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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The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has issued a $54,000 monetary penalty alleging Well Played Media, Unipessoal LDA promoted a deceptive bonus on its Casino Days website. The bonus offer is alleged to have encouraged high-risk behavior and failed to properly disclose key terms.
The AGCO launched an investigation triggered by a player who complained that more than $8500 in winnings had been confiscated by Casino Days. The investigation reviewed a so-called “welcome bonus” that promised new players up to $2000.
However, to qualify for the full bonus amount, players had to:
Deposit $2000 of their own money;
Wager $70,000 (35 times the deposit);
Keep each wager at or under $5; and
Complete all wagering requirements within 7 days.
Investigators also found that certain terms of the bonus offer were difficult to find, buried behind multiple links on the site.
AGCO’s analysis showed that the average player would first lose $3640 trying to earn the $2000 bonus.
According to Ontario’s igaming rules, registered operators must not offer bonus promotions that encourage harmful gambling behavior and fail to disclose key conditions appropriately. Further, operators are not permitted to entice players with bonuses that cannot reasonably be attained without significant gambling losses.
These rules are in place to protect players and support a safe, regulated market—one that stands in contrast to the risks of unregulated gambling sites.
An igaming operator served with an Order of Monetary Penalty by the AGCO Registrar has the right to appeal the Registrar’s decision to the Licence Appeal Tribunal (LAT), an adjudicative tribunal that is part of Tribunals Ontario and independent of the AGCO.
“Player protection is a non-negotiable priority for the AGCO. We expect operators to be truthful and transparent about their promotions, and we also require them to ensure that those promotions do not encourage reckless or harmful patterns of play. An offer that requires a player to sustain substantial losses for a perceived benefit is not a fair offer. This penalty sends a clear signal that we will not hesitate to take action against operators who fail to meet their obligations to protect Ontario players,” Dr. Karin Schnarr, Chief Executive Officer and Registrar of AGCO.
The post AGCO: Casino Days Penalized $54,000 for Deceptive and High-Risk Bonus Offer appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Having provided the perfect case study for the benefits of legalised online gambling in Canada, we caught up with Bede’s Chief Executive Officer, Colin Cole-Johnson, to discuss why other provinces may look to follow Ontario’s example in the future and what challenges operators will need to be ready for when they do.
With the regulated online gambling market in Ontario recently being recognised as one of the largest in the world, operators will feel there’s plenty of untapped potential to be realised not just in the province itself, but in Canada as a whole, over the coming months. And for good reason too.
Since legalising online gambling in 2022, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has established a go-to framework for how regulators introduce rules and standards that protect players and enable operators to flourish – and no better is this illustrated than in the performance of the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG), which has continued to make a hugely positive contribution in the province over the past few years.
Having already paved the way for successful open market regulation through a number of progressive initiatives, with even more yet to come – such as the proposed centralised self-exclusion model – it certainly wouldn’t be a surprise to see other organisations turn to AGCO as an example of how regulations can be introduced both sustainably and profitably; and this will likely present several opportunities for operators as well.
From Bede’s experience in the country, Canadian regulators are thorough and well organised. Any province looking to follow the success of Ontario will no doubt look to AGCO for inspiration, and this may lead to similar regulatory frameworks in other new territory launches. As the gaming community in Canada is so connected, we’ve already seen cross-operator interest in sharing regulatory knowledge, meaning there’s a wealth of information waiting to be leveraged.
As the most likely province to regulate next, Alberta has already shown a preference for following an open-market model similar to Ontario’s, with the input of various industry stakeholders set to guide the way. The onboarding process for operators seeking to enter this potentially vibrant new market is likely to follow promptly after the new framework is enacted, so existing experience and relationships within the Ontario market should prove advantageous for those looking to hit the ground running.
For Bede, our years working closely with AGCO leave us well positioned to enter additional provinces in the future, and we greatly value the guidance and support we gain from having a direct relationship with the regulator. We aspire to grow even further in Canada by forming more provincial partnerships, and our learnings from Ontario will undoubtedly form a key part of this.
Internally, we have a strong framework for new market entry and regulatory compliance that includes cross-functional representation across the business. We understand the heavy lifting that goes into a launch and the complexity of licensing and delivering a new technical solution. Our approach always involves an analysis of the requirements from a compliance, risk, audit and financial perspective, as well as identifying any gaps where our products can make an impact with the right strategic solutions.
Taking the Ontario market as an example, we’ve seen some noticeable changes in player behaviour in recent years, meaning operators must be prepared to adapt in order to keep up with emerging trends. Although we’ve seen growth for our partners in the digital space, retail remains a predominant revenue stream for Canadian operators. As digital continues to grow, it’s important to provide a seamless end-to-end experience for players across channels, to be effective omni-channel solutions.
