Canada
MGM Resorts International Reports Third Quarter 2021 Financial And Operating Results
MGM Resorts International reported financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2021.
“We delivered another strong quarter led by our domestic operations resulting in new historical Adjusted Property EBITDAR records for our Las Vegas Strip and U.S. regional segments. These results demonstrate the continued robust demand for our gaming entertainment offerings across the U.S. and the effectiveness of our operating model,” said Bill Hornbuckle, Chief Executive Officer and President of MGM Resorts International. “The completion of our asset light strategy will allow us to simplify our corporate structure and bolster our liquidity. I am also excited about our long-term growth prospects, including: BetMGM, which continues to establish itself as a clear leader in U.S. sports betting and iGaming; our selection as Osaka’s partner to build and operate a large-scale integrated resort in Japan; and the announcement of our agreement to acquire the operations of The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. The Company remains focused on achieving our vision to be the world’s premier gaming entertainment company.”
“Our strong liquidity position, coupled with our confidence in the long-term recovery of our core business, has allowed us to continue to focus on maximizing long-term shareholder value. To that end, we continued to repurchase our stock in the third quarter, reaching over $1 billion of share repurchases since beginning the program this year,” said Jonathan Halkyard, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of MGM Resorts International. “As we navigate future uses of our capital, we will remain disciplined in maintaining a strong balance sheet, pursuing targeted growth opportunities and returning cash to shareholders.”
Third Quarter 2021 Financial Highlights:
Consolidated Results
- Consolidated net revenues of $2.7 billion, an increase of 140% compared to the prior year quarter. While the current quarter benefited from the removal of mandated operational and capacity restrictions as well as an increase in travel, the prior year quarter was negatively affected by temporary closures at certain properties and operational restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic;
- Consolidated operating income was $1.9 billion compared to consolidated operating loss of $495 million in the prior year quarter;
- Net income attributable to MGM Resorts of $1.4 billion compared to net loss attributable to MGM Resorts of $535 million in the prior year quarter;
- Diluted earnings per share of $2.77 in the current quarter compared to diluted loss per share of $1.08 in the prior year quarter;
- Adjusted diluted earnings per share (“Adjusted EPS”)(1) of $0.03 in the current quarter compared to an Adjusted EPS loss per share of $1.08 in the prior year quarter; and
- Consolidated Adjusted EBITDAR(2) of $765 million in the current quarter.
Financial Position & Liquidity
- Consolidated cash and cash equivalents balance as of September 30, 2021 was $5.6 billion, which included $320 million at the MGP Operating Partnership and $331 million at MGM China;
- Total liquidity at September 30, 2021 was $9.8 billion, which included $1.7 billion at the MGP Operating Partnership and $1.7 billion at MGM China, which was comprised of cash and cash equivalents and capacity under the revolving credit facilities at the Company, MGP Operating Partnership and MGM China; and
- At September 30, 2021, principal amount of consolidated indebtedness was $12.7 billion, including $4.2 billion at the MGP Operating Partnership and $3.0 billion at MGM China.
Las Vegas Strip Resorts
- Net revenues of $1.4 billion, an increase of 187% compared to the prior year quarter and a decrease of 8% compared to the third quarter of 2019. While the current quarter benefited from the removal of mandated operational and capacity restrictions as well as an increase in travel, the prior year quarter was negatively affected by temporary property closures at certain properties and operational restrictions;
- Table Games Hold Adjusted Las Vegas Strip Resorts Net Revenues(3) of $1.4 billion, an increase of 178% compared to the prior year quarter and a decrease of 10% compared to the third quarter of 2019;
- Adjusted Property EBITDAR(2) of $535 million compared to $15 million in the prior year quarter, and an increase of 21% compared to the third quarter of 2019;
- Adjusted Property EBITDAR margin(2) of 38.7% in the current quarter, an increase of 943 basis points compared to the third quarter of 2019 due primarily to an increase in net revenues and realized benefits of the Company’s cost savings initiatives; and
- Table Games Hold Adjusted Las Vegas Strip Resorts Adjusted Property EBITDAR(2) of $514 million compared to $21 million in the prior year quarter, and an increase of 17% compared to the third quarter of 2019.
