Gaming News Canada Show

On a new episode of the Gaming News Canada Show presented by Bede Gaming, host Steve McAllister took a virtual trip down under to speak with Waterhouse VC’s Chief Investment Officer, Tom Waterhouse. Waterhouse, whose family has been involved in the business of betting for more than a century, spoke about his own personal path through the industry and what led him down the road from a 20-year-old bookmaker in 2003 to delivering value for investors through the gambling industry and authoring the regular Waterhouse VC Update on NEXT.io . Among the topics discussed was the current state of the global economy and its impact on the sports betting and gaming industry, the shifting sands of regulated gambling jurisdictions, the role of artificial intelligence within the industry, and Waterhouse’s take on Ontario and Alberta’s regulated markets. And oh yeah, we asked Waterhouse to weigh in prediction markets Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On a new episode of the Gaming News Canada Show hosted by Bede Gaming, host Steve McAllister welcomed back the Global Gaming Director for GBG Plc, Rebekah Jackson. Jackson spoke with McAllister about GBG’s involvement in the launch of the new regulated gambling market in Alberta, including a conversation she had with AGLC Chief Regulatory Officer Dave Berry back in May at the SBC Summit Canada. GBG also has some early numbers on the work it’s doing in the western Canada province. GBG, which has also been a very active participant in Ontario’s regulated marketplace, is also lending a hand to operators preparing for launches in Finland’s incoming regulated sports betting and online gaming industry, and other countries. Also discussed was GBG’s latest products, including Loquate, and the company’s work in other sectors around the world. And, not surprisingly, that segment included much talk about the use of artificial intelligence. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the latest episode of the Gaming News Canada Show presented by Bede Gaming, host Steve McAllister caught up with Paul Burns. The Canadian Gaming Association president and CEO was in Calgary to meet with representatives from Gibraltar – including the country’s finance minister – who were in Alberta last week for a trade mission. Burns spoke with McAllister about the one-month-old, regulated sports betting and online gaming market in the western Canada province, and the feedback he’s received on the process leading to the July 13 launch. The arrival last week of Bally Bet gives the new regulated jurisdiction some 26 websites and Burns expects more operators will join the market before Labour Day weekend. McAllister also asked Burns about the CGA’s position on prediction markets as companies such as Wealthsimple are making their case to do business in Canada with oversight from provincial securities regulators and no interference by gambling regulators. Layoffs at Better Collective and Catena Media last week are the latest to take place in a year that’s seen job cuts across the industry, so we asked Burns for his thoughts. The CGA’s head honcho also looked ahead to a busy fall when the association will release a series of white papers on the industry and is also watching bills being debated on Parliament Hill around sports betting advertising and amending the Criminal Code and Indian Act with regards to gambling . Burns said the association is also continuing to advocate for changes to the rules and regulations around anti-money laundering in our home and native land. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Geoff Zochodne (Covers) and Tom Nightingale (Canadian Gaming Business/SBC Americas) were Steve McAllister’s guests for a wide-ranging discussion on what’s happening in the business of gambling. The topics du jour included: Thoughts and layers from the three members of the fourth estate on the opening of regulated sports betting and iGaming in Alberta last month, and what’s to come in Canada’s second regulated gaming marketplace. The panel did some spitballing around potential suitors for AGLC-owned PlayAlberta. The ongoing Ontario market which recently welcomed DAZN Bet and Hard Rock Bet and continues with 48 operators and 82 websites in a regulated landscape that is frequently praised in other jurisdictions. The fast-moving prediction markets issue in the U.S. and what may come to our home and native land. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On a new episode of the Gaming News Canada Show presented by Bede Gaming, host Steve McAllister welcomed GeoComply CEO Kip Levin. Levin joined the Vancouver-based company in March 2025 after spending the past decade in C-suite roles at Flutter Entertainment and its FanDuel and FOXBet businesses. So, McAllister asked Levin to share his thoughts from his experiences in the gambling industry on several topics including: The challenges to keep up with online fraudsters and scammers, especially with the ongoing evolution of artificial intelligence. The opportunities being provided by AI and other new technologies. GeoComply’s supporting role in the launch of new regulated gambling jurisdictions, including most recently in Alberta. The popularity with the betting populace around the recently completed men’s World Cup of Soccer. The evolution of GeoComply some 15 years after being founded by Anna Sainsbury and David Briggs. What does the road ahead look like for the gambling industry. