Canada

East Coast Gaming Congress Announces Revised Schedule for 25th Annual Conference September 21-23 at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City

Published

4 years ago

September 12, 2022

The 25^th annual East Coast Gaming Congress will feature more than 50 speakers, including top CEOs, the Governor of New Jersey, and scores of industry experts as it convenes September 21-23 at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City.

Several hundred gaming industry leaders, legislators, regulators, educators, suppliers, gaming lawyers, media, and other stakeholders will attend the conference’s Silver Jubilee to learn more about the trends, challenges, and critical issues facing all segments of the gaming industries.

The luncheon will feature a keynote address from Hon. Phil Murphy, Governor of New Jersey, and will also include the presentation of a Lifetime Achievement Award to industry veteran Virginia McDowell.

Bill Miller, President and CEO, American Gaming Association, will provide an update and analysis on national issues.

The revised schedule, announced today, includes:

Wednesday, September 21

5:00 pm – 7:00 pm Registration

6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Welcome Cocktail Reception, Hard Rock Café, SPONSORED BY: Sightline

Thursday, September 22

7:00 am Continental Breakfast

8:15 am Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small, Sr.

James T. Plousis, Chairman, New Jersey Casino Control Commission

Opening Keynote: Bill Miller, CEO, American Gaming Association

8:50 am – 9:40 am Sports Betting: Which Model Is Working Best?

Now legal and active in 31 US jurisdictions, it seems no two states have the same sports betting model. From an online-only model to a model offering dozens of skins to one offering tax rates four to five times higher than others, states have created their own schemes in an effort to maximize results. But which model is working best? And should this be measured by GGR – or by state tax receipts? Do high tax rates matter? Operators and legislators debate.

Moderator: John Atkinson, Director of Business Development, Sports Illustrated Sportsbook/888 Holdings

Senator Jon Ford, State of Indiana; President, NCLGS
Gina Smith, Deputy Director of Gaming Compliance, Virginia Lottery
Elizabeth Suever, Vice President, Government Relations, Bally’s Corporation
Andrew Winchell, Director of Government Affairs, FanDuel

9:45 am – 11:15 am Industry Leaders Roundtable I

In the first segment of our ECGC signature roundtable events, these top executives from leading gaming companies gather to discuss the status and future of their industry.

Moderator: Lynne Levin Kaufman, Partner and Co-Chair, Gaming & iGaming Group, Cooper Levenson

James F. Allen, Chairman, Hard Rock International and CEO, Seminole Gaming

David Cordish, Chairman, The Cordish Companies

Jay Dorris, CEO, PCI Gaming Authority

Jason Guyot, President and CEO, Foxwoods Resort Casino

E. Brian Hansberry, President, Delaware North, Gaming

11:15 am – 11:45 am Networking Break

11:50 am – 12:40 pm Analyze This

Sports betting and igaming operators are spending tons on advertising and promotions. Is this smart? Casinos are facing competition from digital gaming and now even their own state lotteries. What does their future hold? Traditional casino companies have bought digital providers, technology companies and even media companies. How are these acquisitions panning out? Join a panel of distinguished Wall Street analysts and investors for a no-holds-barred discussion of the gaming industry from a financial perspective.

Moderator: David Isaacson, Senior Vice President, Spectrum Gaming Capital

Gabriel Fineberg, Vice President, Beach Point Capital Management
Colin Mansfield, Sector Head – US Gaming & Leisure, Fitch Ratings
Joel Simkins, Managing Director, Houlihan Lokey
Teddy Swigert, Managing Director, Credit Suisse

12:45 pm – 2:00 pm Luncheon – Keynote Speaker: New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy

– Lifetime Achievement Award Presentation to Virginia McDowell

2:00 pm – 2:50 pm Is Gaming Growing Responsibly?

Gaming is still growing, thanks to high-growth segments such as sports betting, ilottery, and igaming. But are legislators, regulators and operators ensuring that responsible-gaming programs have the necessary resources to keep pace with the rise in the number of gamblers and their increasing expenditures? What technology is – or should be available – to help both programs and gamblers? Are research projects adequately assessing the behaviors associated with the new generation of gaming?

