Canada

Easy Accessibility to Online Betting Helps Grow the Industry

Published

6 years ago

August 3, 2020

The online sports betting market has drastically changed after the landmark Supreme Court ruling in 2018, as any state got the option to pursue legalization. In total, sports betting became legal in some form in 24 states, according to date provided by ESPN. The big prize is, as usual, California, where sports betting in not officially legal yet. Nevertheless, despite the legal challenges, interest in the industry is high. 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. Dave Nadig, a longtime industry veteran now at ETF Database, explained that this represents a “remarkable vote of confidence for a fund that’s only a few days old… 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), GAN Limited (NASDAQ: GAN), Full House Resorts, Inc. (NASDAQ: FLL), Century Casinos, Inc. (NASDAQ: CNTY), Caesars Entertainment Corporation (NASDAQ: CZR)

The most significant boost to the sports betting segment is attributed to the usage of smartphones, which have easy user interfaces and can be used at anytime and anywhere. 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. In addition, it was reported that BetIndiana and Sportradar, the provider of sports data and content, inked a partnership to bring Sportradar’s real-time sports data and managed trading services to BetIndiana’s mobile sportsbook.

FansUnite Entertainment Inc. (OTC: FUNFF) (CSE: FANS) announced earlier this week breaking news that it, “is preparing to welcome back Scottish football for the first time in five months. The 2020/21 Scottish Premiership season is set to start on Saturday, August 1, 2020.

The new season kicks off this weekend with six games played over Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. Fans will be able to watch this weekend’s best matches, and more fixtures than ever before through Sky Sports exclusive deal to televise 48 Premiership games this season.

‘We are excited to welcome back Scottish football, as it represents the largest betting volume per single sport on our platform,’ said Paul Petrie, McBookie founder and Director. ‘During the 2019 season, McBookie saw the Scottish Premiership produce $567k CAD of betting volume, representing approximately 13% of the total $4.42M CAD in betting that was placed in the football category of the platform.’

With the Scottish football season being cut short in 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, McBookie customers were still able to enjoy betting on alternative sports such as the English Premier League.

‘It has been a long five months without football in this country and we’re excited for the first ball to be kicked,” continued Paul Petrie. “Our customers have enjoyed betting on the English Premier League, but nothing really beats betting on football from your own country. After a strong month with the completion of the English Premier League, the new Scottish Premiership season gives McBookie the opportunity to start the journey on their home turf and watch the business achieve new heights.’

‘As a versatile betting platform, McBookie has once again showcased they are able to provide a diverse set of betting solutions to a growing customer base in any market environment,” commented Darius Eghdami, CEO and Chairman of FansUnite Entertainment. “When we purchased McBookie earlier this year, our goal was to provide the team with the resources needed to drive customer registration numbers. With one of their most popular sports returning to market, we are excited to see how the company can scale in 2020 and future years.’

McBookie is also launching a revamped loyalty program in conjunction with the start of the 2020 Scottish Premiership season, and has introduced the Tartan Club to reward regular customers with free bets, enhanced odds, and enhanced prices.

The platform will also continue its sponsorship of the Daily Record’s Mr Fixit column and Jim Delahunt’s column in the Scottish Sun, the most impactful gambling coverage in the country’s two biggest national newspapers.”

GAN Limited (NASDAQ: GAN) announced last year, the delivery of Internet sports betting in the State of Pennsylvania for the FanDuel Group following the January 10, 2019 announcement to be FDG’s Platform for rapid deployment of Internet casino, and account services for Internet sports betting in Pennsylvania (pop. 13M), in addition to the long-standing existing services provided since 2013 by GAN to FDG in the State of New Jersey (pop. 9M). The expanded relationship announced on January 10, 2019 is now commercially operational in Pennsylvania and represents a material increase in the value of the partnership to GAN. Jeff Berman, Chief Commercial Officer of GAN said, “The launch by FanDuel of Internet sports betting in the State of Pennsylvania extends our relationship across the border from neighboring New Jersey and represents a significant milestone for GAN. Our effective and compliant Platform represents a premium component of the supply chain rather than a commodity and our team delivered on-time for the #1 operator of Internet gambling in the U.S. today.”

Full House Resorts, Inc. (NASDAQ: FLL) reported last year, an update on sports wagering affecting the Company’s operations in Colorado and Indiana. Regarding Colorado, the state legislature approved sports wagering throughout the state, subject to voter ratification on November 5, 2019. In that statewide election, Colorado voters approved Proposition DD, thereby ratifying sports wagering in the state. With the legislative and voter approval processes complete, the Colorado Division of Gaming can commence the rulemaking process and develop the regulatory framework that will govern sports wagering. The Company believes that sports wagering could begin at its Bronco Billy’s Casino & Hotel and its Christmas Casino & Inn – as well as throughout the state via mobile sports wagering – in mid-2020.

Century Casinos, Inc. (NASDAQ: CNTY), announced on May 19th, that it has finalized an agreement with bet365 to become the company’s second internet sports betting operator partner in Colorado. The Company, through a subsidiary, has already obtained its master license with the State of Colorado. bet365 will complete the necessary application and approval process with the State of Colorado. They will operate an internet and mobile sports betting application under the bet365 brand. The online sportsbook operations agreement with bet365 is a 10-year agreement that includes a minimum annual revenue guarantee and a percentage share of net gaming revenue payable to the Company each year, with an advance fee being paid on contract signing.

Caesars Entertainment Corporation (NASDAQ: CZR) and DraftKings reached an agreement last year, under which Caesars will offer DraftKings market access for its online gaming products, subject to passage of applicable laws and the parties securing applicable gaming licenses. DraftKings’ market access is exclusive to Caesars across certain states in which Caesars operates casino properties. “Caesars’ agreement with DraftKings, their first multi-state partnership, brings together the established leaders in gaming, daily fantasy sports and sports betting to provide customers more options,” said Mark Frissora, President and CEO of Caesars Entertainment. “This alliance is the latest initiative by Caesars to capitalize on our database, generate a new revenue stream in a growth market and raise our profile in sports, in part by creating new sports-themed guest experiences at our resorts across the country.”

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affiliate marketing

SEOBROTHERS’ Aleksandra Drigo flags higher barriers for affiliates in regulated Alberta

Published

15 hours ago

July 6, 2026

Wladimir P.

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

Published

18 hours ago

July 6, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

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.

Canada

St8 expands Octoplay aggregation deal to Ontario and the UK

Published

5 days ago

July 2, 2026

Wladimir P.

st8-expands-octoplay-aggregation-deal-to-ontario-and-the-uk

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.