Casino News

After a period of waiting, the day has come and on Tuesday, June 20, the Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto will open its doors to gamblers at 17.00. The owner, Great Canadian Entertainment reports that it will be the largest land casino in North America and will completely change the landscape of gambling.

Sports betting and online casino operator, Powerplay, has launched its official website in Ontario. The website aims to expand the province's online gambling market and become a staple for local bettors. Powerplay is focused on Canada, as the company sees huge potential in the market, after online gaming was regulated in 2022.

The province of Quebec is joining forces with top online casinos ahead of the much-anticipated introduction of regulated online gambling. The Quebec Online Gaming Coalition (QOGC) is an industry-led organisation that will work closely with local authorities and stakeholders and prepare a regulatory framework that will allow Quebec players to gamble in a safe and responsible environment.

Fanatics has finalised a deal to acquire Pointsbet's US operations for $150m. The deal will allow Pointsbet to keep its Australian and Canadian business and will be ratified by regulators and shareholders by June 2023. Pointsbet entered the Canadian market in spring 2022, and became a top destination for Ontario bettors.

The giant of payment solutions, Paysafe , has just unveiled a new and improved digital Skrill wallet for online casino and sportsbook players in Ontario. The company developed this new wallet with the local player in mind, offering instant deposits and withdrawals and a top-notch user experience.

Data released last week showed that in 2022, more than C$372 million in cash transactions in Ontario casinos were flagged as suspicious. The concerning report has some critics saying regulators need to address this issue immediately, or local casinos will be connected with dirty money on a large scale.

The Registrar of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), has issued fines totalling over $70,000 to three online casinos for violating its game integrity regulations. The three operators, Bunchberry (ComeOn brand), LeoVegas and Mobile Incorporated (Conquestador brand), received Notices of Monetary Penalty for breaching Standards 4.08 and 4.09, since they offered games that have not been certified by an Independent Testing Laboratory (ITL) registered by the Registrar, or approved by the Registrar.

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) plans to prohibit celebrities like athletes, singers or influencers from advertising online gambling. This proposal aims to protect minors and other vulnerable people from the potential harms of gambling.

It's been exactly twelve months since the Ontario authorities gave the green light to sports betting and casino brands to operate in the province legally. As a result of the hype, 46 brands now offer 70 online casinos and sportsbooks, in one of the most competitive gambling markets in the world.

The Toronto-based online casino and sportsbook brand Rivalry, received last week the proper go-to signal from authorities, so it can start operating legally in Ontario , under the platform Casino.exe. For starters, the casino will include eight games, with the library aiming to expand significantly soon.

The leading igaming operator, Betsson Group, made its long-awaited debut in Ontario, with the brand Betsafe. After acquiring the necessary licenses from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario a week ago, Betsafe will go live with casino , sportsbook and poker products.

Great Canadian Entertainment has some exciting news to share with gamblers in Ontario. Canada's biggest casino resort is set to open its gates in summer 2023 at the intersection of Highways 401 and 427 in Toronto. The total cost of the Great Canadian Casino Resort will amount to C$1 billion, and will include a 400-room hotel, a 5000-seat live show venue , a new parkade and other perks in a total area of 33 acres.

Sport betting and casino regulators in Ontario have decided to take more severe measures against illegal gambling sites. In addition to losing their ability to enter the market in a regulated manner, all unregulated operators that accept players from Ontario are at risk of facing big fines.

Gambling in Canada is experiencing a rapid growth, and that reflects in the amount of population that gambled in 2022. According to a survey by Statistics Canada, 64.5% of Canadians over age 15 said that they took part in gambling activities (land-based or online casino and sports betting), which is around 18.9 million people.

It's been a busy period for the Canadian igaming industry, as another provider, Twain Sport, has been granted a license by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO). Hybrid Sports League and BetGames joined forces to launch this brand-new live-sport vertical, and they have big plans for the Canadian Live Casino market, with Ontario being the first province where they go live.

The rapidly growing game development studio, BF Games, has recently acquired a license from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, so it will legally operate in the province of Ontario. BF Games will now be fully able to provide games for the best Canadian casinos , a landmark step in the company's ambitious strategy for North American expansion.