Moderator: Marlene Warner, Principal, Spectrum Safer Gaming Advisors, and Executive Director, Massachusetts Council on Gaming and Health

Shawn Fluharty, Minority Whip, West Virginia House of Delegates
Elizabeth Lanza, Director, Office of Compulsive and Problem Gambling, Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board
Lia Nower, J.D., Ph.D., Director, Center for Gambling Studies, Rutgers University
Richard L. Taylor, Jr., Responsible Gaming Program Manager, BetMGM

2:55 pm – 3:45 pm The Northeast Cauldron

Casino operators throughout the intensively competitive Northeast not only have to compete among themselves these days, but also with digital gaming operators (both casino and sportsbook), rapidly evolving state lottery games, and, in some cases, the rapid spread of unregulated gaming devices in retail locations. How do land-based casinos continue to thrive in this environment, and do they view other forms of gaming as an opportunity or a threat? Operators from four states assess the state of play in the region.

Moderator: Joseph Weinert, Executive VP, Spectrum Gaming Group

Anthony Faranca, President, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City
Eric Hausler, CEO, Greenwood Racing (PARX Casino)
David Martinelli, Jr., Chief Marketing Officer, Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment
Robert Norton, President, Cordish Gaming Group

3:45 pm – 4:00 pm Networking Break

4:00 pm – 5:30 pm Industry Leaders Roundtable II

In the second segment of our ECGC signature roundtable events, these top executives from leading gaming companies gather to discuss the status and future of their industry.

Moderator: Juliann Barreto, Chief Operating Officer, Spectrum Gaming Group

Kevin Jones, Chief Strategy and Legal Officer, Resorts World Casino and Genting Americas
Jette Nygaard-Andersen, CEO, Entain
Ray Pineault, President and CEO, Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment
Thomas Reeg, CEO, Caesars Entertainment
Jay Snowden, CEO, Penn National Gaming

6 pm – 8 pm Silver Anniversary Celebration, Council Oak Steaks & Seafood, Hard Rock Hotel &
Casino, SPONSORED BY: Meet AC

Friday, September 23

7:00 am Continental Breakfast

8:30 am Keynote Address – Howard S. Mittman, President, 888 US, Inc.

8:50 am – 9:40 am The Best Things in Gaming Right Now Are …

Sports betting is growing rapidly … historical horse racing is expanding where slots cannot … esports is just beginning to tie itself to gaming … the movement to cashless casino gaming is starting to take root. So, what exactly do casino operators and suppliers think are the best things going for the gaming industry at large?

Moderator: Lucas Levenson, Attorney, Cooper Levenson, Attorneys at Law

Brooke Fiumara, Chief Executive Officer, OPTX
Grant Johnson, Chief Executive Officer & Chairman, Esports Entertainment Group
Mandi Hart, Chief Client Solutions Officer, Sightline Payments
Deron Hunsberger, Chief Commercial Officer, Ainsworth Game Technology

9:45 am – 10:35 am State Regulators: Keeping Their Promise to Keep Pace?

When new technology brings forth new games, new ways to play those games, or new ways to transact money, gaming operators and suppliers want it – now! Ultimately, state gaming regulators determine whether – or how fast – such technology can be offered to the consumer. Are the regulators doing this quickly enough? Do they have the physical and human resources needed to keep pace in the rapidly evolving gaming industry? Regulators discuss this critical issue.

Moderator: Cyrus Pitre, Chief Enforcement Counsel, Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board

Stephen Cook, Chief Counsel, Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board
Cathy Judd-Stein, Chair, Massachusetts Gaming Commission
John Martin, Executive Director, Maryland Lottery
David Rebuck, Director, New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement
June E. Taylor, Chair, Ohio Casino Control Commission

10:35 am – 10:55 am Networking Break

10:55 am – 11:45 am Whither Igaming?

