Canada

Court stops Quebec’s plan to ban private online gaming websites

Published

6 years ago

July 26, 2018

Court stops Quebec's plan to ban private online gaming websites

Reading Time: 2 minutes

The Canadian state Quebec’s attempt to deny its citizens access to unauthorised online gaming websites has been stopped by a Canadian court. The new legislation had proposed a clause that all online gaming website must get authorisation from the state-run gambling corporation. The court now terms the clause unconstitutional because it infringes upon federal jurisdiction.

The province adopted legislation in 2016 forcing internet service providers to block access to online gambling sites unauthorised by Loto-Quebec, sparking accusations the government was trying to censor part of the internet and violate the concept of net neutrality.

But Quebec didnot have the authority to do that because its law touched on telecommunications and criminal law, both federal competencies, the court ruled in a July 18 decision.

The Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association challenged the legislation – which had not come into effect – and said it was pleased with the ruling.

A spokesperson for the CWTA said in an email, “We have always been clear all Canadians are better served by a proportionate and symmetrical set of federal regulations than a patchwork of provincial regulations.”

University of Ottawa law professor Michael Geist, who holds the Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-commerce Law, said “the court got it right.”

“(The ruling) sends a strong message to the Quebec government and to any provincial government that might think regulating the internet through mandating blocking schemes is the way to go,” Geist said.

In the 2015 budget documents, the Finance Department noted Loto-Quebec’s online gambling platform was losing money. The government would, therefore, introduce legislation banning Quebecers’ access to websites unauthorised by the province’s gaming authority.

Finance Minister Carlos Leitao had said the law was necessary to protect the health and safety of Quebecers because private gambling companies do not apply the same responsible gaming rules as the provincial government.

Justice Pierre Nollet saw through Leitao’s argument.

“The veritable character (of the law) is to prevent gaming websites not exploited by the government from being accessible, and not about protecting consumers or their health.”

Geist said he thinks from the moment of its introduction, the law was about increasing Loto-Quebec’s revenues.

“And the government wasn’t shy about that until the reality of the court challenge, and then there was this attempt to frame it as a health and safety measure,” he said.

Neither Loto-Quebec’s spokesman nor the spokeswoman for the finance minister wanted to comment Tuesday on the ruling.

Geist said Nollet’s ruling could have an impact on an upcoming decision by the CRTC regarding a demand by a coalition of companies – including Bell Canada and the CBC – for the commission to block websites considered purveyors of pirated creative content.

Nollet cited the 1993 Telecommunications Act in his decision, which he said enshrines into law the concept of net neutrality.

“Net neutrality” is understood to mean that internet companies should be neutral carriers of content and not favour some sites over others or block access to certain sites.

The 1993 act states, “Except where the Commission (the CRTC) approves otherwise, a Canadian carrier shall not control the content or influence the meaning or purpose of telecommunications carried by it for the public.”

Nollet’s ruling noted the act requires the CRTC to block sites only under strict circumstances, such as during threats to the network.

“There are implications (in the ruling) for other site-blocking proposals,” Geist said. “Because it says the courts understand (the CRTC) by and large, doesn’t block content, and if so, does it under very, very limited circumstances.”

Source: ctvnews.ca

Canada

Glitnor Group expands IBIA’s betting integrity presence in Ontario

Published

7 months ago

April 10, 2024

Adrienn Sarkany

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Glitnor Group, operating under the LCKY Group in Ontario, has joined the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA). Glitnor Group’s luckycasino.ca brand sportsbook will feed into IBIA’s world leading betting integrity monitoring platform. The operator joins over 50 companies and 125 leading sports betting brands in IBIA and further cements the association’s position as the leading sports betting integrity monitoring body in Ontario and globally.

David Schwieler LCKY Group CEO, said: “At Glitnor Group, we’re dead serious about keeping our betting games fair and square. That’s why teaming up with IBIA is a big deal for us. We know how crucial it is to protect the spirit of sports, and we’re ready to roll up our sleeves and work closely with the IBIA to make sure sports betting stays exciting, speedy, and above all, fair.”

Khalid Ali, CEO of IBIA, said: “I am delighted to welcome Glitnor Group as IBIA’s latest member in Ontario. Glitnor and IBIA share a common goal to maintain the integrity of the sports betting marketplace and to protecting consumers and sports from match-fixing. Ensuring product integrity is paramount to our approach and we look forward to integrating Glitnor within our leading global sports betting integrity monitoring system.”

IBIA is a not-for-profit body that has no competing conflicts with the delivery of commercial services to other sectors and is run by operators for operators to protect regulated sports betting markets from match-fixing. IBIA’s global monitoring network is a highly effective anti-corruption tool, detecting and reporting suspicious activity in regulated betting markets.

Through the IBIA global monitoring network it is possible to track transactional activities linked to individual customer accounts. IBIA members have over $300bn per annum in betting turnover (handle), accounting for approximately 50% of the global commercial regulated land-based and online sports betting sector, and in excess of 50% for online alone.

