Gambling Weekly News Summary in Canada – 2025/08/23
Ontario Charity Casino Fined $199K for Alleged AML and Terrorism Violations
A charity casino operating from the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) has been fined just under $200,000 for violating federal anti-money laundering and terrorism financing laws.
The casino was found to have not completed bi-annual effectiveness reviews of its compliance programme, had inadequate risk assessment procedures, and thus violated the proceeds of crime laws in Canada.
When the federal court examined the casino to determine whether it was compliant with Canada’s Proceeds of Crime and Terrorist Financing Act, the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada fined the casino a maximum penalty of $100,000.
While this was the casino’s first offence, for which Fintrac typically reduces penalties by two-thirds, it was described as a “well-resourced entity,” so it only saw a $1,000 reduction from the total as it had already fixed the violations.
According to court documents, Fintrac told the casino that federal fines are “necessary to encourage compliance” and “appropriately reflect the harm caused, take into account CNE Casino’s compliance history and aims to promote adherence to the Act.”
The temporary casino has operated as a non-profit at the CNE since 1991, and is appealing the fines imposed.
Evoplay Launches in Ontario Through Partnership with Rivalry
Online game development studio Evolution has announced it has launched in Ontario thanks to its collaboration with the regulator betting operator Rivalry.
Evoplay was granted a gaming license within the region back in March and will now be bringing 20 of its slot games to Rivalry’s online platform, including The Greatest Catch Bonus Buy, Hot Triple Sevens, and Hot Volcano to Ontario residents.
Head of Sales for Evolution, Alex Malchenko, commented, “Going live in Ontario is a fantastic achievement for us. Integrating our portfolio with Rivalry is an important step in our commercial trajectory, and we are excited to introduce our content to their customers.”
Chief Executive Officer of Rivalry, Steven Salz, said, “Our goal is to deliver the most entertaining and differentiated casino experience in Ontario. Partnering with Evoplay allows us to introduce high-quality, innovative content that will resonate with our players and keep them coming back. We feel honored to be the first operator to offer Evoplay’s titles in Ontario and look forward to a successful partnership.”
Golden Nugget Online Gaming Launches in Ontario
Online gaming operator Golden Nugget Online Gaming has launched its online casino app in Ontario after receiving an operator license from the Alcohol Gaming Commission of Ontario.
DraftKings, which acquired the company in 2022, will power the app. It will feature over 2,000 slots, including Huff’ N More Puff, Cleopatra, and Hypernova Megaways, with jackpots that can reach over $1 million. Table games, including Craps, Blackjack, and Roulette, will also be available.
The launch marks Golden Nugget’s fifth online jurisdiction in which it operates, after launching in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Michigan.
“Golden Nugget is one of the most iconic brands in gaming, and we are thrilled to be live in Ontario with its robust mobile casino offering,” said Matt Kalish, President, DraftKings North America. “The Golden Nugget Online Gaming casino app offers hundreds of popular casino games, exclusive content, smooth navigation, premium support and a dynamic loyalty program — all backed by DraftKings’ cutting-edge technology.”
Ziv (Steve) Chen
CEO at Major League Content
Ziv has been working in the iGaming industry for more than two decades, serving in senior roles in software developers like Playtech and Microgaming. He then followed his lifelong passion of writing and became a fulltime journalist, covering casinos, sports betting, legislation and other gambling topics and news with a specialty in North America.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ziv-steve-chen-94b01b5/
