Canada
ODDS ON COMPLIANCE UNVEILS GAMBLING AND TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY ALL-STAR ADVISORY BOARD
Odds On Compliance, the industry-leading technology and consultancy firm specializing in sports betting, iGaming, and gambling compliance and regulatory frameworks in the US and abroad, has unveiled Tom Auriemma, Michelle Chatigny, Robin Chhabra and Sanjay Chopra as the industry experts who comprise the company’s newly formed Advisory Board.
Tom Auriemma was a pioneer of the New Jersey gaming industry and spent 28 years as a casino regulator in that State culminating in his appointment as the Director of the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement. Auriemma now currently serves as the Chairman of the Compliance Committees for MGM Resorts International, Penn National Gaming and Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment. Joining Auriemma on the Odds On Compliance advisory board is Michelle Chatigny, a 20-year veteran of IGT where she was Vice President, Global Regulatory and Product Compliance, before joining Wynn Resorts, Limited’s Compliance Committee, a position she has held since August 2018. Robin Chhabra is the third expert lending his experience and knowledge to Odds On Compliance. Chhabra is President of Tekkorp Digital Acquisition Corp., and has previous experience including being CEO and Special Advisor to FOXBet, Chief Corporate Development Officer of The Stars Group, and Group Director of Strategy and Corporate Development at William Hill. Sanjay Chopra completes the Advisory Board. Chopra is Co-Founder and CEO of Cognistx, the AI specialists with whom Odds On already has a previously announced partnership.
“I am extremely proud and honored to welcome such a distinguished group of experts to Odds On Compliance as our advisory board,” said Odds On Compliance CEO and Co-Founder Eric Frank. “In our initial group of four we have some of the smartest, most experienced people in their respective industries worldwide, and they will play a strong role in helping us shape the future of our business as we grow and expand in 2022 and beyond. At our core, Odds On Compliance is a technology business, so having the experience that Sanjay brings from Cognistx is invaluable for our whole team, but we are a tech business which specializes in regulatory compliance in the sports betting, iGaming, and gambling industries, in the US and abroad, so Michelle, Tom and Robin very neatly complement Sanjay, giving us the benefit of their combined knowledge, leadership, and experience. We are excited to welcome them all to our team and look forward to working with them in an exciting 2022 and beyond.”
Tom Auriemma is one of the casino industry’s leading gaming attorneys and consultants and is the 2019 recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Association of Gaming Advisors for his many contributions to the gaming industry. He is the Chairman of three Compliance Committees: Penn National Gaming, Inc., MGM Resorts International, and Mohegan Gaming and Entertainment. Previously, he was Vice President of Regulatory Affairs and Chief Compliance Officer for Penn National Gaming, Inc. Auriemma was a pioneer of the New Jersey gaming industry, and spent 28 years as a casino regulator in that State before culminating in his appointment as the Director of the Division of Gaming Enforcement. Auriemma received his Juris Doctor degree from Seton Hall University School of Law where he graduated second in his class.
Michelle Chatigny was previously with the Nevada Gaming Control Board. After her departure she joined IGT, one of the world’s largest gaming suppliers that was licensed and conducting business in every jurisdiction in the world where gaming was legal. As acknowledged by regulators, IGT set the “gold standard” for compliance in the gaming industry. Michelle remained with IGT for just over 20 years and was responsible for its global compliance efforts, including but not limited to licensing, product approvals, suitability determinations, corporate security, the IGT Compliance Committee, as well as the Company’s Code of Conduct, and internal integrity reporting matters. Michelle previously served on The Stars Group Compliance and Political Activities Committees, and currently serves on the Wynn Resorts, Limited Compliance Committee, a position she has held since August 2018. She was also elected to the Wynn Resorts, Limited Special Litigation Committee in October 2018. Michelle is currently a member of the International Masters of Gaming Law and the International Association of Gaming Advisors.
Robin Chhabra is President of Tekkorp Digital Acquisition Corp and has been at the forefront of corporate acquisition activity within the digital gaming landscape for over a decade. His experience includes leading corporate strategy, M&A, and business development at two of the global leaders in the digital gaming industry, The Stars Group and William Hill, and a leading supplier, Inspired Gaming Group. At The Stars Group, Robin was Chief Corporate Development Officer, and served as the CEO of FOX Bet, the leading U.S. online gaming business which is the product of a landmark partnership between The Stars Group and FOX Sports, a transaction which he led. While with The Stars Group, Robin led several transactions which transformed The Stars Group into the largest publicly listed online gambling operator in the world with revenues of over $2.5 billion. Previously, he was Group Director of Strategy and Corporate Development at William Hill, where he led transactions which transformed the company from a land-based gambling operator in the United Kingdom to a leading online-led international business. This included William Hill’s entry into the U.S. sports betting and online lottery markets via the acquisition of four businesses.
Sanjay Chopra is the Co-Founder and CEO of Cognistx, a six-year-old applied AI company with several high impact AI applications for retail, cybersecurity, supply chain, logistics, and manufacturing. Chopra is also the Co-Founder and CEO of Intellions, a pricing software company. He has over 28 years of expertise in AI, e-commerce strategy, business development and technology and is the winner of the E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year 2000 award for OnlineChoice. He actively participates in promoting entrepreneurship in Pittsburgh and was the Founding Chair of Pittsburgh Social Venture Partners, and a founding charter member of the TiE Pittsburgh. He has also consulted for Goldman Sachs in various strategy and e-commerce projects, and has worked as a software engineer/manager at Federated Investors, Carnegie Group, and Allegheny Management Company. He is an Adjunct Professor of e-Commerce at Carnegie Mellon University and holds an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University (GSIA – Tepper Business School), a Master of Science degree in Computer Science from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) and Bachelors in Computer Technology from Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology (MANIT – REC), Bhopal, India.