The Swedish game provider Quickspin (owned by Playtech) is ready to deliver the first of a series of Live Casino games in June 2023. A new brand called Quickspin Live will be running all the live games, so players will be able to differentiate from the classic Quickspin slots.

Online gaming giant 888 Holdings has parted ways with Chief Executive Officer Itai Pazner, with immediate effect. A recent internal review has shown several shortcomings regarding AML & KYC procedures for players in the Middle East. As a result, the VIP scheme in this market has been suspended until an official investigation is carried out.

MGM Resorts and Caesars Entertainment received a dire warning from an Atlantic City Union that they might incur losses of approximately $1 million daily on their casino properties if workers embark on a strike next month. This report comes after members of Unite Here Local 54 voted to resume strikes on July 1st, 2022, if their list of demands weren't met.

Oak View Group Las Vegas Hotel & Casino is the largest upcoming project on the South Strip. The establishment, which is expected to launch by 2026, will be located on Las Vegas Boulevard and Blue Diamond Road. To make this project a successful venture, Oak Group Partners, Irvine Azoff and Tim Leiweke, have sought the expertise of Randy Morton (ex co-CEO of the Foley Entertainment Group) and Marc Bardian, former president of Las Vegas Raiders.

Light & Wonder's partnership with the software provider, Fantasma Games, has seen a significant boost as the former has delivered the developer's content to Loto-Québec — a Canadian lottery corporation. Through the former Scientific Games Corporation, Fantasma Games will have a rock-solid stance in the Canadian iGaming market and deliver on its bubbling expertise built over the years.

BetMGM has announced a deal with Sony Pictures and International Game Technologies (IGT). This partnership denotes the gambling operator's plans to kick-start Wheel of Fortune Casino — a branded online platform inspired by the iconic American game show.

Baden Resources has entered a letter of intent with NorthStar Gaming. The motive is the reverse takeover of Baden by NorthStar Gaming. However, the agreement remains non-binding as it is only in the proposal stage. There are further talks to be held and pending regulatory approval.

Aristocrat have made the headlines again. On the 16th of June, 2022, the revered software provider and Seminole Gaming announced the launch of a $1 million jackpot game — Dollar Storm. $1 Million Dollar Storm is the 3rd high-limit release from Aristocrat, following the Dragon Link and $1 Million Dragon Link games that debuted in 2021.

Bally Cooperation won the bid to own and operate the developing land-based casino in Chicago worth a whopping $1.7 billion. The Mayor of Chicago, Lori Lightfoot, announced Bally's win following a lengthy selection process that involved several community meetings.

Back in February, a New-York based firm called Apollo Global Management purchased The Venetian Resort assets for approximately $6.25 billion. This sale included the transfer of ownership for The Venetian, Palazzo, and Venetian Expo. The deal was effected through the real estate investment trust, VICI properties.

After the recent collaboration between Video King and Parlay games, the two companies made it known that they were working on a "tribally linked class II bingo game with multi-million dollar weekly prize jackpots." Both companies brought together their assets, teams, and development skills to fuel the sole purpose of creating a unique and "tribally linked" national game.

Evolution and Soaring Eagle Gaming are fresh partners in a content distribution deal that expands the presence of one and the games lineup of the other in the State of Michigan. The announcement came on Monday, the 6th of June, following the agreement between the behemoth software provider and the tribal-owned company.

High 5 Games, one of the biggest software providers in the industry, recently signed a deal with DraftKings , a top American sports betting and gambling company. This deal would give DraftKings access to the heavy catalog of casino games by High 5 Games.

Bally’s Corporation has finally yielded to the calls for a ban on smoking in its Rhode Island casinos after the cries gained massive momentum in the past week. As a result, smoking would be prohibited at both the Twin River Lincoln and Tiverton casinos.

A new petition has been made urging Twitch to ban gambling advertisements on the platform. This is in light of the recent controversy where popular streamer, xQc, revealed that his clickthrough alone had generated $119 million for a gambling company. The petition posted on change.org has been signed off by big companies like McDonald's, Uber, and Pepsi, which also advertise on the platform.

