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Entain Partners with UNLV on Women’s Innovation Igniter Program

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Entain plc and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) announced a new, groundbreaking partnership to launch the Women’s Innovation Igniter. The first-of-its-kind academic, technology, innovation and mentoring program is designed to provide UNLV undergraduate and graduate women with a pathway toward successful careers in the sports betting, gaming, and technology industries.

Entain is the global sports betting and gaming entertainment operator which jointly owns, with MGM Resorts International, BetMGM in the United States.  Entain leads the betting and gaming industry through its industry leading proprietary technology that also provides the engine for the roll-out of BetMGM.

Through the Women’s Innovation Igniter initiative, Entain and UNLV will recruit, mentor, support and introduce talented women to the industry and design more inclusive working environments in historically male-dominated fields.

The program will be housed at the Harry Reid Research and Technology Park, a unique innovation building featuring a state-of-the-art laboratory with an esports arena, virtual reality studio and more.  The curriculum will include practical, hands-on experiences, internships, and mentoring from top executives in the industry, as well as providing the support and resources needed to bring innovations and designs to life.

In partnership with Entain and UNLV, The Women’s Innovation Igniter project will be led by Jan Jones Blackhurst, Chief Executive in Residence, International Gaming Institute and Robert Rippee, Ph.D., Executive Director, Innovation Hub. The program is set to launch in August 2021 with about 20 women in the initial class.

“Entain is the ideal partner to help us bring this groundbreaking program to life,” said Jan Jones Blackhurst. “As a leader in online sports betting and gaming, Entain will help us showcase the myriad of opportunities available in these professional fields, further develop our curriculum, and help women see career pathways in a technology led industry where they are not always well-represented.”

Last month, Entain named Jette Nygaard-Andersen its CEO, marking her out as one of the highest profile female executives in the sports betting industry. Teaming up with UNLV on The Women’s Innovation Igniter gives Entain the opportunity to continue to set precedents in the sports betting, gaming, and technology industries, and help ensure commercial success with talented women in key roles.

“We are honored to be a part of such an inspiring and pioneering program with UNLV,” said Jette Nygaard-Andersen. “Women can face many obstacles in getting traction in careers that are often or traditionally male dominated.  This program will encourage women to aspire for careers they previously may not have considered, and it provides the hands-on experience they need to make the sports betting, gaming, and technology industries more inclusive.”

Entain intends to open an office at The Harry Reid Research and Technology Park with employees that will include engineers as well as software and gaming developers.  Entain will seek opportunities to mentor, as well as create internships and jobs for some of these young women following the program, not just at Entain, but also with other leading companies throughout the industry.

UNLV’s Harry Reid Research and Technology Park was unveiled in 2020 and provides students the resources and skills needed to accelerate the introduction of new concepts into the gaming and hospitality market, and spur creativity and entrepreneurship overall.

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Canada

What Canadian Slot Players Are Really Comparing in 2026: Payout Speed, Interac and RTP Transparency

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Canadian online slot players are becoming more practical.

The old conversion model was simple: show a big welcome bonus, list a few popular games, and hope the player clicked through. That still has a place, but it no longer reflects how better-informed casino players compare sites in 2026.

The conversation has shifted.

Players are now asking sharper questions before they deposit. How fast can I cash out? Does the casino support Interac? Are the best games actually available in Canada? What happens after I win? Are the slot terms clear? Can I see RTP information without digging through a help centre?

For operators, affiliates and suppliers watching the Canadian market, this change matters. The slot player is not just bonus-led anymore. The player is becoming banking-led, payout-led and value-led.

Payout speed has become a decision factor

Withdrawal speed is one of the biggest practical differences between online casinos.

Many casinos still market themselves around welcome packages, but the post-win experience is where trust is won or lost. Players notice pending periods. They notice extra verification steps. They notice whether withdrawals are processed quickly or whether the process feels deliberately slow.

That is why comparison behaviour around fastest payout casinos in Canada has become more commercially important. A casino can have a large slot library and a generous bonus, but if the payout process is slow, many experienced players will look elsewhere.

This is especially true for slot players. Slots create quick sessions, frequent bonus rounds and unpredictable payout moments. A player who wins on a Friday night does not want to discover that the casino only starts reviewing cashouts on Monday.

Fast payout positioning is not just a payment feature. It is a trust signal.

Interac remains central to the Canadian player journey

Interac is still one of the most important payment expectations in Canada.

For many players, it feels familiar, local and practical. It connects online casino banking with everyday Canadian banking behaviour. That matters because casino payments are a high-friction moment. Players may be comfortable browsing games, comparing bonuses and reading reviews, but depositing money is where hesitation appears.

Clear information about Interac casino payments helps reduce that hesitation.

The most useful casino pages now explain more than whether Interac is accepted. They answer questions such as:

  • Is Interac available for deposits only, or withdrawals too?
  • Are there minimum and maximum limits?
  • Does account verification affect payout speed?
  • Are e-Transfer withdrawals supported?
  • Are there fees? Is Interac treated differently by province or operator?

This level of detail is valuable because Canadian players are not just asking “Can I pay?” They are asking “Can I deposit, play, withdraw and trust the process?”

That is a much more commercial question.

RTP transparency is becoming part of player value

RTP has always existed as a technical concept, but it is becoming more visible in player decision-making.

A casual player may not calculate long-term return percentages before every spin. But more players now understand that slot choice matters. They know that some games are more volatile, some bonuses are harder to clear, and some titles publish better long-term return figures than others.

This is why content around high-RTP slots is becoming more useful when it is presented properly.

