Canada

BCLC Calling on Senate to Prioritize Consideration of Bill C-218

Published

5 years ago

May 26, 2021

BCLC is hopeful the Senate will prioritize its consideration of Bill C-218, the Safe and Regulated Sports Betting Act, before the Chamber adjourns for the currently scheduled summer break.

The House of Commons passed Bill C-218 to legalize single-event sports betting on April 22 and the Bill remains with the Senate for approval before it can receive Royal Assent and become law.

Bill C-218 will enable BCLC to provide single-event sports betting – as well as betting on racing and fighting – almost immediately on PlayNow.com. As B.C.’s only regulated online gambling website, PlayNow.com delivers important revenue to the Province of B.C. to support healthcare, education, and community initiatives.

“Bill C-218 will provide BCLC with the ability to deliver safe, legal and regulated sports betting options to our players and – most importantly – in a way that prioritizes the health of our players,” said Lynda Cavanaugh, President and CEO. “Legalized single-event sports betting would support BCLC to shift play from unregulated websites to PlayNow.com, where numerous safeguards support healthy play and where revenue goes back to support B.C. communities.”

Currently, the only sports bets permitted in Canada are those requiring a ‘parlay’ – meaning players must wager on the outcome of at least two different events. As such, B.C. players are making single-event sports bets on unregulated gambling websites that don’t provide jobs nor revenue that benefits the Province of B.C.

In fact, BCLC estimates that it has lost as much as $250 million in revenue to unregulated websites over the last five years because current federal law prohibits BCLC from offering single-event bets.

As part of its work to deliver gambling entertainment in a socially responsible way, BCLC continues to prioritize the health of players. On PlayNow.com, this work includes identifying play behaviours associated with risk and problem-gambling levels, proactively intervening when players are actively experiencing harms, and exploring incentives for healthy-play behaviours.

In addition, PlayNow.com is the only online gambling website in North America and one of the few in the world with dedicated player-health specialists available via telephone and online chat to support players with healthy play habits or refer them to treatment and support services, if needed. PlayNow.com also has other player-health safeguards such as weekly deposit limits, playing time limits, session reminders, and short-term lockout.

Canada

RESPWNED partners with LOTUS 8 to bring GIRLGAMER festival to Winnipeg in 2026

Published

10 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Wladimir P.

respwned-partners-with-lotus-8-to-bring-girlgamer-festival-to-winnipeg-in-2026

RESPWNED and LOTUS 8 have signed a partnership to launch the GIRLGAMER Winnipeg Festival in 2026, marking the GIRLGAMER Esports Festival brand’s expansion into Canada.

RESPWNED manages the GIRLGAMER Esports Festival brand, while LOTUS 8 is a Canada-based company focused on event development and partnerships. The companies said they will jointly develop and deliver the Winnipeg event, combining global esports IP management, event production, commercial partnerships, and local execution.

“This partnership represents an exciting milestone for GIRLGAMER as we continue to expand globally and bring our platform to new audiences,” said Tiago Fernandes, Managing Partner at RESPWNED. “Canada is a dynamic and fast-growing Esports market, and we are proud to collaborate with LOTUS 8 to deliver a meaningful and impactful event experience.”

Steven Vuong, representing LOTUS 8, added: “We are thrilled to partner with RESPWNED to bring the GIRLGAMER Festival to Canada. This collaboration reflects a shared vision of building inclusive, high-quality esports experiences while creating strong commercial and community value. Together, we are laying the foundation for a standout event in 2026.”

The GIRLGAMER Winnipeg Festival is planned as a family-oriented event with business networking, brand activations, and community programming, and is expected to include international and local talent. Additional details, including dates, venue, and participating partners, will be announced in the coming months.

The post RESPWNED partners with LOTUS 8 to bring GIRLGAMER festival to Winnipeg in 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Canada

RESPWNED and LOTUS 8 to launch GIRLGAMER Winnipeg Festival in 2026

Published

10 hours ago

May 6, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

respwned-and-lotus-8-to-launch-girlgamer-winnipeg-festival-in-2026

RESPWNED, the company that manages the GIRLGAMER Esports Festival brand, and LOTUS 8, a Canada-based company focused on event development and partnerships, today announced their partnership to the launch of the GIRLGAMER Winnipeg Festival.

