Canada
PlayCanada: Online Casino Revenue Will Dwarf Online Sportsbooks
Online casino betting drove 153% more operator revenue and 339% more in tax revenue than sports betting last year in U.S. markets where both are legal, according to a recent analysis by PlayCanada.com, which tracks the fledgling Canadian gaming market. A similar revenue gap will likely be coming to Ontario, too, as the province prepares to open the market to private online sportsbooks and launch online casino gambling on April 4.
“Sports betting gets more attention, but it will be online casinos that deliver the truly eye-popping numbers,” said Robyn McNeil, lead analyst for PlayCanada.com. “In the U.S. states where online casino gambling has been legalized and regulated, online casino revenue dwarfs online sports betting revenue.”
Ontario plans to open to private online casino and sportsbook operators on April 4. That will make the province the sixth jurisdiction in Canada and the U.S. to legalize and regulate both online casino gaming and online sports betting, joining New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, West Virginia, and Connecticut in the United States.
When Ontario does launch, it can expect that online casinos will grab a much larger share in revenue.
In 2021, online casinos in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and West Virginia produced:
- (U.S.) $3.8 billion in gross operator revenue. By contrast, online sports betting operators produced (U.S.)$1.5 billion.
- (U.S.)$976.8 million in state and local tax revenue. Meanwhile, sportsbooks produced (U.S.)$222.4 million in state and local taxes.
The $3.8 billion in casino revenue in 2021 in those four states was more than the $3.6 billion in revenue that all U.S. online sportsbooks generated in the same year. Sports betting was legal in five times as many states last year.
Such a chasm is why operators known best for sports betting, including DraftKings and FanDuel, have joined other major North American brands, such as BetMGM, in investing heavily in their online casino products.
“Online casinos are not only more profitable than sportsbooks, but they are also less subject to the seasonal ebbs and flows that affect sports betting,” said Eric Ramsey, lead data analyst for the Play network of sites that includes PlayCanada.com and PlayOntario.com. “In the U.S., revenue from online casino betting has consistently grown month over month, and has done so for years in even the most established markets.”
Michigan, which allows online sportsbook operators to use promotional credits to offset their tax obligation, showed the greatest discrepancy in 2021. Michigan’s online casinos produced (U.S.)$1.3 billion in operator revenue, which was 281% more than the (U.S.)$292.2 million that sportsbooks generated. The online casino revenue led to a (U.S.)$279.3 million tax injection into state and local coffers, 2,364% more than the $11.3 million contribution from sportsbooks.
“The disparity in the U.S. between online casino and sportsbook revenue is instructive for Canadian regulators,” Ramsey said. “Regulators should take care in creating rules around these promotional credits, which have really sapped the tax potential from sportsbooks in some U.S. states like Michigan.”
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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.
The post High Roller Technologies Signs Letter of Intent with Kindbridge Behavioral Health to Support Responsible Gambling in Ontario appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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.
Canada
ComeOn Launches New Marketing Campaign in Ontario
ComeOn Group has launched its new marketing campaign in Ontario. The campaign underscores ComeOn Group’s long-term commitment to sustainable expansion – powered by ComeOn’s proprietary technology and a clear focus on delivering standout, personalized entertainment experiences at scale.
Since entering Ontario in 2022 with its licensed online casino offering, ComeOn Group has steadily built its presence in one of North America’s most competitive regulated markets. In late 2024, the Group reached a major strategic milestone with the launch of its full proprietary sportsbook in the province, expanding its product portfolio and strengthening its position as a full-suite iGaming operator.
The addition of sportsbook enables ComeOn to offer both casino and sports betting within a unified entertainment ecosystem. This expansion aligns with the Group’s broader global strategy to accelerate sportsbook growth, leveraging its in-house platform, trading capabilities, and risk management expertise to scale efficiently across regulated jurisdictions.
To support this next phase of growth in Ontario, ComeOn Group has shifted to an independent media planning model, activating a bold, high-frequency presence across Linear TV, Connected TV (CTV), and Digital channels. This approach reflects the Group’s product-led philosophy- pairing increased brand visibility with a seamless, personalized player journey powered by a robust, in-house technology stack built for performance and scale.
At the centre of the campaign is a series of premium television commercials starring Jeremy Piven, a long-standing ComeOn brand ambassador. Piven’s high-energy presence and authentic connection to sports reinforce the brand’s entertainment-first positioning, bringing ComeOn’s sportsbook experience to life across TV and digital. Produced by ComeOn Group’s internal creative hub, the campaign provides a cohesive creative platform that clearly differentiates the brand in a crowded market.
Efi Peleg, Chief Commercial Officer at ComeOn Group, said: “Ontario is a critical and highly competitive market for us. By shifting to independent media planning and activating a true 360-degree marketing mix, we’re not just increasing awareness – we’re demonstrating the strength of our proprietary platform and our ability to deliver a superior, personalised player experience. Our headline campaign, led by Jeremy Piven, brings our entertainment-first proposition to life and reflects our broader strategy of driving sustainable growth in key regulated markets through differentiated products and data-driven execution.”
The post ComeOn Launches New Marketing Campaign in Ontario appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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