Canada
Canadian Gaming Summit Puts the Spotlight on SIGA’s Business Model and Commitment to the Community
Patricia Cook, Vice President of Corporate Affairs, and Desiree Gervais, Vice President of Human Resources, of the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA), will discuss SIGA’s introduction to the digital gaming market and pioneering approach to regulatory agreements and revenue-sharing models, during an exclusive Keynote Fireside Chat at the 26th edition of the Canadian Gaming Summit.
The “First Nations partnerships: the SIGA model in action” keynote panel, will be an instrumental addition to the Leadership & Growth conference track, during the second core day (Thursday June 15th) of Canada’s premier gaming and betting event, which takes place at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.
Officially established as a non profit organization in 1995, SIGA has flourished for over 25 years , establishing a casino empire that encompasses seven land-based casinos whilst implementing an innovative revenue sharing model which reinvests 100% of net income back into the Saskatchewan community. In November 2022, SIGA launched with provincial partners, the first online gambling and sports betting website PlayNow.com for Saskatchewan.
During the exclusive keynote session, Cook and Gervais will discuss the avenues taken that have established SIGA as such an influential force in Canada. During the talk, discussions will be centered around how SIGA was able to perfect the Gaming Framework Agreement to legally run the first digital gaming enterprise in the province. Additionally, the keynote will cover the innovative financial model that has increased the company’s growth, whilst simultaneously establishing SIGA as a highly respected pillar of the Saskatchewan community. Moreover, the panel will explore how these models can be implemented by other First Nations in their respective provinces .
With an illustrious and influential 20 year career in human resources, Desiree Gervais has an unparalleled wealth of experience and knowledge within the HR sector, having honed her expertise working with the First Nation government as well as highly regulated environments in the energy and mining sectors. In February of 2022 Gervais took the role of Vice President of Human Resources at SIGA and has continued her conscientious and diligent approach to HR, helping expand the scope of the SIGA brand whilst continuously strengthening the relationship with the wider community.
Patricia Cook has been Vice President, Corporate Affairs at SIGA for the past 18 years and has an active role in overseeing areas of communications, media relations, public relations as well as the SIGA’s Corporate Social Responsibility Programs. Cook’s 19 years working for Prince Albert Grand Council prior to SIGA have equipped her with an experience and skill set that has helped establish SIGA as one of the most prominent brands in the Canadian space and continues to do so as they continue their journey into the digital realm.
With such an in-depth wealth of knowledge surrounding the Saskatchewan province, non profit organizations and the wider gaming industry, Gervais and Cook offer a unique and unparalleled insight to how to implement successful revenue sharing models that support local communities, whilst spurring company growth and adhering to regulatory frameworks. With many looking to SIGA’s model as the future of iGaming and sports betting in Canada, the keynote panel’s thought provoking and trailblazing discussion will be essential viewing for the event.
Rasmus Sojmark, CEO & Founder of SBC, said: “We are extremely excited to have the combined talents of Desiree Gervais and Patricia Cook at our keynote panel. It is important as an industry we constantly evolve and I hope to see a business model that prioritizes giving back to the community and dedicating resources to innovation and leadership, is one that will inspire other Canadian organizations.
Attendees will have the opportunity to partake in a plethora of panel discussions across the three day event, with dedicated conference tracks ‘Land-Based’, ‘iGaming’, ‘Sports Betting’, ‘Affiliates & Advertising’ amongst others.
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affiliate marketing
SEOBROTHERS’ Aleksandra Drigo flags higher barriers for affiliates in regulated Alberta
SEOBROTHERS Chief of Business Development Aleksandra Drigo says Alberta’s move toward a regulated online gambling market is likely to raise the cost and complexity of affiliate acquisition, reshaping competition for SEO-led publishers. Drigo shared the view in an exclusive interview with SiGMA News focused on Canada’s affiliate landscape.
Drigo said regulation can bring more transparency, but also higher compliance demands and tougher economics for smaller players. “Many affiliates, especially independent SEO players, may decide not to enter fully regulated markets and instead focus on regions with more predictable economics and lower regulatory pressure,” she said.
She added that regulated markets typically advantage well-funded affiliate groups with the ability to invest in legal and compliance support and tracking infrastructure. “Regulated markets tend to favour larger players. Big affiliate companies have the resources for legal support, compliance teams, advanced tracking infrastructure, and long-term investment without expecting fast ROI.”
On partner selection, Drigo said affiliates are increasingly weighing operators on operational quality and regulatory readiness, not just commercial terms. “We pay close attention to how consistent an operator is in terms of reporting, responsible gaming policies, speed of communication, and local regulations compliance. Reputation risks affect both sides. If an operator lacks transparency or fails to follow compliance standards, it directly impacts the affiliate business as well.”