Ocean Casino, a major resort in Atlantic City, is set to invest $85 million in property developments this summer. The plans are already in motion as the resort will be introducing 460 new rooms and a sports and entertainment arena on the 1st of July. This huge investment would be an overhauling upgrade that would influence every aspect of the northernmost resort on the Atlantic City Boardwalk.

FanDuel is looking to take its casino section to similar heights as its hugely popular sports betting platform. As a result, this American gambling company has resorted to the services of Asaf Noifeld to oversee its casino operations. This former managing director of PokerStars Casino has a wealth of experience in the casino business.

Glitnor Group recently acquired KaFe Rocks, a leading and global iGaming company set up in 2018. As part of the acquisition, the Group has splashed some seven-digit figures to become the primary stakeholder in Time2play – a high-valued North American affiliate website.

EveryMatrix is the latest brand to sign a patent license agreement with IGT. This deal comes just after the American iGaming behemoth sealed a broad patent cross-licensing deal with Aristocrat in Australia. The deal comes at the right time as this software provider company, since 2008, has been knocking on the doors of the US with expansion plans, which the license agreement just happens to optimize.

After a lengthy selection process, Bally's has been selected to develop Chicago's $1.7 billion casino resort. The city's request for proposal (RFP) process to construct and operate a world-class casino resort in downtown Chicago began in October 2021. Bally's beat out other top gaming companies like Hard Rock and Rivers Corporation to become the city's sole casino licensee.

On the 2nd May 2022, MGM Resorts International submitted an offer in excess of $607 million to LeoVegas AB, which, if successful, would see MGM own the total share capital of the iGaming giant. This proposition made its way to the papers as MGM headquarters in Las Vegas released an official release, notifying the general public of its intentions.

On Friday, April 22, the Elk Valley Casino officially opened its doors to patrons in Crescent Valley, California. The press release for the announcement read: “The new Elk Valley Casino opens today in a magnificent setting between the grazing meadows of Roosevelt elk and the majestic mountains and forest, all overlooking the panoramic view of the beautiful Pacific Ocean and South Beach.” The casino is a tribal-owned establishment of the Rancheria Indians and replaces the old Elk Valley Casino, which opened back in 1995.

25th April 2022 will go down as a day to remember as Hard Rock Hotel New York finally cut the red ribbon on its masterpiece in Midtown Manhattan. This debut is even more interesting as it also marks the latest hotel-casino to launch operations since the COVID-19 pandemic started.

Blue Guru Games reached a recent milestone by releasing its first slot game — The Nemean Lion. After concluding a few distribution deals with respected companies like Oryx Gaming and Relax, this new release is now live at famed casino sites. Blue Guru CEO, Andrew Braithwaite, sees this game debut as an "important milestone" in the firm's history, as this pristine offering clears the path for other releases scheduled for this year.

A fire that erupted on Wednesday at a casino in Montana has resulted in the death of two individuals. Local officials confirmed the sad news at the scene, and both of the deceased have been identified. The Report and Rescue Operations Surrounding the Incident The unfortunate event took place in the morning hours at Honest Tom's Saloon & Casino in Bridger - a small town about 47 miles away from Billings.

There’s a lot of ongoing activity regarding the planned reopening of Palms Casino Resort. In a Tuesday announcement, the popular land-based casino revealed that top intelligence solutions provider for casinos, VizExplorer, will become a partner. VizExplorer will deploy its player development solutions program, “hostVizOps,” to the Las Vegas branch of Palms Casino.

Videoslots Group has announced the launch of the Mr Vegas brand in the state of Pennsylvania. Planned for 2023, the company's debut is supported by a market access agreement with Caesars Entertainment. The mutually beneficial agreement will see Videoslots launch its Mr Vegas brand in Pennsylvania next year under the operating license of Caesars Entertainment.

Everi Holdings' subsidiary, Everi Payments Inc. has just launched B4U Financial at Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort located on Mississippi's Gulf Coast. B4U Financial is a leading financial solution for the liquidity of cryptocurrencies. Through this payment gateway, casino patrons will be able to convert digital currency into cash to fund their wagers.

Five tribes within Sonoma County have unanimously expressed opposition to the development of the Shiloh Casino & Resort. Last September, the Koi Nation brought forward a proposal to build a casino property in the Northern California region. The $600 million project will sit on a 68-acre plot of land in the town of Windsor.