AGCO
AGCO Requires Ontario Gaming Operators to Stop Offering WBA Bets Due to Integrity Concerns
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has mandated all Ontario-registered sportsbook operators to halt offering and accepting wagers on World Boxing Association (WBA) events immediately. This measure is being taken to protect the Ontario betting public following concerns that WBA-sanctioned boxing matches are not adequately being safeguarded against match-fixing and insider betting.
Since December 2023, the AGCO has been conducting a comprehensive review of suspicious wagering activity on a WBA-sanctioned title fight between Yoenis Tellez and Livan Navarro that was held in Orlando, Florida. Suspicious betting patterns on the bout lasting over 5.5 rounds were reported to the AGCO by two registered independent integrity monitors and detected in Ontario by a registered igaming operator. Media reports also alleged that Tellez’s Manager placed $110,000 on the match lasting longer than 5.5 rounds at a Florida casino. The bout ended with Tellez knocking out Navarro in the 10th round.
Following an intensive review that included outreach to the WBA, Ontario-registered gaming operators, independent integrity monitors, and regulators in other jurisdictions, the AGCO has concluded that bets related to WBA events do not currently meet the Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming.
The AGCO requires all Ontario-registered gaming operators to ensure the sport betting products they offer are on events that are effectively supervised by a sport governing body. At a minimum, the sport governing body must have and enforce codes of conduct that prohibit betting by insiders.
Registered gaming operators were unable to demonstrate to the AGCO that the WBA prohibits betting from insiders, which could include an athlete’s coaches, managers, handlers, athletic trainers, medical professionals, or others with access to non-public information. Further, registered gaming operators were unable to demonstrate that the WBA took any action to investigate or enforce the allegations of potential match-fixing and insider wagering.
The AGCO has indicated to registered operators that in order for WBA betting products to be reinstated in Ontario, operators must demonstrate that the WBA effectively supervises its events, thus bringing them into compliance with the Registrar’s Standards. In December 2022, the AGCO required gaming operators to stop offering bets on UFC events for similar issues related to insider betting safeguards. Within a month, UFC amended its policies and implemented new protocols that allowed the AGCO to reinstate betting on UFC events in the province.
“Ontarians who wish to bet on sporting events need to be confident that those events are fairly run, and that clear integrity safeguards are in place and enforced by an effective sport governing body. Knowing the popularity of boxing in Ontario, we look forward to reinstating betting on WBA events once appropriate safeguards against possible match-fixing and insider betting have been confirmed,” Dr. Karin Schnarr, Registrar and CEO of AGCO, said.
Andrew Cochrane Chief Business Officer of GiG
GiG increases Ontario market presence, powering the launch of Casino Time
Gaming Innovation Group Inc. (GiG), has announced the launch of Casino Time, powered by its award winning iGaming platform and pioneering real-time rules engine LogicX, with revolutionary sportsbook, SportX soon to follow, to further extend its footprint in the regulated Canadian province of Ontario.
The launch of Casino Time carries extra significance, marking only the second time that on-demand, regulated online Bingo has been made available in Ontario. The new Bingo product vertical, launched alongside a strong Casino offering, will be boosted by GiG’s new sportsbook, SportX, as part of a planned release later this year.
GiG has focused its solutions on driving exponential growth in revenue for operators with its highly scalable iGaming platform, offering localised third party content and leading suppliers for the Ontarian market. GiGs peerless gamification layer creates an optimised and immersive casino experience tailored to regional preferences, swelling client retention and player engagement.
Canadian owned and operated, Casino Time is a joint venture amongst leading retail operators in Ontario’s Charitable Gaming sector, delivering Bingo, Slots and Live Dealer Casino Games. Promising a personalised service and community experience, Casino Time is continuing its long-standing partnership with local charities, introducing its joint fundraising model into the iGaming space for the first time.
Now coming towards the end of its second year of licensed operations, Ontario has emerged as one of the largest iGaming markets in North America, second only to New Jersey according to data supplied by Vixio. The first and as yet only Canadian province to launch a regulated market, Ontario boasts more than 1.6 million active player accounts spread over 40 plus operators, generating €1.3 billion in Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) in its first year of trading, with this data supplied by iGaming Ontario.
Andrew Cochrane, Chief Business Officer of GiG, said: “GiG continues to set the pace with a strong cadence of brand launches in 2024, and I’m pleased that when operators are seeking platform solutions in regulated markets, GiG is leading the pack. Our partnership with Casino Time, will help deliver something new and exciting to the Ontarian market, and further helps to demonstrate the flexibility of our solutions, adapting to match the regional aspirations of our partners to deliver growth.”
D’Arcy Stuart, CEO of Casino Time, said: “We are thrilled to partner with GiG as the core technology provider of our iGaming platform. Their powerful suite of player engagement tools, as well as diverse content and regulatory integrations, underpin our ability to serve and delight our player community. Our hybrid online and offline customer network, as well as unique bingo offerings, will drive exciting opportunities as the platform and the marketplace continues to grow.”
Canada
Glitnor Group expands IBIA’s betting integrity presence in Ontario
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.
The post Glitnor Group expands IBIA’s betting integrity presence in Ontario appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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