Drigo also pointed to communication and access to performance data as major friction points in operator-affiliate relationships. “Financial disagreements can usually be resolved quickly if there is trust and clear communication between both sides. Whereas, when affiliates do not receive timely information, face unclear reporting, or get no explanation for performance changes, tensions escalate very quickly. In regulated markets, communication and transparency become just as important as the financial terms themselves.”
Looking ahead, Drigo said affiliates targeting regulated North American markets will need stronger localisation, trusted brands and more diversified traffic strategies as search behaviour changes. “With AI and online search ecosystem changes already transforming the SEO landscape, affiliates need to become much more flexible and technology-driven than before. And compliance-friendly SEO strategies and diversification beyond traditional search traffic are becoming increasingly important.”
The post SEOBROTHERS’ Aleksandra Drigo flags higher barriers for affiliates in regulated Alberta appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Affiliate Industry
SiGMA exclusive: Aleksandra Drigo on traffic shifts, transparency, and the future of SEO affiliates
In an exclusive interview for the SiGMA News, Aleksandra Drigo, Chief of Business Development at SEOBROTHERS, shared her perspective on the future of affiliate marketing in Canada.
She discussed how Alberta’s upcoming market launch could reshape competition, why transparency has become a cornerstone of operator-affiliate partnerships, how compliance is changing the way affiliates choose partners, and why localisation, trusted brands, and data-driven decision-making will define the next generation of SEO affiliates.
Regulation will reshape Alberta’s affiliate landscape
As Alberta prepares to regulate its online gambling market, affiliates are entering a more challenging environment. While regulation brings greater transparency, it also increases compliance demands, acquisition costs, and competition – particularly from larger, well-funded companies.
“Many affiliates, especially independent SEO players, may decide not to enter fully regulated markets and instead focus on regions with more predictable economics and lower regulatory pressure,” Aleksandra said.
Bigger brands gain the advantage
According to Drigo, regulated markets naturally favour established affiliate businesses, whereas smaller publishers face much higher barriers to entry despite niche opportunities still existing.
“Regulated markets tend to favour larger players. Big affiliate companies have the resources for legal support, compliance teams, advanced tracking infrastructure, and long-term investment without expecting fast ROI.”
Compliance is now a deciding factor
Operator selection is no longer based solely on commercial terms. Affiliates increasingly assess partners by their transparency, reporting quality, responsible gaming standards, responsiveness, and ability to meet local regulatory requirements.
“We pay close attention to how consistent an operator is in terms of reporting, responsible gaming policies, speed of communication, and local regulations compliance. Reputation risks affect both sides. If an operator lacks transparency or fails to follow compliance standards, it directly impacts the affiliate business as well.”
Communication matters more than financial disputes
Drigo believes that most partnership conflicts arise not from payment issues, but from poor communication and limited access to performance data.
“Financial disagreements can usually be resolved quickly if there is trust and clear communication between both sides. Whereas, when affiliates do not receive timely information, face unclear reporting, or get no explanation for performance changes, tensions escalate very quickly. In regulated markets, communication and transparency become just as important as the financial terms themselves.”
The future belongs to trusted brands and localisation
Looking ahead, Drigo expects meticulous localisation, brand authority, first-party audiences, and community-driven products to define success in regulated North American markets. As AI reshapes search, affiliates will need stronger technology, diversified traffic sources, and compliance-friendly SEO strategies to remain competitive.
“With AI and online search ecosystem changes already transforming the SEO landscape, affiliates need to become much more flexible and technology-driven than before. And compliance-friendly SEO strategies and diversification beyond traditional search traffic are becoming increasingly important.”
The post SiGMA exclusive: Aleksandra Drigo on traffic shifts, transparency, and the future of SEO affiliates appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
St8 has extended its content partnership with Octoplay into Ontario and the UK, expanding distribution of Octoplay’s casino games in two regulated markets. The companies announced the move on 2 July, 2026.
Under the expanded agreement, St8 will make Octoplay’s full portfolio available to operators in both jurisdictions through St8’s single API integration.
David Fall, Business Development Manager at St8, said:
“Expanding our partnership with Octoplay into Ontario and the UK is another important milestone as we continue to strengthen our aggregation platform with premium content from leading suppliers.
“Octoplay has built an excellent reputation for developing engaging, high-performing games, and we’re delighted to extend this collaboration into two highly strategic regulated markets. This agreement enables our operator partners to access even more quality content through a single integration while supporting their growth in competitive jurisdictions.”
Ralitsa Georgieva, CEO at Octoplay added:
“We’re pleased to expand our partnership with St8 into Ontario and the UK, making our full portfolio available to even more operators through its aggregation platform. St8 has established itself as a trusted technology partner for regulated markets, and we look forward to building on our successful collaboration together.”
The post St8 expands Octoplay aggregation deal to Ontario and the UK appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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