Last month, three proposals reached the final stage for Chicago's planned multibillion-dollar casino project. Community meetings where the finalists will engage the public were scheduled from the 5th to 7th of April in three separate appointments with residents in South Loop, Near South Side, and River West.

The much-anticipated iGaming market launch in Ontario took place yesterday, April 4th, 2022, and several operators showed up to the occasion. Debuting their online gambling products on opening day were FanDuel, BetRivers, Rivalry, 888Holdings, BetMGM, and theScore, among others.

Gaming Realms has launched its services in Québec via its partnership with the provincial iGaming operator, Loto-Québec. Like its US-facing arm, the gaming supplier will focus on its collection of Slingo Original games. Scheduled to go live first are Slingo Extreme and Blackjack Xchange.

A casino development bill for the state of Nebraska has gained approval from legislators in the first round of three votes. The bill makes provision for casinos to be established in six counties with legal horse racing tracks. If approved, this would bring commercial gaming facilities to all eastern and central Nebraska counties with existing racetracks, including Douglas, Lancaster, Adams, Dakota, Hall, and Platte.

There seems to be a new development in the current plans for the establishment of a retail casino in Chicago. In a recent announcement, Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot declared that only three proposals out of five received had made it to the final stage of a casino license application.

Top-rated software provider Hacksaw Gaming has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with NetBet. The new deal lets the supplier access NetBet's.co.uk and.com websites, expanding its content to reach more casino lovers. Hacksaw Gaming, popularly known for its blockbuster slot titles including Wanted Dead or a Wild, Chaos Crew and Cubes 2, and Stack 'em, will be the latest addition to the line of software providers already in league with NetBet.

Plans are still in top gear for the launch of the Kiss-themed casino up in the Old Margaritaville site. The new casino, budgeted at $200 million, has the support of KISS rock band members Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons. It was believed that the arrangements would be on hold as the earmarked location - a property at Biloxi Back Bay - was recently put up for sale.

The movement for a permanent smoking ban in Atlantic City casinos has suffered a significant setback as a pro-ban supporter cancels membership from the Greater Atlantic City Chamber. Recently, the Greater Atlantic City Chamber, a major business group in the city, protested the bill with a written address on Thursday.

Iowa’s Lakeside Hotel and Casino has announced the launch of its first wholly-owned sportsbook, DRF Sportsbook , in collaboration with its sister company, the Daily Racing Form (DRF). DRF is a New-York based horse racing-focused newspaper. It’s a leader in providing premium data and editorial coverage to sports and horse racing lovers in North America.

Revenue figures for Bally's Corporation for the year ended December 31st, 2021, have been reported at €1.3bn ($1.45bn) , a significant increase from the 2020 fiscal year. Despite these strong revenue results, the company has also recorded a year-on-year increase in net losses.

Century Casinos has tabled an offer to acquire Nugget Casino Resort in a $195 million deal. On Wednesday, the casino entertainment company announced that it had entered into a definitive agreement with Marnell Gaming to take over 100% of Nugget Sparks LLC, which manages the property's operations.

Hard Rock International has announced that there are three sites on its radar for constructing the planned New York City casino. This development comes amidst ongoing preparations to launch its multi-million dollar Hard Rock Hotel in the Manhattan area of the city.

Pragmatic Play's latest venture in the Latin American gambling market is a partnership with One Bit Tech. On Monday this week, the casino game developer announced that it has forged a deal with the content aggregator to further expand its LatAm presence following its "recent commercial success in the region across multiple verticals." Under the agreement, One Bit Tech will gain access to Pragmatic Play's slots and live casino products and will be able to offer these games to its partners in the region.

American gambling operator FanDuel has extended its existing agreement with Evolution Gaming. The latter announced via its official site that it will continue being the sole live dealer games provider for FanDuel after both parties decided to renew the partnership, which began in 2020.

It has been two weeks since an Arizona man won $229k on a progressive jackpot slot at a Las Vegas Strip casino. The player had already departed the premises upon discovering the jackpot, and after two weeks of trying to track down the player, he was finally awarded the prize.