Regional Operations
- Net revenues of $925 million, an increase of 66% compared to the prior year quarter and a decrease of 1% compared to the third quarter of 2019. While the current quarter benefited from the removal of mandated operational and capacity restrictions as well as an increase in travel, the prior year quarter was negatively affected by temporary property closures at certain properties and operational restrictions;
- Adjusted Property EBITDAR of $348 million, an increase of 139% compared to the prior year quarter, and an increase of 29% compared to the third quarter of 2019; and
- Adjusted Property EBITDAR margin of 37.6% in the current quarter, an increase of 886 basis points compared to the third quarter of 2019 due primarily to an increase in revenues and realized benefits of the Company’s costs savings initiatives.
MGM China
- Net revenues of $289 million, an increase of 517% compared to the prior year quarter and a decrease of 61% compared to the third quarter of 2019. The prior year quarter was more significantly impacted by travel and entry restrictions in Macau as well as other operational restrictions related to the pandemic than in the current quarter;
- VIP Table Games Hold Adjusted MGM China Net Revenues(3) of $272 million, an increase of 403% compared to the prior year quarter and a decrease of 61% compared to the third quarter of 2019;
- Adjusted Property EBITDAR of $7 million compared to a loss of $96 million in the prior year quarter, and a decrease of 96% compared to the third quarter of 2019; and
- VIP Table Games Hold Adjusted MGM China Adjusted Property EBITDAR(2) loss of $2 million compared to a loss of $93 million in the prior year quarter, and $170 million in the third quarter of 2019.
Recent Developments
On September 26, 2021, the Company entered into an agreement to acquire the operations of The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas (“The Cosmopolitan”) for cash consideration of $1.625 billion, subject to customary working capital adjustments. Additionally, at closing, the Company will enter into a lease agreement for the real estate assets of The Cosmopolitan. The Cosmopolitan lease will have an initial term of 30 years with three subsequent ten-year renewal periods, exercisable at the Company’s option. The initial term of the lease provides for an initial annual cash rent of $200 million with a fixed 2% escalator for the first fifteen years, and thereafter, an escalator equal to the greater of 2% and the CPI increase during the prior year, subject to a cap of 3%. The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2022, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.
Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share
The following table reconciles diluted earnings (loss) per share (“EPS”) to Adjusted EPS (approximate EPS impact shown, per share; positive adjustments represent charges to income):
|
Three Months Ended September 30, |
2021 |
2020 |
|||||
|
Diluted earnings (loss) per share |
$ |
2.77 |
$ |
(1.08) |
|||
|
Property transactions, net |
0.01 |
0.01 |
|||||
|
Gain on consolidation of CityCenter, net |
(3.23) |
— |
|||||
|
Non-operating items: |
|||||||
|
Loss related to equity instrument |
0.10 |
— |
|||||
|
Change in fair value of MGP swaps |
— |
(0.01) |
|||||
|
Foreign currency loss on MGM China senior notes |
0.01 |
— |
|||||
|
Income tax impact on net income adjustments(1) |
0.37 |
— |
|||||
|
Adjusted diluted earnings/(loss) per share |
$ |
0.03 |
$ |
(1.08) |
|||
|
(1) |
The income tax impact includes current and deferred income tax expense based upon the nature of the adjustment and the jurisdiction in which it occurs. |
Las Vegas Strip Resorts
Casino revenue was $423 million for the third quarter of 2021 compared to $189 million in the prior year quarter, an increase of 123%, due primarily to the impact of COVID-19 in the prior year period.
The following table shows key gaming statistics for Las Vegas Strip Resorts:
|
Three Months Ended September 30, |
2021 |
2020 |
|||||
|
(Dollars in millions) |
|||||||
|
Table Games Drop |
$ |
917 |
$ |
498 |
|||
|
Table Games Win |
$ |
251 |
$ |
108 |
|||
|
Table Games Win % |
27.4 |
% |
21.6 |
% |
|||
|
Slots Handle |
$ |
3,863 |
$ |
1,944 |
|||
|
Slots Win |
$ |
369 |
$ |
183 |
|||
|
Slots Win % |
9.6 |
% |
9.4 |
% |
|||
Rooms revenue was $403 million for the third quarter of 2021 compared to $138 million in the prior year quarter, an increase of 192% due primarily to an increase in REVPAR(4) as a result of increased occupancy at our properties, the removal of mandated capacity restrictions, and increased travel in the current quarter.