IBIA recently released a report on the Availability of Sports Betting Products which highlighted Ontario as a leading regulated gambling jurisdiction, with an expected onshore channelisation for sports betting of 92% in 2024 forecast to rise to 97% in 2028. IBIA currently represents over 60% of the private sports betting operators licensed in the province. All online sports betting operators licensed in Ontario are required to be part of a betting integrity monitoring body.

IBIA’s 2023 annual integrity report detailed 184 alerts reported in the year, which represents a decrease of 101 (or 35%) on the revised 2022 figure of 285 alerts. IBIA alerts contributed to the investigations and subsequent successful sanctioning of 21 clubs, players and officials in 2023, an increase on the 15 sanctioned in 2022.

Canada

SOFTSWISS Obtains Firstly Issued B2B Tobique Gaming Licence

Published

8 months ago

April 3, 2024

George Miller

SOFTSWISS Obtains Firstly Issued B2B Tobique Gaming Licence

Reading Time: 2 minutes

SOFTSWISS, an iGaming software provider celebrating its 15th anniversary in 2024, has obtained the B2B Tobique Gaming Licence, the first ever issued in the jurisdiction. The Tobique Gaming Commission (TGC) and Differentia Licensing Advisory Group Limited (DLAG), a provider and facilitator to gaming companies for international gaming licences, authorised SOFTSWISS to engage in business activities for one year.

Located in western New Brunswick, Canada, the Tobique First Nation is a sovereign indigenous community issuing online gambling licences through the TGC under the Tobique Gaming Act of 2023. The licence, recognised as the B2B Tobique Gaming Licence, offers businesses the prospect of international operations, facilitating the establishment of a global footprint. The licence covers various categories of real money betting, including sports, casino games and lottery. Its significant advantages include the streamlined application process, reasonable price and quick acquisition.

Yuri Sharapa, Head of Country Projects at SOFTSWISS, comments: “Acquiring a new licence is a remarkable achievement for us, signifying our dedication to offering our clients a diverse range of options. We extend our gratitude to the Tobique Gaming Commission for their trust and stringent standards. We are proud to announce that one of the companies under the SOFTSWISS brand has become the first company to secure the B2B Tobique iGaming Licence.”

“The DLAG team is pleased to announce that the first Tobique Licence has been granted. The Licensee is under the tier-1 international brand, SOFTSWISS, in our industry, recognised for its leading products and services. These are exciting times for both the gaming world and Tobique!” adds Graham Martin, Chairman of DLAG.

SOFTSWISS supplies multiple operators under three international licences: MGA, CGA, and Kahnawake. Additionally, SOFTSWISS has several national licences and certifications, among which the recently obtained South African Licence through the acquisition of Turfsport, a leading South African provider of wagering software with 35 years of experience. Additionally, last year, as part of its strategy to enter regulated markets, the SOFTSWISS Casino Platform and the SOFTSWISS Sportsbook obtained GLI-19 and GLI-33 certifications, respectively.

About SOFTSWISS

SOFTSWISS is an international tech company supplying software solutions for managing iGaming projects. The expert team, which counts over 2,000 employees, is based in Malta, Poland and Georgia. SOFTSWISS holds a number of gaming licences and provides one-stop-shop iGaming software solutions. The company has a vast product portfolio, including the Casino Platform, Game Aggregator, the Affilka affiliate tracking platform, Sportsbook Platform, and Jackpot Aggregator. In 2013, SOFTSWISS was the first in the world to introduce a Bitcoin-optimised online casino solution.

Canada

Hacksaw Gaming and Caesars Digital Partner to Launch Online Casino Games in Ontario

Published

11 months ago

December 21, 2023

Alan Campbell

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Launch brings Hacksaw Gaming titles to Caesars Palace Online Casino and Caesars Sportsbook & Casino in Ontario

Hacksaw Gaming today announced its first market launch with Caesars Digital in North America, in the regulated iGaming province of Ontario, Canada. The new partnership marks the exciting launch of new games on Caesars Palace Online Casino and Caesars Sportsbook & Casino in the province.

This new partnership, a first between the two companies, will bring familiar titles to online casino players and will be followed by a dedicated roadmap for additional launches in more jurisdictions in 2024, showcasing the entire Hacksaw Gaming catalog. The first release of games includes Hacksaw Gaming classics Wanted Dead or a Wild, RIP City, Hand of Anubis and Mines.

“Forging partnerships with new faces is always an exciting time but the influence of Caesars Digital is one we pride,” the Chief Executive Officer for Hacksaw Gaming, Marcus Cordes, said. “Launching this partnership in Ontario is the perfect place to begin our journey.”

“Hacksaw Gaming brings an exciting catalog of games to our platforms that should provide a thrilling experience for our players,” the Senior Vice-President and Chief iGaming Officer for Caesars Digital, Matthew Sunderland, said. “We’re excited to see how our players engage with this content in Ontario and in jurisdictions in the future through our new partnership.”