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the fourth day of Alberta’s new regulated sports betting and online gaming market, Steve McAllister welcomed back to the Gaming News Canada Show the Chief Executive Officer of the Alberta iGaming Corporation, Dan Keene. Keene talked about the busy countdown to the July 13 market opening and 18 operators being ready to make available to Alberta some 22 websites on Day One. Among the topics also discussed: The collaboration involving all stakeholders to get Canada’s second regulated marketplace up and running. How the western Canada province has benefited from the four-year-old Ontario model. The keen interest of operators, suppliers and providers to participate in Alberta and the timing for more operators to come on board. AiGC’s focus on proactively communicating its mandate and its commitment to social responsibility. The corp’s relationship with AGLC. When you can expect to see metrics from the new market. McAllister also asked Keene for his reaction to the concerns already being written and talked about advertising and problem gambling. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the eve of the opening of Alberta’s regulated sports betting and igaming market, the Gaming News Canada Show presented by Bede Gaming was joined by a couple of gaming industry veterans who are plugged into the opening of Canada’s second regulated, competitive gambling jurisdiction. GNCS regular and Canadian Gaming Association Senior VP of Policy & Communication Amanda Brewer spoke about the feedback she has received from CGA members and others in the gambling business during the countdown to opening day in Alberta. Brewer also referred to the lessons learned from four-plus years of regulated online gaming in Ontario and had an interesting response to a question from host Steve McAllister about the potential differences between the presence of the provincial gaming and lottery corporations in the two provinces. We also asked Brewer about the ongoing presence of fake online casino ads on Meta platforms. McAllister then welcomed Rich Taylor, the Director of Responsible Gaming at BetMGM. Taylor, a retired Corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps, told his story of serving his country and then finding his way into the gambling industry. Taylor spoke about the reaction from BetMGM customers to the most recent responsible gambling ad campaign featuring NHL superstar Connor McDavid and Newfoundland hockey legend Terry Ryan and if the Edmonton Oilers captain will appear in future RG-focused commercials – which are allowed by both the AGCO and AGLC in its rules and regulations around advertising and marketing. That led to a conversation on BetMGM’s responsible gaming efforts which include its partnership with BCLC’s GameSense platform. Taylor, the author of an op-ed last week that appeared on various Canadian media websites, also talked about the multi-dimensional approach taken by BetMGM to support safe play. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aaron GlynWilliams, the Vice President of Safer Gambling for OLG – and the Chair of the Canadian Responsible Gambling Association – joins host Steve McAllister on a new episode of the Gaming News Canada Show presented by Bede Gaming. GlynWilliams, who’s played a leadership role in OLG’s responsible gambling initiatives for more than a decade, talked about the need for all stakeholders in the gaming industry to be on the same page when it comes to safer gambling during a panel discussion at last month’s SBC Summit Canada. McAllister revisited his guest’s comments and asked GlynWilliams for his reaction to the lottery corporation’s June 1 announcement about new measures targeting online gaming customers under the age of 25. The OLG veep also spoke about his tenure as chair of the CRGA coinciding with the legalization of single-event betting across Canada, the impact on Ontario’s competitive sports betting and igaming market on OLG’s RG programs, the conversations happening between lottery and gaming corporations across the country these days, and the Corp’s existing partnerships around safer gambling. GlynWilliams also provided his thoughts on iGaming Ontario’s launch of BetGuard, and about the incoming regulated gambling market in Alberta. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On a new episode of the Gaming News Canada Show presented by Bede Gaming, host Steve McAllister welcomed Dwain Powell, the Online Director, Sports Betting for Goldrush Gaming – the owners of the BetNova brand. BetNova entered the highly-competitive Ontario sports betting and igaming market this spring, so McAllister asked Powell about both the challenges and opportunities that have come from being latecomers to the province’s regulated industry. Powell also addressed Goldrush’s relationship with both the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario and iGaming Ontario when setting up shop in Canada’s largest province. Goldrush is one of the 45-plus operators which have registered to do business in Alberta when the proverbial puck drops on its regulated gambling marketplace next month. Powell answered our questions on Goldrush’s road to Alberta so far and addressed the advertising and marketing strategy for BetNova, what makes the brand unique competing against established operators in Canada, and about responsible gaming. Powell told the story of his early days in the gambling business as a casino tables supervisor, moving into the online space, the legal gaming landscape in South Africa, and, of course, the World Cup of Soccer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On a new episode of the Gaming News Canada Show presented by Bede Gaming, host Steve McAllister was joined by Responsible Gambling Council VP of Strategy and Programs Elaine McDougall and Lisa Couperus, the council’s Director of Education and Programs. Couperus and McDougall spoke with your usually humble host about the early takeaways from the RGC’s Beyond the Game campaign, launched late last year to educate Grade 11 and 12 student-athletes and coaches in Ontario secondary schools about the risks of gambling. There was an additional discussion on the ongoing need for education for everyone involved in children’s lives around online gaming and also the federal government’s introduction last week of the Safe Social Media Act to limit kids’ exposure to social media. We also spent time talking about panel discussions and other conversations that took place around responsible gaming initiatives during last month’s SBC Summit Canada, and the increasing access to data and research focused on gambling harm. McDougall also teased an RGC announcement that’s expected to come this week that’s aligned with the attention around the men’s World Cup of Soccer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The latest episode of the Gaming News Canada Show presented by Bede Gaming is a special soccer edition. On the eve of the start of the men’s World Cup, Steve McAllister is joined by Simon Clare the Group Director of Consumer PR and Sponsorship, UK Brands for BetMGM’s parent company, Entain. And later, the dean of Canadian soccer media, James Sharman, returns to the podcast. Among the topics du jour in our conversation with Clare, who’s been around the betting industry for more than three decades: The impact of the internet along with the legalization of sports betting in North America on betting. The global growth of soccer in North America, which includes Canada hosting men’s World Cup matches for the first time. Some advice on approaching prop/parlay/live bets during the 39-day tournament. The expectation that this World Cup will be the most highly engaged sporting event ever with sports bettors around the world. Among the issues we tackled with Sharman: The expectations for a Canadian team that’s dealing with injuries to significant players and Sharman’s take on what’s needed for Jesse Marsch and Co. to declare success. What will the legacy be for Canadian soccer from this tournament, especially given the problems mostly created by FIFA in the lead-up to this tournament? A big-picture look at the contenders, the superstar players, and some potential Cinderella stories. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On a new episode of the Gaming News Canada Show presented by Bede Gaming, Canadian Gaming Association president/CEO Paul Burns returned to the podcast. Burns joined host Steve McAllister from Las Vegas, where he attended last week’s International Conference on Gambling and Risk Taking and joined Dr. Mary Donohue to talk about The Power of Protective Pause: Emotional Regulation in Gambling Environments . The CGA’s head honcho provided his takeaways from the 19th annual conference . Burns and McAllister also shared their thoughts and layers from the recent SBC Summit Canada , including: The road to regulation in Alberta some nine weeks before the western Canada province joins Ontario to offer a competitive gambling industry; The remarks by Stan Cho, Ontario’s Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming, at the conference; The results of the AGCO-commissioned study into channelization; A reckoning from panelists and people with whom we spoke at the summit that the time has come to take further action when it comes to player protection, responsible gaming communication and advertising; A need for elected officials and others to be better when it comes to understanding the separation between regulated and unregulated gaming. Burns’s response to iGaming Ontario’s launch of its centralized self-exclusion program. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There was a “well, that makes sense” feeling on last week’s announcement by Kambi that it would be collaborating with Canadian printing security company Canadian Bank Note Company to support CBN’s online sports betting operations in South and Central America, and the Caribbean. It’s (almost) all Canadian all the time these days for Kambi, which earlier this year helped OLG launch a new and improved version of Proline in both digital and retail form, and then last month was selected by Atlantic Lottery and BCLC to provide the power behind their multi-province sportsbook. So, what better timing to welcome back to the Gaming News Canada Show presented by Bede Gaming, Kambi’s chief commercial officer – and, of course, a Canadian – Sarah Robertson. Among the topics du jour: Kambi’s work in seven Canadian provinces; Robertson’s thoughts on the incoming regulated market in Alberta; The expected avalanche of activity by bettors around this summer’s men’s World Cup of Footy; The ongoing controversy around in-play/prop betting; The ongoing story in the U.S. these days around prediction markets. The opportunities around the growth of women’s sports. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Before ironing his dress shirts and (crying while) filling up the vehicle with petrol for the road trip to Toronto and the SBC Summit Canada , Steve McAllister virtually visited one of the panels for this week’s gathering of the Canadian gaming industry for a new episode of the Gaming News Canada Show presented by Bede Gaming. Joining McAllister to provide a sneak peek at their Brick by Brick: The construction of a new affiliate landscape discussion Wednesday afternoon were Bet99 head of affiliate marketing Andrew Garven, Linemate co-founder Calvin Konya, Hot Takes Sports CEO Tyler Amirault and former Game Lounge director of casino Keith Geary. Among the topics du jour was examining the changing landscape around affiliates over the four-plus years of legal, regulated sports betting and online gaming in Ontario and the lessons that could/should be applied to the incoming open market in Alberta this summer. The panel also looked at the evolving relationship between operators and affiliates, and also discussed what’s on their To Do list over the next two days at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Steve McAllister welcomed back a couple of chief executive officers to a new episode of the Gaming News Canada Show presented by Bede Gaming: PointsBet Canada boss Scotty Vanderwel and Bede head honcho Colin Cole-Johnson. The reason for the joint appearance? PointsBet and Bede last month announced collaboration on a new casino aggregation and bonusing platform provided by Bede to the Ontario-licensed operator. Vanderwel discussed the decision to bring Bede on board to power its new proprietary platform, which gives PointsBet access to an extensive online casino catalogue that includes Games Global, Pragmatic Play, Play’n GO, Light & Wonder, and other games suppliers. Cole-Johnson talked about the company’s experience in the Ontario marketplace through its long-time partnership with OLG, and the collaboration process between the two companies’ teams to create and launch the new platform. McAllister asked both leaders about the growth of igaming in Ontario’s regulated gambling industry, the player protection piece of the platform and the importance of both companies’ culture during the building process. Vanderwel and Cole-Johnson both addressed the opportunity around the incoming open market in Alberta and the need to create a unique product for customers in the western Canada province. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The latest Gaming News Canada Show presented by Bede Gaming took the conversation on advertising in the gambling industry in a different direction. Host Steve McAllister was joined by two of Global TV Experts senior executives: Nick Wood, the Global Director of Client Strategy and Growth, and Jenny Croswell, the Managing Director of Canadian Operations. Wood and Croswell talked about their respective journeys through the TV and media industry, and the story behind Global TV Experts in Canada and other parts of the world. The company advises clients in the gambling industry on their media buys. Both guests addressed the ongoing influence of television around advertising campaigns and the evolution of those campaigns in the changing regulated sports betting and gaming landscape. McAllister also asked Croswell for her reaction to the latest report from Canadian Media Means Business on the impact of fewer advertising dollars being committed to traditional media. And, our two guests also discussed responsible gaming advertising, and the incoming open and regulated market in Alberta. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On a new episode of the Gaming News Canada Show presented by Bede Gaming, Steve McAllister is joined by two of the leading voices in the just-released research on sports betting advertising and its impact on young men. Dr. Andrew Kim, psychology professor at Toronto Metropolitan University and Canada Research chair in addictions and mental health comorbidity, and Greo Evidence Insights chief research officer Matthew Young discussed with McAllister the findings of the research that was conducted in Alberta and Ontario. TMU and Greo received a helping hand from Brock University, the University of Calgary, the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the University of Bristol, with funding provided by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Alberta Gambling Research Institute. Among the topics discussed: The genesis of the study, and how the funding was secured. The effect of sports betting advertising, especially on men under 30, and how those ads motivate young gamblers to play online casino games. The effectiveness of responsible gaming advertising. The need for problem gambling to be identified as a public health issue. Thoughts on placing additional restrictions on gambling advertising. The efforts by the authors of the research to get the results in front of gambling industry stakeholders. The need for ongoing research with the Ontario legal market now four years old, and an open, regulated market ready to launch in Alberta this summer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On a new episode of the Gaming News Canada Show, Covers senior news analyst Geoff Zochodne rejoined Steve McAllister for an extended version sparked by everything going on across the North American gambling landscape. Zochodne, who will participate on a panel on “tackling grey-market gambling in Canada” at next month’s SBC Summit Canada in Toronto, has been keeping tabs on news from both sides of the border, including: The latest on efforts by our federal elected officials in the Great White North to pass Bill S-211 around sports betting advertising. Speaking of advertising, Zochodne and McAllister discussed a recent piece by Steve Ruddock in his Straight to the Point newsletter suggesting tobacco-style rules on the legal gambling industry in the U.S. The current state of Ontario’s legal sports wagering and igaming industry, the withdrawal of Casumo and a mini-debate on informing/educating industry stakeholders and others about the regulated environment. The road to regulation and a July 13 launch date for Alberta’s open, legal market. Whether or not Alberta is the catalyst for other provinces to follow suit, and a conversation about the Supreme Court of Canada case around peer-to-peer igaming across borders. The never-ending news cycle around prediction markets in the U.S. of A. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A wearer of many chapeaus in the business of gambling, Benjie Cherniak joined Steve McAllister on a new episode of the Gaming News Canada Show presented by Bede Gaming. Cherniak, the principal of Avenue H Capital, provided his insights and perspectives on the issues and topics of the day across the sports betting and gaming industry, including: What’s at the top of his To Do list these days, and the current landscape around startup companies in the industry. The soon-to-come launch of Alberta’s open, regulated gambling market and if that could be the catalyst for other Canadian provinces to follow suit. Four years of Ontario’s open, regulated market. How the use of data and technology has evolved. The impact of prediction markets on the U.S. gambling scene. And more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friend of Gaming News Canada Jessica Welman is Steve McAllister’s guest on a new episode of the Gaming News Canada Show presented by Bede Gaming. The long-time journalist and content specialist announced in February her departure from SBC as Managing Editor. Last month, Welman let it be known she was joining Brianne Doura-Schawohl’s consulting firm to support the practice’s work around responsible gambling programs and policies. Among the topics covered on the podcast: Welman’s decision to walk away from SBC and choosing a different path in the gambling industry by joining Doura-Schawohl, and what’s involved in her new role. We also asked her to take a trip down memory lane on the evolution of regulated online sports betting and gaming in the U.S. The current goings-on around gambling in the U.S. of A., including the ongoing bunfight/legal wranglings involving politicians, regulators, gaming operators and prediction market proprietors (and oh yes, lawyers, many, many lawyers). Of course, we wanted Welman’s thoughts on the incoming legal, open gaming market in Alberta and asked her to look back at four years of regulated, competitive gaming in Ontario. That included asking the experienced poker player about the liquidity issue that has involved courts in Canada. She had an opinion or three on the results of a recent study conducted by Gaming Public Policy Consulting around media coverage of the gaming industry, and the media coverage of that study. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.