The following table shows key hotel statistics for Las Vegas Strip Resorts:
|
Three Months Ended September 30, |
2021 |
2020 |
|||||
|
Occupancy %(1) |
82 |
% |
44 |
% |
|||
|
Average Daily Rate (ADR) |
$ |
181 |
$ |
139 |
|||
|
Revenue per Available Room (REVPAR)(1) |
$ |
148 |
$ |
61 |
|||
|
(1) |
Rooms that were out of service, including full and midweek closures, during the three months ended September 30, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic were excluded from the available room count when calculating hotel occupancy and REVPAR. |
Regional Operations
Casino revenue was $720 million compared to $465 million in the prior year quarter, an increase of 55% due primarily to the impact of COVID-19 in the prior year period.
The following table shows key gaming statistics for Regional Operations:
|
Three Months Ended September 30, |
2021 |
2020 |
|||||
|
(Dollars in millions) |
|||||||
|
Table Games Drop |
$ |
1,080 |
$ |
739 |
|||
|
Table Games Win |
$ |
214 |
$ |
155 |
|||
|
Table Games Win % |
19.8 |
% |
21.0 |
% |
|||
|
Slots Handle |
$ |
6,900 |
$ |
4,360 |
|||
|
Slots Win |
$ |
661 |
$ |
426 |
|||
|
Slots Win % |
9.6 |
% |
9.8 |
% |
|||
MGM China
Key third quarter results for MGM China include:
- Net revenues of $289 million, an increase of 517% compared to the prior year quarter and a decrease of 61% compared to the third quarter of 2019;
- Main floor table games win of $222 million compared to $25 million, an increase of 792% compared to the prior year quarter;
- VIP table games win of $72 million compared to $17 million, an increase of 313% compared to the prior year quarter; and
- Adjusted Property EBITDAR of $7 million compared to a loss of $96 million in the prior year quarter. License fee expense was $5 million in the current quarter and $1 million in the prior year quarter.
The following table shows key gaming statistics for MGM China:
|
Three Months Ended September 30, |
2021 |
2020 |
|||||
|
(Dollars in millions) |
|||||||
|
VIP Table Games Turnover |
$ |
1,800 |
$ |
929 |
|||
|
VIP Table Games Win |
$ |
72 |
$ |
17 |
|||
|
VIP Table Games Win % |
4.0 |
% |
1.9 |
% |
|||
|
Main Floor Table Games Drop |
$ |
1,042 |
$ |
143 |
|||
|
Main floor Table Games Win |
$ |
222 |
$ |
25 |
|||
|
Main Floor Table Games Win % |
21.3 |
% |
17.3 |
% |
|||
Corporate Expense
Corporate expense, including share-based compensation for corporate employees, increased to $112 million in the third quarter of 2021, from $70 million in the prior year quarter, due primarily to an increase in payroll expense as the prior year quarter reflected the impact of temporary closures due to the pandemic. The current quarter also included $18 million in transaction costs.
Unconsolidated Affiliates
The following table summarizes information related to the Company’s share of operating income (loss) from unconsolidated affiliates:
|
Three Months Ended September 30, |
2021 |
2020 |
|||||
|
(In thousands) |
|||||||
|
CityCenter (through September 26, 2021) |
$ |
40,747 |
$ |
(6,041) |
|||
|
MGP BREIT Venture |
38,959 |
38,976 |
|||||
|
BetMGM |
(49,060) |
(9,057) |
|||||
|
Other |
4,465 |
(3,243) |
|||||
|
$ |
35,111 |
$ |
20,635 |
||||
On September 27, 2021, the Company completed its acquisition of the 50% ownership interest in CityCenter and now owns a 100% ownership interest. Accordingly, the Company now consolidates CityCenter in its financial statements and no longer accounts for its interest under the equity method of accounting.