The weak version of RTP content is an educational glossary: “RTP means return to player.” That is not enough anymore.

The stronger version connects RTP to actual player behaviour:

  • Which high-RTP games are worth knowing?
  • Which casinos offer strong slot libraries?
  • How does volatility affect the player experience?
  • Does the bonus structure make a high-RTP game less valuable?
  • Are high-RTP slots available on mobile?
  • Can Canadian players access the games easily?

RTP transparency does not mean players expect to beat the casino. It means they want clearer information before choosing where and what to play.

Mobile play is raising expectations

Canadian slot players are heavily mobile-led.

That changes the comparison process. A player may research on desktop, but the actual deposit and session often happen on a phone. If the casino lobby is slow, payment forms are clunky, or game filters do not work well on mobile, the player experience suffers.

Mobile also puts more pressure on clarity. Players do not want to scroll through huge blocks of bonus terms. They want fast answers:

  • Best casino for quick withdrawals
  • Best Interac option
  • Best slot lobby
  • Best high-RTP games
  • Best mobile experience

For affiliates and operators, this means page structure matters. Tables, verdict boxes, payment summaries and direct recommendations often outperform long, generic content.

The market is moving away from generic casino comparisons

The Canadian slots market is not short of casino lists.

The issue is that many lists look the same. Same bonus-first ranking. Same generic claims. Same vague “safe and secure” language. Same lack of useful payout or banking detail.

The better opportunity is to compare casinos around real player decisions.

For Canadian slot players, that often means:

  • How fast can I withdraw?
  • Can I use Interac?
  • What games are actually worth playing?
  • Is the casino reliable after I win?
  • Does the site work properly on mobile?
  • Are the terms clear enough to trust?

These questions are more practical than promotional. They also create stronger commercial intent.

A player searching for payout speed, Interac support or slot value is usually further along the decision journey than someone casually browsing a bonus list.

What this means for the industry

The Canadian slot player in 2026 is not necessarily less bonus-driven. But the bonus is no longer the whole story.

The market is becoming more mature, and mature players compare the full experience. They want payment confidence, game quality, mobile usability, transparent terms and fewer surprises after depositing.

For operators, this means the product experience has to support the marketing promise.

For affiliates, it means generic casino pages are losing their edge. The stronger play is to build content around the actual comparison points players care about.

Payout speed, Interac and RTP transparency are not side details anymore.

They are becoming part of the main decision.

The post What Canadian Slot Players Are Really Comparing in 2026: Payout Speed, Interac and RTP Transparency appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Alberta

Octoplay secures conditional Alberta iGaming supplier approval from AGLC

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Octoplay has secured conditional licence approval from the Alberta Gaming, Liquor & Cannabis Commission (AGLC), allowing the supplier to begin the process of offering its games catalogue to operators in Alberta.

The company said the approval positions it to launch in Canada’s newest regulated iGaming market when it opens in July. Octoplay is already live in Ontario with BetMGM and PokerStars, and has also entered the US through New Jersey and Michigan, according to the company.

“Alberta is one of the most strategic market openings on our 2026 roadmap. Entering it with the performance data we’ve built in Ontario, New Jersey, and Michigan gives us a strong foundation to be one of the first suppliers to partner with local tier-one operators as soon as the market opens,” says Ralitsa Georgieva, CEO at Octoplay.

“We’ve worked closely with the AGLC throughout the licensing process, and clearing the conditional stage reflects the strength of our compliance infrastructure,” says Martina Borg Stevens, Chief Legal Officer at Octoplay. “Our team has built a process that allows us to enter new regulated jurisdictions efficiently without compromising on the technical standards each regulator requires.”

Octoplay said Alberta adds to its regulated footprint, which it stated includes 17 operational markets: the United Kingdom, New Jersey, Michigan, Ontario, Italy, Spain, Sweden, the Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium, Greece, Romania, Malta, Slovakia, Finland, Brazil, and Georgia.

The post Octoplay secures conditional Alberta iGaming supplier approval from AGLC appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Tonybet pays first $15,000 CAD prize in World Cup Card Collection Canada promo

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Bronze card has been claimed during the group stage; silver and gold prizes remain available until 31 July.

Tonybet said it has paid out its first major prize in its World Cup Card Collection campaign for Canadian customers (excluding Ontario), after a player secured the promotion’s bronze card worth $15,000 CAD.

The operator said the World Cup Card Collection includes 51 cards to collect during the tournament: 48 digital cards tied to participating World Cup nations, plus three unique cards—gold, silver and bronze—linked to a $150,000 CAD total prize fund.

According to Tonybet, the bronze card has been available through the World Cup’s group stage and has now been claimed. The silver card is available during the knockout rounds up to the quarter-finals, while the gold card is held back for the closing semi-finals and final.

Tonybet Head of Product Kiryl Liudvikevich said: “With Canada co-hosting the World Cup for the first time, the tournament has felt closer to home than ever before for Canadians, and it has already delivered a moment most supporters could only dream about with the national team advancing to the knockout stages.

“For one lucky Canada supporter, it has now produced another story that will be worth retelling long after the final whistle has gone – with our lucky winner among the first Tonybet customers to win one of the unique cards in our World Cup Card Collection, taking home a cool $15,000 for managing to get his hands on bronze. Who will end up with silver and gold?”

Tonybet said the same three unique cards are also in circulation across its other markets, with varying outcomes so far. The World Cup Card Collection campaign runs until 31 July, with a $150,000 CAD prize pool for Canada and separate prize pools in other markets.

The post Tonybet pays first $15,000 CAD prize in World Cup Card Collection Canada promo appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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