As more choice becomes available in the market, offering competitive payment and withdrawal options will be important. A critical part of the player journey that is often overlooked is the preference among players for easy access to preferred payment methods. A great example of innovation in this area is our Lottery Direct Pay method, where players can purchase tickets directly from their card without first having to load their wallet – creating a faster user journey that appeals to a wider audience.
Aside from these payment considerations, it’s worth noting that community engagement features and personalisation are both playing a more prominent role in the Canadian gaming landscape. Particularly among younger audiences, having the ability to offer a shared experience is becoming increasingly important to generating sustained engagement. For example, we’ve already seen OLG enjoy a significant uplift in overall ticket sales since launching the innovative Lottery Group Play tool.
Similarly, the power of personalisation cannot be understated when it comes to building player activity and retention. Through partnerships with companies such as XtremePush and Future Anthem, Bede has endeavoured to utilise more machine learning and AI systems that can broaden the customisation options available for customers, while our dynamic segmentation tool enables them to target user groups more effectively and automate the player journey in real time.
Of course, from the moment Ontario launched a legalised online gambling framework, regulators were required to focus their efforts on keeping up with increased accessibility and, therefore, increased risk of harm to the public. Should another province like Alberta also legalise online gambling in future, the same challenges will exist – and this presents an important opportunity for operators to both educate players on responsible gaming protocol and enforce it.
Given Bede has been operating in highly regulated markets for over 13 years, we have both an established suite of RG tools and in-depth knowledge of how to use them effectively. Evidenced in the UK market and beyond – Bede has developed its platform to meet the tightening controls that have been issued over every aspect of online gambling – enabling operators to create their own tailored mix of tools that best support their players.
Notably, the upper limit functionality in our RG toolset gives our customers the option to monitor and respond to potential problem behaviour by setting maximum limits for specific players. The players may opt to further decrease their own limits, but they’ll be unable to exceed the maximum setting until/unless the operator removes them, reducing the harm they could potentially experience. As well as outright prevention, being able to educate a player in such a moment is equally important – and using our platform, operators can send appropriate, personalised messages to users that encourage them to alter their play and even think about setting time out periods where necessary. For example, our partners can use our Player Interaction feature to set alerts from the front end based on pre-defined player behaviours, and then use that information for RG activities; if a player returns to a page a certain number of times, it can automatically trigger personalised messages to encourage the player to set a limit.
As responsible gaming is a constantly evolving topic in Ontario and other new markets in Canada are likely to experience similar growing pains, supporting regulatory efforts through the smart adoption of harm prevention tools will be a key part of gaining a foothold. This, coupled with the other regional considerations we’ve outlined in this article will be crucial to any operator’s future success in the country; and there are definitely big opportunities on offer for those who get it right.
The post What’s next for online gambling in Canada? appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Global entertainment brand SkillOnNet is deepening its existing partnership with Stockholm-based game studio Thunderkick to launch the developer’s unique, engaging slot titles in Ontario.
The Canadian province is one of the most exciting regulated markets in North America, and the Ontario players will now gain access to Thunderkick’s full portfolio of highly acclaimed games via SkillOnNet-powered online casino brands such as PlayOJO, SlotsMagic, and SpinGenie.
Thunderkick is known for its independent, boundary-pushing slot games like Pink Elephants, Esqueleto Explosivo, and Beat the Beast and has established a strong reputation for creativity and originality in the iGaming space. The deal allows the studio to further expand its global footprint while giving Ontario players the chance to enjoy a fresh wave of premium content.
Ontario’s regulated online gaming market, which officially opened in 2022, has quickly become a key market for the iGaming industry, and SkillOnNet was among the first brands to secure licensing in the province. The expansion reinforces SkillOnNet’s commitment to delivering top-tier entertainment in regulated markets globally.
Jani Kontturi at SkillOnNet said: “Thunderkick has been a key partner of ours in other markets, and we’re delighted to bring their outstanding content to Ontario. This region is fast becoming a vital part of our operations, and we’re confident players here will respond just as positively to Thunderkick’s games as they have elsewhere.”
Mariam Dodosh, Account Manager at Thunderkick said: “We’re thrilled to expand our relationship with SkillOnNet and enter the Ontario market together. Our games have a track record of strong performance, and we’re excited to see them go live in one of the most dynamic new regions in iGaming.”
The post Thunderkick’s portfolio makes Ontario debut through SkillOnNet brands appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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