MGM Growth Properties
During the third quarter of 2021, the Company made rent payments to MGM Growth Properties Operating Partnership LP (“MGP Operating Partnership”) in the amount of $211 million and received distributions of $57 million from the MGP Operating Partnership. On October 15, 2021, MGM Growth Properties LLC (“MGP”) paid a dividend of $81 million, of which the Company received $58 million.
MGM Resorts Dividend and Share Repurchases
On November 3, 2021, the Company’s Board of Directors approved a quarterly dividend of $0.0025 per share. The dividend will be payable on December 15, 2021 to holders of record on December 10, 2021.
During the third quarter of 2021, the Company repurchased approximately 17 million shares of its common stock at an average price of $39.89 per share for an aggregate amount of $687 million, pursuant to the February 2020 $3.0 billion stock repurchase plan. The remaining availability under the February 2020 $3.0 billion stock repurchase program was $2.0 billion as of September 30, 2021. All shares repurchased under the Company’s program have been retired.
Conference Call Details
MGM Resorts will host a conference call at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time today, which will include a brief discussion of the results followed by a question and answer session. In addition, supplemental slides will be posted prior to the start of the call on MGM’s Investor Relations website at http://investors.mgmresorts.com.
The call will be accessible via the Internet through http://investors.mgmresorts.com/investors/events-and-presentations/ or by calling 1-888-317-6003 for domestic callers and 1-412-317-6061 for international callers. The conference call access code is 3239200.
A replay of the call will be available through November 10, 2021. The replay may be accessed by dialing 1-877-344-7529 or 1-412-317-0088. The replay access code is 10160477. The call will be archived at http://investors.mgmresorts.com.
1.”Adjusted EPS” is diluted earnings or loss per share adjusted to exclude preopening and start-up expenses, property transactions, net, gain on consolidation of City Center, net, loss related to equity instrument, foreign currency loss related to MGM China’s U.S. dollar-denominated debt, and mark-to-market adjustments related to MGP’s unhedged interest rate swaps.
Adjusted EPS is a non-GAAP measure and is presented solely as a supplemental disclosure to reported GAAP measures because management believes this measure is useful in providing period-to-period comparisons of the results of the Company’s continuing operations to assist investors in reviewing the Company’s operating performance over time. Management believes that while certain items excluded from Adjusted EPS may be recurring in nature and should not be disregarded in evaluating the Company’s earnings performance, it is useful to exclude such items when comparing current performance to prior periods because these items can vary significantly depending on specific underlying transactions or events. Also, management believes certain excluded items, and items further discussed in footnote 2 below, may not relate specifically to current operating trends or be indicative of future results. Adjusted EPS should not be construed as an alternative to GAAP earnings per share as an indicator of the Company’s performance. In addition, Adjusted EPS may not be defined in the same manner by all companies and, as a result, may not be comparable to similarly titled non-GAAP financial measures of other companies. A reconciliation of Adjusted EPS to diluted earnings per share can be found under “Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share” included in this release.
2.”Adjusted EBITDAR” is earnings before interest and other non-operating income (expense), taxes, depreciation and amortization, preopening and start-up expenses, gain on REIT transactions, net, gain on consolidation of CityCenter, net, CEO transition expense, October 1 litigation settlement, restructuring costs (which represents costs related to severance, accelerated stock compensation expense, and consulting fees directly related to the operating model component of the MGM 2020 Plan), gain related to CityCenter’s sale of Harmon land recorded within income from unconsolidated affiliates, rent expense associated with triple net operating and ground leases, income from unconsolidated affiliates related to investments in real estate ventures, and property transactions, net.
