The recent SiGMA Americas Summit and the Canadian Gaming Summit in Toronto offered unique opportunities for key industry players to exchange ideas.
Toronto was at the centre of North American gambling happenings, as it recently hosted both the SiGMA Americas Summit and the Canadian Gaming Summit (CGS). The two events offered a platform for key industry players to discuss the state of the gambling industry in the region, exchange ideas, and showcase new products and technologies.
This was the first time since the launch of Ontario’s new iGaming market and the legalisation of single-event sports betting that Canada hosted a gaming conference of such magnitude. The CGS ran from 7 to 9 June 2022 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, while SiGMA Americas Summit was hosted at the Enercare Centre – Exhibition Place from 6 to 9 June.
Key Industry Takeaways from the Two Summits
A few main points from the Canadian Gaming Summit include discussions between Ontario’s regulated iGaming market and the provincial regulators. On the second day of the conference, the Alcohol and Gambling Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and iGaming Ontario held a panel discussion on the state of Ontario’s online gambling market after its initial two months of operations.
Dave Forestell, the chairman of iGaming Ontario, moderated the one-hour discussion, with the panellists including Tom Mungham, CEO of AGCO, and Martha Otton, executive director of iGaming Ontario. The debate revealed that over 70 operators are presently undertaking the licensing process with the regulators. Some of these receive licenses after 70 days, while in other cases, this can extend to 120 days.
Mungham dismissed the rumours of a 1 July cut-off date for the existing grey-market operators to migrate towards the regulated framework. He noted that there is a three to four-month transitional period before the market shifts to its final format. Regulators also warned that they’re moving toward enforcement mode and are simultaneously listening to the feedback on issues such as the province’s strict marketing rules.
