Canada
Pennsylvania Skill: VGTs benefit out-of-state corporations, harm skill games market and casinos
VGTs will hurt small businesses, social clubs and veterans’ organizations in the state, along with the marketplace for legal skill games, said Pennsylvania Skill’s spokesman following a Senate hearing today. Pace-O-Matic powers Pennsylvania Skill.
Pennsylvania Skill, made up of amusement and gaming small business owners across the state, questioned why legislative support for video gaming terminals, or VGTs, exists given their history in other states. The comments were based on out-of-state VGT companies testifying at a Senate Community, Economic and Recreational Development Committee hearing.
“VGTs have consistently overpromised the amount of revenue they would generate for Pennsylvania and minimized their impact on lottery and casino revenues,” said Mike Barley, spokesman for Pennsylvania Skill. “We don’t want to see a repeat of what has happened in other states.
In Illinois, VGTs were legalized in 2009. At the time, companies predicted they could generate funds to support a $31 billion building program to create jobs and upgrade the state’s infrastructure. In 2017, eight years after the legalization of VGTs, the state had collected less than $1 billion. Illinois lawmakers also were disappointed to find the projected $2.5 billion in state revenue did not materialize.
In addition, regulatory expenses for video gambling proved far higher than anticipated, forcing the state to divert $83 million from casino taxes to support the work of the Illinois Gaming Board.
Barley added that thousands of illegal VGTs are operating in the Commonwealth without a court ruling, and Pennsylvania Skill supports efforts to crack down on those games through regulation and enforcement.
Pennsylvania Skill has been ruled a predominant game of skill by a Court of Common Pleas. That case was never appealed by the Pennsylvania State Police. In order to further cement its legal status, Pennsylvania Skill has filed a lawsuit in Commonwealth Court.
Locations across the state depend on skill game revenue. At Sprankle’s Neighborhood Markets in western Pennsylvania, the owners have been able to offer health benefits to employees for the first time thanks to the money they receive from the skill games located in their grocery stores. They also provide daily free lunches to staff thanks to game revenue.
“Lawmakers need to understand what location owners do with their skill game revenue,” said Ryan Sprankle, an owner of one of the three Sprankle’s Neighborhood Markets. “The money has made a huge difference for our employees – we could not afford health insurance for them without it. They can stay healthier, and we are better able to keep good staff.”
Barley said Pennsylvania Skill hears stories like the Sprankles’ all the time. Many businesses and organizations count on this revenue. He wants to see legislation pass that would provide regulation of legal skill games as a way for the industry to continue to help locations and pay a steady stream of $250 million in tax revenue for the state each year. In addition to that, Pennsylvania Skill already pays tens of millions of dollars in taxes annually.
“A true skill game cannot set payout levels because the results are based on a player’s skill,” Barley explained. “After analyzing Pennsylvania Skill data, on average, 90 percent of players win. With that said, there are many illegal VGTs masquerading as skill games that are proliferating in the Commonwealth, and they do have set payout levels. That is why there is a clear need for regulation.”
Pennsylvania Skill games, which are manufactured in Williamsport, provide family-sustaining jobs in manufacturing and for small businesses that operate the games. The industry provides a needed financial lift for fraternal clubs and veterans’ groups, restaurants and bars.
The industry also provides charitable giving of over $1 million a year that supports Pennsylvania communities.
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Canada
Kambi Group Becomes the Official Sportsbook Partner of Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation
Kambi Group has formally assumed contractual responsibilities for OLG’s multi-channel sportsbook following the successful completion of the novation agreement with FDJ Gaming Solutions France (FDJ) and Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG), with OLG launched its Kambi-powered sportsbook on 27 January.
Kambi, the home of premium sports betting solutions, confirmed that it has formally assumed contractual responsibilities for the provision of sports betting services to OLG, having successfully met all conditions of the previously agreed novation agreement.
The completion follows the announcement in 2025 that Kambi had been selected by FDJ to take over FDJ’s role as OLG’s long-term sports betting partner with OLG’s consent and pending the satisfaction and completion of specific conditions. With these conditions now met, Kambi has officially assumed responsibility for the provision of sports betting services to OLG across both its retail and digital channels, with OLG gone live with its Kambi-powered sportsbook on 27 January.
OLG offers sports betting through PROLINE (retail) and PROLINE+ (online) with 100% of its profits reinvested into Ontario. Powered by Kambi’s Turnkey Sportsbook, OLG’s sports betting operations will benefit from Kambi’s market-leading technology and services, designed to deliver a scalable, compliant and engaging betting experience for players.