The strategic partnership marks a significant step in expanding the GIRLGAMER Esports Festival brand into Canada.

This brings its globally recognized platform for competitive gaming, inclusivity, and industry engagement to a new market.

The GIRLGAMER Winnipeg Festival is envisioned as a family-oriented event, with business networking, brand activations, and community-driven experiences.

Under the terms of the agreement, RESPWNED and LOTUS 8 will work collaboratively to develop and deliver the event, combining their respective expertise in global esports IP management, event production, commercial partnerships, and local market execution.

“This partnership represents an exciting milestone for GIRLGAMER as we continue to expand globally and bring our platform to new audiences,” said Tiago Fernandes, Managing Partner at RESPWNED.

“Canada is a dynamic and fast-growing Esports market, and we are proud to collaborate with LOTUS 8 to deliver a meaningful and impactful event experience.”

Steven Vuong, representing LOTUS 8, added: “We are thrilled to partner with RESPWNED to bring the GIRLGAMER Festival to Canada.

This collaboration reflects a shared vision of building inclusive, high-quality esports experiences while creating strong commercial and community value.

Together, we are laying the foundation for a standout event in 2026.”

The GIRLGAMER Winnipeg Festival will feature a combination of international and local talent, brand partnerships, and programming designed to foster diversity, inclusion, and innovation within the gaming and esports ecosystem.

Further details, including dates, venue, and participating partners, will be announced in the coming months.

RESPWNED LTD

RESPWNED is a United Kingdom-based company specializing in esports IP management, event production, and industry consultancy.

The company manages the GIRLGAMER Esports Festival brand, a global platform dedicated to creating opportunities and visibility for women in gaming and esports.

LOTUS 8

LOTUS 8 is a Canada-based premier esports organization based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Dedicated to building championship-calibre teams across North America, they are at the forefront of innovation in competitive gaming.

As pioneers in the industry, they have developed the Performance Mindset Mindfulness, a system designed to support mental health in esports.

This holistic approach blends mental wellness practices, meditation, nutrition, fitness, and proper sleep hygiene into their competitive strategy.

The post RESPWNED and LOTUS 8 to launch GIRLGAMER Winnipeg Festival in 2026 appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Canada

Analysis flags World Cup 2026 stress test for Canada’s patchwork betting rules

Published

13 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Wladimir P.

analysis-flags-world-cup-2026-stress-test-for-canada’s-patchwork-betting-rules

Canada’s provincial gambling model is likely to face a major stress test during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, according to new research published by CasinoCanada.com. The analysis argues the tournament will highlight uneven betting access and channelisation across provinces as Canada co-hosts the event.

The research draws on provincial regulatory reporting, iGaming Ontario’s annual figures and data from Blask’s 2025 iGaming Landscape Report. It says Ontario’s open market—described as having nearly 50 licensed operators—has reached an 83.7% channelisation rate, meaning most online bettors are using regulated platforms.

Outside Ontario, CasinoCanada.com estimates significantly higher offshore leakage, including 93% in Saskatchewan, 88% in Alberta and Manitoba, and about 49% retention in British Columbia despite the long-running PlayNow provincial platform. The report frames those gaps as a competitiveness issue for regulated offerings.

CasinoCanada.com also highlights timing risk in Alberta’s transition to a competitive market. The Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) registration deadline for operators is 13 July 2026—after the World Cup reaches the quarter-final stage—raising the likelihood that peak tournament betting volume continues to flow through unregulated operators, the report says.

Eugene Ravdin, Head of PR for CasinoCanada, said: “The 2026 World Cup is not just a commercial opportunity for the Canadian market – it’s a live stress test for how the country regulates gambling. Ontario has built something that works, and the numbers show it. However, for most Canadians outside that market, the tournament is going to arrive at a system that was never designed for this level of demand.

“The offshore leakage figures are not abstract. They represent real bettors choosing unregulated platforms because the regulated alternative isn’t competitive enough. The World Cup will make that gap very visible, very quickly.”

The post Analysis flags World Cup 2026 stress test for Canada’s patchwork betting rules appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.