The limited rollout of igaming nationwide stands in stark contrast to the rollout of sports betting. Whereas 30 jurisdictions launched sports betting within 3½ years of the Supreme Court overturning the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act in 2018 – including 21 that offer digital betting – only six states have launched igaming in the 8½ years since it began in 2013. One reason for the states’ caution toward igaming may be their concern for their casinos. Is such concern justified? Why the slow rollout of igaming? Will the rapid adoption of digital sports betting speed up the adoption of igaming?

Moderator: Sherry Amos, Principal, Spectrum Gaming Hospitality Group

Howard Glaser, Global Head of Government Affairs and Legislative Counsel, Light & Wonder
Jeffrey Millar, Commercial Director, North America, Evolution
Richard Schwartz, Chief Executive Officer, Rush Street Interactive
Luisa Woods, Vice President, Marketing, Gaming & Entertainment, Delaware North

11:55 am – 12:45 pm Creating One Industry: Lotteries, Gaming

Lotteries and casinos have historically been separate industries. The Digital revolution is changing that. As ilottery and lottery courier services emerge, and as lotteries delve into sports betting and other shared verticals, what are the implications for policies and profits? At the same time, lotteries and casinos share a common challenge: unregulated slot machines.

Moderator: James A. Carey, Jr., Executive Director, New Jersey Lottery

Scott Bowen, Government Affairs Specialist, NeoPollard Interactive; former Commissioner, Michigan Lottery
Peggy Daniel, US General Manager, The Lotter/New Jersey Lotto LLC
Drew Svitko, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Lottery
Richard Weil, President, Richard Weil Group; Principal, Spectrum Gaming Lottery Group

Schedule is subject to change. For additional conference or sponsorship information, visit http://www.ecgc.us or contact Donna Vecere at [email protected].

The full conference schedule and registration is at www.ecgc.us. ECGC is organized and produced by Cooper Levenson, Attorneys at Law; Spectrum Gaming Group; Esports Entertainment Group; and Sports Illustrated Sportsbook.

BGaming

CasinoCanada launches free social slot tournament

Published

1 day ago

May 15, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

casinocanada-launches-free-social-slot-tournament

CasinoCanada.com launches a new social tournament system built around free-to-enter slot competitions, combining daily, weekly, and monthly events with leaderboards, bonus prizes, and exclusive merchandise.

The tournaments are powered entirely by BGaming slots, marking the first industry collaboration between an affiliate brand and BGaming focused specifically on social tournament engagement.

Participation in all tournaments is free for registered users of legal gambling age.

Players compete across rotating tournaments featuring a changing lineup of BGaming titles, including hit titles Aztec Magic Bonanza, Bonanza Billion, and Elvis Frog, among others.

Prizes include various bonuses and free spins from CasinoCanada partner casinos.

Selected special tournaments also feature exclusive BGaming merchandise prizes.

Tournament performance is reflected in public leaderboards, adding a competitive and community-driven layer to the CasinoCanada experience.

While social slot tournaments have become increasingly common in iGaming, many existing formats are built around the same providers and similar tournament structures.

CasinoCanada’s approach focuses on free participation, rotating BGaming content, partner casino bonus rewards, merchandise prizes, and recurring competition.

Eugene Ravdin, Head of PR at CasinoCanada, said: “The affiliate industry is moving beyond static review pages and traditional bonus listings. Community features, recurring engagement formats, and social competition are becoming increasingly important for long-term audience retention.

“Our goal is to create something more interactive and community-driven while also giving more visibility to BGaming’s slot portfolio through a format that players can engage with on a daily basis.”

Kate Puteiko, CMO at BGaming, said: “Players and the community have always been the beating heart of everything we do here at BGaming.

Online play no longer has to be a solitary activity, and tournaments like this are an excellent way to connect players and enhance everyone’s experience.

CasinoCanada shares this vision, and this collaboration is a natural extension of that.

We are excited to see our games front and centre of these tournaments and for players to begin creating memorable moments competing with them.”