“Adjusted Property EBITDAR” is the Company’s reportable segment GAAP measure, which management utilizes as the primary profit measure for its reportable segments and underlying operating segments. Adjusted Property EBITDAR is a measure defined as earnings before interest and other non-operating income (expense), taxes, depreciation and amortization, preopening and start-up expenses, gain on REIT transactions, net, restructuring costs (which represents costs related to severance, accelerated stock compensation expense, and consulting fees directly related to the operating model component of the MGM 2020 Plan), rent expense associated with triple-net operating and ground leases, income from unconsolidated affiliates related to investments in real estate ventures, and property transactions, net, and also excludes gain on consolidation of CityCenter, net, gain related to CityCenter’s sale of Harmon land recorded within income from unconsolidated affiliates and corporate expense (which includes CEO transition expense and October 1 litigation settlement) and stock compensation expense, which are not allocated to each operating segment, and rent expense related to the master lease with MGP that eliminates in consolidation.
“Table Games Hold Adjusted Las Vegas Strip Resorts Adjusted Property EBITDAR” and “VIP Table Games Hold Adjusted MGM China Adjusted Property EBITDAR” are supplemental non-GAAP financial measures, that, in addition to the reasons described above for the presentation of Adjusted Property EBITDAR, are presented to adjust for the impact of certain variances in table games and VIP table games’ win percentages compared to the mid-point of the expected ranges. Table Games Hold Adjusted Las Vegas Strip Resorts Adjusted Property EBITDAR is calculated by applying a win percentage of 30.0% for Baccarat and 21.0% for non-Baccarat games to the respective table games drops for the quarter, which represents the mid-point of the expected ranges of 25.0% to 35.0% for Baccarat and 19.0% to 23.0% for non-Baccarat at the Las Vegas Strip Resorts properties. VIP Table Games Hold Adjusted MGM China Adjusted Property EBITDAR is based on applying a VIP Rolling Chip win percentage of 2.95% to the VIP Rolling Chip volume, which represents the mid-point of the expected normal range of 2.6% to 3.3% for MGM China. Table Games Hold Adjusted Las Vegas Strip Resorts Adjusted Property EBITDAR and VIP Table Games Hold Adjusted MGM China Adjusted Property EBITDAR are also adjusted for the gaming taxes, VIP commissions, bad debt expense, discounts and other incentives that would have been incurred or avoided when applying the win percentages noted above to the respective gaming volumes.
Adjusted EBITDAR information is a valuation metric, should not be used as an operating metric, and is presented solely as a supplemental disclosure to reported GAAP measures because management believes this measure is widely used by analysts, lenders, financial institutions, and investors as a principal basis for the valuation of gaming companies. Management believes that while items excluded from Adjusted EBITDAR may be recurring in nature and should not be disregarded in evaluation of the Company’s earnings performance, it is useful to exclude such items when analyzing current results and trends. Also, management believes excluded items may not relate specifically to current trends or be indicative of future results. For example, preopening and start-up expenses will be significantly different in periods when the Company is developing and constructing a major expansion project and will depend on where the current period lies within the development cycle, as well as the size and scope of the project(s). Property transactions, net includes normal recurring disposals, gains and losses on sales of assets related to specific assets within the Company’s resorts, but also includes gains or losses on sales of an entire operating resort or a group of resorts and impairment charges on entire asset groups or investments in unconsolidated affiliates, which may not be comparable period over period. In addition, management excludes rent expense associated with triple net operating leases and ground leases. Management believes excluding rent expense associated with triple net operating leases and ground leases provides useful information to analysts, lenders, financial institutions, and investors when valuing the Company, as well as comparing the Company’s results to other gaming companies, without regard to differences in capital structure and leasing arrangements since the operations of other gaming companies may or may not include triple net operating leases or ground leases. However, as discussed herein, Adjusted EBITDAR should not be viewed as a measure of overall operating performance, considered in isolation, or as an alternative to net income, because this measure is not presented on a GAAP basis and excludes certain expenses, including the rent expense associated with the Company’s triple net operating and ground leases, and are provided for the limited purposes discussed herein.
