Press Release

The IGC Responds to Online Casino Reports Re: Another Canadian Province Launches Online Gaming (by John W. April 16)

April 19, 2012 - On behalf of the Interactive Gaming Council (IGC), I would like to address a handful of inaccuracies in this article published by Online Casino Reports.

First, while it's true that Manitoba has recently announced its decision to join the British Columbia Lottery Corporation and Loto-Quebec in the Canadian PokerNetwork, it is worth noting that as this model launched, European nations that had already attempted to enforce a monopoly were pulling back in favour of licensing and regulating recognized and reputable operators. Many other listed entities are all licensed in Europe and willingly subject themselves to regulatory control of the highest standards. This means they compete openly in the market to the benefit of all stakeholders, including players, as opposed to relying on a state-sanctioned monopoly to support their business. 

We do not feel it is correct to represent companies who are unable to apply for a license in Canada as “illegal” or that they offer “no responsible gambling features”. In Europe the general trend is to move away from state monopolies and to allow licensing of independent groups who meet the relevant regulatory requirements and government standards. 

These companies are typically licensed in European countries and territories such as the UK, Denmark, France, Italy, Malta, Gibraltar and the Isle of Man. These countries all require high standards on such matters as under-age gambling, money laundering, responsible gambling, player protection and 3^rd party testing of systems for fairness and security.

Finally, Ontario and the Atlantic provinces have not contrary to your assertion, launched regulated online gambling environments in the last two years. Yes, they sell lottery tickets online, but that is far different from offering regulated casino-style games. It is also easy to verify that Ontario's launch date for its online model will take place sometime in 2013. 

There is a lot of information readily available about the benefits associated with regulated environments and there are many associations, including the IGC, who would be happy to provide it to you in the future.

 Amanda Brewer

Spokesperson, IGC (Canada)

Interactive Gaming Council Urges Ontario to Consider Regulating Online Gaming

Good Policy: Provide Legal Clarity; Enhance Consumer Protection; Generate Revenue

March 29, 2012

Ontario has a debt problem that is proving hard to fix. The Drummond Report, issued in February, contained 362 recommendations for what the province should do to get its fiscal house in order, including a number of gaming suggestions. Tuesday's budget demonstrates a new direction for the Liberal government as it attempts to balance Ontario's budget by heralding an era of austerity.

Concessions will be sought from many sectors as the province settles in for a long-term struggle to eliminate its deficit. But as the province is busy cutting and freezing, where are the revenue generating opportunities?

The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) also recently announced a series of changes aimed to modernize its operations and provide much-needed revenue to the province. Having acknowledged that its current model is outdated, the OLG is turning to the private sector to play an increased role by assuming the bulk of the risk (and the employees) in exchange for running casinos, while the OLG focuses on regulatory oversight and policy control.

The Interactive Gaming Council (IGC) applauds this direction, as it supports the backbone of a regulatory model for online gaming. The OLG has publicly declared its intentions to enter this space in 2013, and we hope that the corporation's preferred model for its existing operations will also be applied to any new offerings and will not follow the current model of picking only one supplier.

DATES: May 22-24, 2012

20% IGC MEMBERS DISCOUNT  

LOCATION:  Dublin, Ireland

The iGaming Super Show is the biggest event in iGaming and features exhibition spaces for both interactive gaming suppliers looking for new and existing operators as well as operators looking to attract affiliates and marketing partners. The conference is two-tracked, with track one focusing on global regulation, the legal landscape, best practices in operations and marketing and the convergence between interactive and land-based gaming. The second track is focused on aquisition and will feature SEO professionals, latest e-marketing techniques, industry trends, social media marketing tactics and more.
 
The goal is to bring together the entire iGaming community, from affiliates and operators through to regulators and vendors. This is the largest networking and learning opportunity in the sector.
 
The aim is to create an event where our industry can meet, learn and do business, the iGaming Super Show ticks all these boxes.
 

LINK: http://www.igamingbusiness.com/content/igaming-supershow