreys, Chief Product Engineering Officer at Bede Gaming. “I’m excited about the additional competitive value that our Bede App will be able to offer; our flexible and cost-efficient solution will empower OLG to expand their outreach and capabilities in the mobile-first market.”

The post OLG Launches Innovative New React Native Mobile App with Bede Gaming appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.