Adjusted EBITDAR, Table Games Hold Adjusted Las Vegas Strip Resorts Adjusted Property EBITDAR and VIP Table Games Hold Adjusted MGM China Adjusted Property EBITDAR should not be construed as alternatives to operating income or net income, as indicators of the Company’s performance; or as alternatives to cash flows from operating activities, as measures of liquidity; or as any other measure determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The Company has significant uses of cash flows, including capital expenditures, interest payments, taxes, real estate triple net lease and ground lease payments, and debt principal repayments, which are not reflected in Adjusted EBITDAR, Table Games Hold Adjusted Las Vegas Strip Resorts Adjusted Property EBITDAR, or VIP Table Games Hold Adjusted MGM China Adjusted Property EBITDAR. Also, other companies in the gaming and hospitality industries that report Adjusted EBITDAR, Table Games Hold Adjusted Las Vegas Strip Resorts Adjusted Property EBITDAR, or VIP Table Games Hold Adjusted MGM China Adjusted Property EBITDAR information may calculate Adjusted EBITDAR, Table Games Hold Adjusted Las Vegas Strip Resorts Adjusted Property EBITDAR, or VIP Table Games Hold Adjusted MGM China Adjusted Property EBITDAR in a different manner and such differences may be material.
A reconciliation of GAAP net income (loss) to Adjusted EBITDAR is included in the financial schedules in this release.
3.”Table Games Hold Adjusted Las Vegas Strip Resorts Net Revenues” and “VIP Table Games Hold Adjusted MGM China Net Revenues” are additional supplemental non-GAAP financial measures that are presented to adjust Las Vegas Strip Resorts net revenues and MGM China net revenues for the impact of certain variances in table games and VIP table games’ win percentages compared to the mid-point of the expected ranges, as described in footnote 2 above. Table Games Hold Adjusted Las Vegas Strip Resorts Net Revenues and VIP Table Games Hold Adjusted MGM China Net Revenues are also adjusted for the VIP commissions, discounts and other incentives that would have been incurred or avoided when applying the win percentages noted in footnote 2 above to the respective gaming volumes. Management believes Table Games Hold Adjusted Las Vegas Strip Resorts Net Revenues and VIP Table Games Hold Adjusted MGM China Net Revenues present consistent measures in providing period-to-period comparisons and are useful measures in assisting investors evaluating the Company’s operating performance. Table Games Hold Adjusted Las Vegas Strip Resorts Net Revenues and VIP Table Games Hold Adjusted MGM China Net Revenues should not be construed as alternatives to GAAP net revenues, as indicators of the Company’s performance, or as any other measure determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Reconciliations of GAAP net revenues to Table Games Hold Adjusted Las Vegas Strip Resorts Net Revenues and VIP Table Games Hold Adjusted MGM China Net Revenues are included in the financial schedules in this release.
4.REVPAR is hotel revenue per available room.
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British Columbia Lottery Corporation
SCCG Management Signs Contract with British Columbia Lottery Corporation
SCCG Management has signed a contract with the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC), the B.C. Crown corporation which conducts and manages commercial gambling in the province, including lotteries, casinos, and online gaming. This partnership aims to undertake a comprehensive assessment and strategic enhancement of BCLC’s diverse operations.
The work between SCCG and BCLC will involve a thorough review of technological infrastructures, strategic market positioning, and the integration of various gaming modalities. SCCG’s extensive expertise will be pivotal in harmonizing BCLC’s online and physical gaming experiences.
Stephen Crystal, Founder and CEO of SCCG Management, said: “Our collaboration with BCLC represents a remarkable opportunity to push the boundaries of innovation within the gaming industry. We are committed to deploying our resources and expertise to enhance BCLC’s operational efficiencies and customer engagement strategies. It’s an honor to partner with an organization that has a robust impact on the community through its support of public initiatives.”
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has mandated all Ontario-registered sportsbook operators to halt offering and accepting wagers on World Boxing Association (WBA) events immediately. This measure is being taken to protect the Ontario betting public following concerns that WBA-sanctioned boxing matches are not adequately being safeguarded against match-fixing and insider betting.
Since December 2023, the AGCO has been conducting a comprehensive review of suspicious wagering activity on a WBA-sanctioned title fight between Yoenis Tellez and Livan Navarro that was held in Orlando, Florida. Suspicious betting patterns on the bout lasting over 5.5 rounds were reported to the AGCO by two registered independent integrity monitors and detected in Ontario by a registered igaming operator. Media reports also alleged that Tellez’s Manager placed $110,000 on the match lasting longer than 5.5 rounds at a Florida casino. The bout ended with Tellez knocking out Navarro in the 10th round.
