Gambling Weekly News Summary in Canada – 29/11

Canadian lotteries challenge Ontario’s global DFS and poker plans

Several Canadian lotteries, including the Atlantic Lottery Corp. and the British Columbia Lottery Corp., are contesting Ontario’s proposal to enable players in the province to compete in daily fantasy sports (DFS) and poker with international opponents. At Ontario’s Court of Appeal, the lotteries argued that the plan violates Canada’s Criminal Code, which restricts gambling to provincial boundaries. The court’s decision is expected in the coming months.

awager partners with Loto-Québec for live casino gaming

Casino livestreaming specialist awager has partnered with Loto-Québec to launch the newest version of its live-stream solution. It brings physical slot machine games online with full machine interaction, 4K video streaming, and a 3D video simulation that allows players to walk through the Casino de Montréal for a realistic experience. Warren Steven, GM of North America for awager, said, “We truly believe that the third version of our product is the most innovative yet and that there is nothing else quite like it on the market.”

National sports betting ad regulation bill struggles to gain momentum

The bill that would establish a national framework for regulating sports betting ads is struggling to be heard in the House of Commons. Bill S-269, or the National Framework on Advertising for Sports Betting Act, was advanced by the Senate in November, but the timeline for it to get its first reading is uncertain, with chances that the bill will not be heard before the House adjourns for Christmas break on Dec. 17.

NorthStar Gaming reports Q3 growth and eyes long-term expansion

Canada gaming brand NorthStar Gaming recently announced its Q3 financial results, revealing CA$8.4 million in gross gaming revenue, up 52.7% year-on-year. The operator remained at a pre-tax loss of $3.1 million, which was an improvement on $4.2 million in Q3 2023. Now, the company has announced that it is working to secure funding for its long-term growth strategy. “We are highly optimistic about our ability to deliver significant shareholder value in 2025,” said NorthStar chair and CEO Michael Moskowitz.

Rivalry Corp secures $1.94 million in funding to fuel next growth chapter

The Canadian sports betting and iGaming company Rivalry Corp has announced that it has raised $1.94 billion after closing a non-brokered private placement deal. “This commitment and demonstration of support is deeply gratifying as we press ahead into a new chapter for the company,” said Steven Salz, co-founder and CEO of Rivalry. The company plans to put the proceeds toward corporate development and general capital.

Industry expert says lack of PayPal is limiting iGaming growth in Canada

Ville Saari, the Lead Content Manager at Bojoko.ca, said that the lack of a cohesive nationwide regulatory system hinders the payment service in the country. “PayPal’s policy is to support online gambling transactions only in regions where the industry is fully regulated. In Canada, the regulatory framework for online gambling varies significantly across provinces,” Saari commented. “Currently, Canadian players who prefer using PayPal for online gambling transactions have practically no recourse; they just can’t use the payment method. There may be exceptions or workarounds, but this is not advised. The best thing they can do is look for alternatives.”