Werner Becher, Kambi Group Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are delighted to have officially completed this transition and to begin this next chapter of our partnership with OLG. Having met the necessary conditions of the novation agreement, Kambi is excited to become the official sportsbook provider and to have launched with one of the world’s most respected lottery operators. We value our partnership with OLG and look forward to leveraging our proven technology to help them drive sustainable growth and provide a safe and entertaining betting product for their customers in Ontario.”
Duncan Hannay, OLG President and CEO, added: “OLG strives to provide a market leading PROLINE sports betting experience for our players. We look forward to working alongside our new partner, Kambi, who offers a proven track record of product excellence and reliability, as we deliver on our commitment to give back to the people and communities of Ontario. This is an exciting step forward for both organizations.”
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Canada
High Roller Technologies Signs Letter of Intent with Kindbridge Behavioral Health to Support Responsible Gambling in Ontario
High Roller Technologies Inc., operator of the award-winning, premium online casino brands High Roller and Fruta, announced it has entered into a non-binding Letter of Intent (LOI) with Kindbridge Behavioral Health (Kindbridge) to support its commitment to responsible gambling in Ontario, subject to licensing and regulatory approval.
Through the planned partnership with Kindbridge, High Roller intends to offer eligible Ontario players who choose to self-exclude a confidential pathway to support that helps individuals understand their options and take next steps at their own pace. The experience begins with education and a guided triage process, followed by the option to connect with no-cost peer support and, when appropriate, licensed Canadian clinicians. Using a stepped-care approach, individuals can start where they feel ready and access additional support over time, based on their needs and goals.
“We believe entertainment should always be enjoyed responsibly. Partnering with Kindbridge reinforces our commitment to player wellbeing by ensuring that anyone who may be experiencing challenges with their gambling activity has access to meaningful, professional support. This collaboration reflects our responsibility not only as an operator, but as a trusted brand that puts people first,” said Seth Young, Chief Executive Officer at High Roller.
Kindbridge works with gaming operators across North America to deliver early-intervention programs designed to identify, assess, and support at-risk individuals, including integration with self-exclusion and responsible gaming workflows.
“Building strong, accessible pathways to support is an essential part of effective responsible gambling programs.nOperators are uniquely positioned to assist individuals who may be experiencing distress by helping connect them to appropriate care. We’re proud to work with High Roller to expand access to specialized clinicians and evidence-based resources, supporting healthier outcomes for players and more effective responsible gambling frameworks,” said Daniel Umfleet, Founder & CEO of Kindbridge Behavioral Health.
Seth Young, who currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of High Roller, is a current shareholder, member of the Board of Advisors, and former member of the Board of Directors at Kindbridge.
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Brightstar Lottery PLC
Brightstar Lottery Delivers Industry-Leading Sales Force Automation Solution to Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation
Brightstar Lottery PLC announced that it has deployed its Sales Wizard salesforce automation tool to the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG). Brightstar’s powerful, cloud-based Sales Wizard easily integrates with OLG’s central system and equips sales representatives with actionable insights and compelling data to identify lottery retail opportunities and make every retail visit more effective.
“Brightstar’s Sales Wizard is enabling OLG’s sales force with digital access to actionable data while unlocking operational efficiencies so that our sales representatives can make the best use of every retail visit. Sales Wizard is highly configurable so OLG can leverage this product in a variety of ways to meet our evolving business needs,” said Vanessa Theoret, OLG Sr. Director Retail Sales & Account Management.
“OLG joins 24 other lotteries in using Brightstar’s Sales Wizard to help responsibly grow sales. Sales Wizard was designed to be a flexible, convenient tool for lottery sales representatives to work strategically with retailers, providing data, reports, and insights to understand sales trends and optimize as needed,” said Scott Gunn, Brightstar Chief Operating Officer North America Lottery.
Sales Wizard is the industry-leading sales force automation tool that provides sales teams with timely, relevant information and is available in user-friendly mobile apps for greater efficiency in the field. Currently supporting more than 148,000 retailers globally, Sales Wizard provides data and insights on sales, instant ticket inventory, instant ticket facings, point-of-sale equipment and signage, and much more.
Brightstar serves nearly 90 lottery customers and their players on six continents.
The post Brightstar Lottery Delivers Industry-Leading Sales Force Automation Solution to Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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