Following an intensive review that included outreach to the WBA, Ontario-registered gaming operators, independent integrity monitors, and regulators in other jurisdictions, the AGCO has concluded that bets related to WBA events do not currently meet the Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming.
The AGCO requires all Ontario-registered gaming operators to ensure the sport betting products they offer are on events that are effectively supervised by a sport governing body. At a minimum, the sport governing body must have and enforce codes of conduct that prohibit betting by insiders.
Registered gaming operators were unable to demonstrate to the AGCO that the WBA prohibits betting from insiders, which could include an athlete’s coaches, managers, handlers, athletic trainers, medical professionals, or others with access to non-public information. Further, registered gaming operators were unable to demonstrate that the WBA took any action to investigate or enforce the allegations of potential match-fixing and insider wagering.
The AGCO has indicated to registered operators that in order for WBA betting products to be reinstated in Ontario, operators must demonstrate that the WBA effectively supervises its events, thus bringing them into compliance with the Registrar’s Standards. In December 2022, the AGCO required gaming operators to stop offering bets on UFC events for similar issues related to insider betting safeguards. Within a month, UFC amended its policies and implemented new protocols that allowed the AGCO to reinstate betting on UFC events in the province.
“Ontarians who wish to bet on sporting events need to be confident that those events are fairly run, and that clear integrity safeguards are in place and enforced by an effective sport governing body. Knowing the popularity of boxing in Ontario, we look forward to reinstating betting on WBA events once appropriate safeguards against possible match-fixing and insider betting have been confirmed,” Dr. Karin Schnarr, Registrar and CEO of AGCO, said.
Andrew Cochrane Chief Business Officer of GiG
GiG increases Ontario market presence, powering the launch of Casino Time
Gaming Innovation Group Inc. (GiG), has announced the launch of Casino Time, powered by its award winning iGaming platform and pioneering real-time rules engine LogicX, with revolutionary sportsbook, SportX soon to follow, to further extend its footprint in the regulated Canadian province of Ontario.
The launch of Casino Time carries extra significance, marking only the second time that on-demand, regulated online Bingo has been made available in Ontario. The new Bingo product vertical, launched alongside a strong Casino offering, will be boosted by GiG’s new sportsbook, SportX, as part of a planned release later this year.
GiG has focused its solutions on driving exponential growth in revenue for operators with its highly scalable iGaming platform, offering localised third party content and leading suppliers for the Ontarian market. GiGs peerless gamification layer creates an optimised and immersive casino experience tailored to regional preferences, swelling client retention and player engagement.
Canadian owned and operated, Casino Time is a joint venture amongst leading retail operators in Ontario’s Charitable Gaming sector, delivering Bingo, Slots and Live Dealer Casino Games. Promising a personalised service and community experience, Casino Time is continuing its long-standing partnership with local charities, introducing its joint fundraising model into the iGaming space for the first time.
Now coming towards the end of its second year of licensed operations, Ontario has emerged as one of the largest iGaming markets in North America, second only to New Jersey according to data supplied by Vixio. The first and as yet only Canadian province to launch a regulated market, Ontario boasts more than 1.6 million active player accounts spread over 40 plus operators, generating €1.3 billion in Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) in its first year of trading, with this data supplied by iGaming Ontario.
Andrew Cochrane, Chief Business Officer of GiG, said: “GiG continues to set the pace with a strong cadence of brand launches in 2024, and I’m pleased that when operators are seeking platform solutions in regulated markets, GiG is leading the pack. Our partnership with Casino Time, will help deliver something new and exciting to the Ontarian market, and further helps to demonstrate the flexibility of our solutions, adapting to match the regional aspirations of our partners to deliver growth.”
D’Arcy Stuart, CEO of Casino Time, said: “We are thrilled to partner with GiG as the core technology provider of our iGaming platform. Their powerful suite of player engagement tools, as well as diverse content and regulatory integrations, underpin our ability to serve and delight our player community. Our hybrid online and offline customer network, as well as unique bingo offerings, will drive exciting opportunities as the platform and the marketplace continues to grow.”
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