Canada
Writer and Crime Historian with Family Ties to the Outlaw Entrepreneurship of Early Las Vegas Gaming Shares His Stories at Casino Collectibles Show

You might say J. Michael Niotta, Ph.D., has a personal interest in the roots of gaming in Southern California and Las Vegas. His great grandfather was LA “Godfather” Jack Dragna who, along with partners like Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel, helped pioneer the offshore gambling industry and the racing wire service. Many of the early casino pioneers of Las Vegas cut their teeth as part of West coast organized crime. Dr. Niotta spent a quarter century researching Southern California’s sometimes sordid past to author a history of the fascinating life of his Great Grandfather, and three other non-fiction books covering old money, bootlegging, gambling barons and Italian life in the 1940s. He recently appeared in the documentary American Mafia: The Rise and Fall of Organized Crime in Las Vegas, which covers Guy McAfee and Jack Dragna’s part in shaping early Las Vegas. Dr. Niotta has appeared as a subject matter expert on Disney+, NatGeo, and the Travel Channel and has lectured at the Las Vegas Mob Museum. His new book on the floating casinos of Southern California is due for release later this year.
J. Michael Niotta is happy to share his stories of the early history of organized crime at the Casino Collectibles Association’s 29th annual show. He will greet those attending the World’s Largest Casino Chip and Collectibles Show on day two from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday June 17, at the South Point Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. The show runs Thursday, Friday and Saturday, June 16 -18, 2022.
The World’s Largest Casino Chip and Collectibles Show is open to the public and offers the
greatest collection of casino memorabilia, souvenirs and keepsakes ever assembled in a single location. Attendees will be able to browse souvenirs of nearly everything casino related, including gaming table chips, slot machines, slot cards, tokens and glass, dice, playing cards, matchbooks, menus, dinnerware, swizzle sticks, post cards, photos and more. Over 50 worldwide dealers will be on hand to offer attendees the unique opportunity to examine, buy, sell, or trade casino collectibles.
The Casino Collectibles Association is a club with over 1,000 members who passionately share the hobby of collecting and preserving the past. Show registration and admission is open to the public June 16, 10 AM – 5 PM (admission $10), June 17, 9 AM – 4 PM (admission $5) and June 18, 9 AM – 4 PM (admission is free).
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Canada
absolutebet Secures AGCO Registration as an Internet Gaming Operator in Ontario

Internet Gaming Operator by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).
This significant milestone authorizes absolutebet to offer regulated iGaming services in Ontario’s legal market under the oversight of AGCO and iGaming Ontario (iGO).
The registration marks a key step in absolutebet’s mission to bring a trusted, responsible, and innovative online casino experience to Ontario players. absolutebet is committed to operating with integrity and transparency, meeting all provincial standards for player protection, responsible gambling, anti-money laundering, and game integrity.
“Securing AGCO registration is more than a milestone—it’s the start of absolutebet’s journey in one of the most exciting regulated markets in the world,” said Chen Truman, Founder of absolutebet. “We are building a brand that will grow with the Ontario community and set the stage for future expansion.”
On the regulatory milestone, Krisztina Kalla, Legal & Regulatory Compliance Advisor of absolutebet, commented: “I’m incredibly proud to see all the hard work behind this license pay off. Securing AGCO registration has taken months of preparation and close collaboration with regulators and partners. I am very happy to see the result of that work, and even more excited as we move into the launch phase and open up the absolutebet community to Ontario players in a fun and responsible way.”
Ontario is recognized as one of the most competitive and fast-growing regulated iGaming markets in North America. With AGCO registration secured, absolutebet will move forward with the final stages of its iGO onboarding process in preparation for launch.
The post absolutebet Secures AGCO Registration as an Internet Gaming Operator in Ontario appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Alex Malchenko Head of Sales at Evoplay
Evoplay strengthens Ontario presence in partnership with Caesars Entertainment

Evoplay, the award-winning game development studio, has partnered with Caesars Entertainment to expand its footprint in the Canadian market, following its initial entry earlier this year. The partnership integrates 20 of the studio’s top-performing titles onto Caesars Palace Online Casino, Horseshoe Online Casino and Caesars Sportsbook & Casino in Ontario, including fan-favourites such as Hot Triple Sevens, Triple Chili, and The Greatest Catch Bonus Buy.
Having announced its official entrance into Ontario in March, the collaboration with Caesars marks a significant step in Evoplay’s local strategy. Further standout releases, such as Inner Fire Bonus Buy and Hot Volcano, also launched as part of the initial package, with additional player favourites, including Fruit Nova and Ice Mania.
The collaboration underlines Evoplay’s commitment to working with leading operators to deliver high-quality content tailored to regional audiences.
Alex Malchenko, Head of Sales at Evoplay, said: “Launching with Caesars in Ontario marks a key milestone in our North American strategy.
“It reflects both the strength of our portfolio and our commitment to providing innovative, high-performing content to operators of the highest caliber.”
Ricardo Cornejo Rivas, Vice President of Online Gaming at Caesars Digital, said: “Evoplay brings a fresh and dynamic approach to online gaming, which we’re excited to offer to our players in Ontario. This portfolio of standout titles adds to our growing content library and furthering our ongoing goal of delivering top-tier entertainment experiences to our players.”
The post Evoplay strengthens Ontario presence in partnership with Caesars Entertainment appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Canada
iGaming Ontario Appoints Joseph Hillier as its New President and CEO

The iGaming Ontario Board of Directors has announced Joseph Hillier as the organization’s new President and Chief Executive Officer, effective September 8, 2025. Joseph’s depth in the Ontario igaming market combined with successful public and private sector careers make him the ideal President and CEO at this critical point in iGaming Ontario’s growth.
Joseph was most recently Chief Strategy Officer and Corporate Secretary at the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), where he delivered significant strategic and regulatory initiatives across the province’s alcohol, cannabis, gaming, and horse racing sectors. Prior to the AGCO, he served as Chief of Staff to Ontario Attorney General Hon. Doug Downey and led the development, launch and implementation of Canada’s first private sector-driven igaming market and the creation of iGaming Ontario. Joseph also spent more than a decade working in the financial and legal services sectors.
The Board expressed its sincere thanks to David Smith for serving as Interim President and Chief Executive Officer since Martha Otton’s retirement.
The post iGaming Ontario Appoints Joseph Hillier as its New President and CEO appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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