CasinoCanada plans to introduce additional community features in the future, including gamification systems and forum functionality designed to expand user interaction around the tournament ecosystem.

The tournaments are now live at: https://casinocanada.com/tournaments/

The post CasinoCanada launches free social slot tournament appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Betnova

Delasport Accelerates Canadian Growth

Published

2 days ago

May 15, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

Delasport continues to strengthen its position in the Canadian regulated market, now powering three live brands in Ontario while preparing for further expansion into Alberta as the province moves toward opening its regulated online gaming market.

Delasport’s technology is currently live in Ontario with TitanPlay.ca, Maverick Games, and Betnova.ca. The company provides a combination of full turnkey platform solutions of Casino, Sport, Player Account Management and Managed Services as well as its high-performance Sportsbook iFrame technology. This enables operators to launch quickly while delivering a premium user experience tailored to the Canadian audience.

With Ontario continuing to establish itself as one of North America’s most competitive regulated markets, Delasport’s growing local presence reflects the company’s long-term commitment to Canada and its confidence in the market’s continued evolution.

“Ontario is a strategically important market for us, and it has already proven to be a strong success story. Seeing multiple brands successfully operating on our technology and services demonstrates the strength of our platform in acquiring and retaining players in Ontario. We’re excited to continue this momentum as we prepare for Alberta,” said Oren Cohen Shwartz, CEO of Delasport.

As part of its next phase of Canadian growth, Delasport has officially applied for Alberta’s upcoming B2B licensing framework and is already preparing to go live with a partner operator once the market opens.

The company’s Canadian momentum is further supported by its mobile-first approach. TitanPlay’s iOS application is already available on the Apple App Store for users in Ontario, delivering a seamless casino and sportsbook experience powered by Delasport technology.

Delasport’s platform in Canada includes a wide range of personalization and engagement tools designed to enhance user retention and entertainment value.

The company has continued to position itself as one of the industry’s leading providers in regulated markets worldwide, with a strong focus on scalable technology, localization, compliance, and player-centric innovation.

The post Delasport Accelerates Canadian Growth appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Canada

Responsible Gambling Council Urges Financial Institutions to Strengthen Protections Against Gambling Harm

Published

2 days ago

May 15, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

responsible-gambling-council-urges-financial-institutions-to-strengthen-protections-against-gambling-harm

The Responsible Gambling Council (RGC) has urged Canada’s financial sector to take a proactive role in mitigating gambling-related financial harm. A new whitepaper released highlights how banks and credit unions are uniquely positioned to protect the financial well-being of their customers.

The whitepaper, Opportunities for Impact: The Role of Financial Institutions in Mitigating Gambling-Related Harm, argues that financial institutions have a unique duty of care. Financial institutions have direct access to gambling transaction data that reveals early warning signs of financial vulnerability. These indicators include rapidly shrinking savings and an increased reliance on overdrafts or credit.

“The rapid expansion of regulated gambling in Canada requires an evolved response from our financial systems. By adopting tools already proven in other jurisdictions, Canadian banks can become leaders in protecting customer financial health,” said Tracy Parker, SVP, Accreditation, Advisory & Insights at RGC.

Jurisdictions like the UK and Australia have already recognized the powerful role financial institutions play. Banks such as Monzo and Starling in the UK were the first to offer voluntary gambling blocks to their customers. Similarly, the National Australia Bank provides dedicated support pages and links to financial counseling.

RGC recommends that Canadian financial institutions implement several key strategies:

• Improving the accuracy of Merchant Category Codes to better track gambling spend.

• Offering voluntary transaction blocks and self-defined monthly spend limits.

• Providing targeted messaging and support resources within digital banking platforms.

Beyond retail banking, RGC highlights the importance of commercial relationships. Financial institutions can influence industry practices by setting high harm prevention expectations for gambling operators. Integrating these considerations into due diligence processes helps mitigate reputational and regulatory risks.

The post Responsible Gambling Council Urges Financial Institutions to Strengthen Protections Against Gambling Harm appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.