California's San Manuel Band of Mission Indians have recently announced the appointment of a new Chief Public Policy Officer in the person of Steve Burns. The responsibilities of this position include leading and implementing the tribe's public policy strategy on state and federal legislation and regulation.

Any time now, the Atlantic City gambling scene could officially become a smoking-free zone. Casino workers themselves are pushing for the mandate and the New Jersey bill has reportedly received majority support from the opposing political parties. Presently, casinos are exempted from the state’s Smoke-Free Air Act, and this bill aims to amend the law to prohibit smoking in Atlantic City casinos permanently.

In September of last year, Koi Nation announced plans to develop a casino property in Sonoma, California. The Native American Tribe of Northern California, on Monday, concluded a predevelopment agreement with the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma as partners in developing the planned Shiloh Casino & Resort.

Kings Entertainment Group Incorporated has been listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange and will begin trading as a public entity. This shift is expected to enable the Vancouver-based group to access a broader capital base as it plans to expand on the international scene.

International Game Technology has announced that its Resort Wallet cashless gaming technology has received regulatory approval in Nevada. Expressing excitement on the part of the company, Ryan Reddy, IGT SVP Global PM VLT, Systems, Payments & Poker, said, "IGT earning Nevada regulatory approval for our award-winning, fully integrated cashless solution is a perfect bookend for a year marked with tremendous momentum for our Resort Wallet and IGTPay cashless gaming modules of the IGT ADVANTAGE system." The approval means that IGT's entire cashless gaming solution will now be available at casinos throughout the state.

Century Casinos group has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its casino property in Calgary. The Alberta based subsidiary Century Resorts Alberta, Inc. (CRA) is the direct party involved in the deal, which sees the casino establishment taken over by the real estate business Rowanwood Financial Properties at an aggregate price of C$8.1 million (which translates to $6.5million based on the exchange rate at the time of agreement).

Leading content provider Pragmatic Play has boosted its live casino offering with the addition of new and enhanced live baccarat tables for classic Baccarat and the fast-paced Speed Baccarat version. Yossi Barzely, Chief Business Development Officer at Pragmatic Play, said : “We’re always on the search to reinforce the strongest aspects of our games, and by adding new tables to our Live Casino products, we are able to let more players do what they love. “The fast-paced titles can now appeal to more players that enjoy the immersive nature of traditional casinos, and with consistent upgrades to our Live Casino technology, each new table brings a truly more polished and high-quality experience.” This comes amidst its ongoing LatAm push, which saw it recently partner with innovative operator Locosbet.

Premier entertainment company, MGM Resorts, has revised its loyalty program to offer improved experiences for patrons at all locations across the US. Previously called M Life, the upgraded loyalty program will now be called MGM Rewards and will be rolled out on February 1st, 2022.

Stakelogic Live casino product has been awarded ISO 27001 accreditation. The International casino game developer previously received the prestigious certification back in February 2020 for its best-practice information security management systems. Stakelogic CEO, Stephan van den Oetelaar, said that the team is delighted to have the live casino product, Stakelogic Live, officially following suit.

A tax relief bill for Atlantic City casinos has passed the New Jersey State Senate, and all that remains is the final signature from Governor Phil Murphy. The decision was made Monday night, with 21 Senate members voting in favor, 14 against, and 4 choosing to abstain.

The Nevada Gaming Commission has given the green light to the San Manuel tribe following the board’s approval of the tribe as licensees to the Palms. The unanimous decision will allow the Californian tribe to fully begin operating the property, which according to reports, is scheduled to reopen in the spring of 2022.

On Monday, it was announced that Hard Rock International (HRI) and MGM Resorts are in talks for a deal that would hand over the operating rights of the Mirage Las Vegas to the former. The acquisition worth an estimated $1.075 billion will be finalized by Q2 2022, pending regulatory approval and customary closing conditions. “We are honored to welcome The Mirage’s 3,500 team members to the Hard Rock family,” said Jim Allen, Chairman of Hard Rock International. “When complete, Hard Rock Las Vegas will be a fully integrated resort welcoming meetings, groups, tourists, and casino guests from around the world to its nearly 80-acre center-Strip location.” The Mirage’s real estate, a 77-acre property, will be acquired under a long-term lease from VICI Properties, and HRI has indicated its intention to rebrand the property starting with the erection of a guitar-shaped hotel.

PointsBet has released live casino games as part of its online casino offerings in Michigan. This means that residents and visitors in the state can access the range of live dealer games available on the operator's iGaming platform. Via its partnership with the behemoth live casino company Evolution Gaming, PointsBet offers live tables such as Infinite Blackjack, Blackjack, European Roulette, Auto Roulette, and Baccarat.

Fintech start-up DraftFuel has unveiled a new mobile app and prepaid card product designed to provide a solution to one of the most controversial topics with the gambling sector – the concept of responsible gambling. With more states legalizing sports betting, DraftFuel aims to help players wager responsibly in what was described by Co-founder Alex Cullingford as a “guilt-free” gambling experience.

Pariplay, a leading content aggregator and game developer, has signed a deal with Gaming Realms which will see the latter’s games get integrated into Pariplay’s innovative Fusion aggregation platform. Through this partnership, Pariplay boosts its portfolio within the Fusion platform, while Gaming Realms, a mobile-focused game developer, gets to extend its footprint in more established jurisdictions.

On Wednesday, the Nevada Gaming Control Board recommended the licensing of California tribe, The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, as the tribe looks to take over the Palms Casino Resort. The Nevada Gaming Commission will be giving the final approval by December 16.

With business in Nevada returning to pre-pandemic levels, the state has reported a revenue of about $1.22 billion in October. This is 6% higher than the $1.16 billion earned in September. The state has been on a roll for the past couple of months, and this would be its 8th consecutive month with revenue exceeding the $1 billion mark.

The renowned sports betting provider William Hill has announced that it will be letting go of three of its online casino brands. Euro Grand, 21 Nova and William Hill Casino Club are the subjects of the impending closure and will discontinue operations by January 24th, 2022.

Popular slot developer Play’n GO has released Rich Wilde and the Wandering City , the latest addition to its Rich Wilde series. This time, the game takes players on a journey to the titular wandering city, which, according to Patagonian mythology, is hidden in the valley of the Andes, somewhere between Chile and Argentina.

Malta-based slot game developer Yggdrasil has signed a multi-year content distribution deal with International Game Technologies, an agreement which will introduce Yggdrasil games for the first time in North American markets. Through this partnership, IGT gets exclusive access to a handful of the developer's online slots to be distributed to online casino partners in parts of the US and Canada, where online gaming has been legalized.

Evolution Gaming announced the launch of a new live casino platform in conjunction with Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG). Evolution will be providing live dealer games for the official iGaming portal of the provincial agency, OLG.ca. It's expected that a substantial number of its products will be on offer on the website.

The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission has fined four land-based casinos in the state a combined $130,000 for underage patron breaches. The establishments in question are the Catfish Bend Casino in Burlington, The Horseshoe Casino in Council Bluffs, government-owned racetrack and hotel located in Altoona, Prairie Meadows Casino, and Diamond Jo Worth Casino in Northwood.

Blueprint Gaming, a slot developer, has recently partnered with Salsa Technology in a move to expand its footprint in Latin America. The partnership will see the integration of Blueprint’s games with the content aggregator. Conversely, Blueprint, using Salsa Tech’s influence in the region, will promote its products to a new customer base.

Aristocrat Gaming and Boyd Gaming launch trial of Boyd Pay Wallet to support cashless table games in Las Vegas, Nevada. Both companies announced the successful launch of the cashless solution for table games on Oct. 13. This latest enhancement to Boyd Pay, Boyd Gaming's cashless technology solution, which was first introduced earlier in March this year.

On Thursday, Oct. 7, Evolution Gaming announced the launch of its Barstool dedicated live studio via Twitter with the caption: “We’re delighted to continue to strengthen our relationship with @PNGamingInc and build a US live casino studio, fully branded as Barstool Sportsbook & Casino in New Jersey for Penn Interactive…..” This announcement marks another step towards strengthening the already tight partnership between both companies.

From the stables of Pragmatic Play comes the Anime-Themed Starlight Princess , the first of its kind in the developer’s game collection. The award-winning game studio has taken a step towards conquering “uncharted territory,” in the words of Yossi Barzely, Chief Business Development Officer at Pragmatic Play.