Gambling Weekly News Summary in Canada – 2025/11/15
Ontario online gamblers can now bet alongside players outside of Canada
The Court of Appeal for Ontario has ruled that regulated online gaming and sports betting sites in the province can offer peer-to-peer wagering between players in Ontario and those outside of Canada, in a 4-1 decision.
The vote would enable Ontario players of daily fantasy sports and online poker to compete with those outside of Canada.
Chief Justice Michael Tulloch said “a majority of the court has concluded that online gaming and sports betting would remain lawful,” and the ruling is based on the court’s judgment of the Criminal Code.
The legal opinion has been opposed by gaming and lottery agencies in nearly all provinces in Canada, including British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and the four Atlantic Provinces.
In a court document regarding the ruling, the provinces expressed concerns that the “outcome of the Reference could lead to the further proliferation of illegal online gambling in the jurisdictions in which they operate and across Canada.”
GCE sells sixth casino to First Nations Group in 18 months
Great Canadian Entertainment has agreed to sell another of its nine originally owned casinos to the First Nations Group, the sixth in the space of 18 months.
The Ts’elxwéyeqw Tribe, made up of seven First Nation communities, announced it had entered into a definitive agreement for the Elements Casino Chilliwack, with the transaction representing “a transformational milestone for the communities within the Ts’elxwéyeqw Group.”
The Elements Casino Chilliwack, located in the Fraser Valley, features both live and electronic table games, bingo, dining, live entertainment, and over 300 slots.
Chief of Squiala First Nation and President of Ts’elxwéyeqw Tribe Management Ltd said, “This purchase marks an exciting milestone for our Nations and for the entire territory,” said Chief David Jimmie. By coming together in partnership, we are not only investing in a strong business opportunity, but also in the future of our people.”
Chief Executive Officer of Great Canadian Entertainment, Matt Anfinson, said, “We are very excited to have entered into this agreement with the Ts’elxwéyeqw Group. We have had the privilege of being part of the Chilliwack community since we opened Elements Casino Chilliwack in 2012, and we believe that under the Ts’elxwéyeqw Group’s stewardship, the business will begin an exciting new chapter.”
Penn Entertainment to focus on Canada Operations
PENN Entertainment has announced it will be ending its partnership with Disney and rebranding its sportsbook, ESPN Bet, to theScore Bet, from December 1. The move will bring together its separate American and Canadian products under one title.
After two years of collaboration with Disney, which were unprofitable, PENN Entertainment has chosen to focus on its Canadian and US operations, having failed to capture 20% of the US sports betting market aimed for at launch.
While it did not capture those demographics in the US, earlier this year, PENN executives stated that theScore Bet had a double-digit share in Ontario. With Alberta’s iGaming launch approaching soon, the CEO of PENN, Jay Snowden, hopes the region will become a top market for PENN.
“It is the right time to realign our interactive focus, prioritizing our digital assets in Canada and our Hollywood iCasino product to further leverage our core retail casino business and overall omnichannel business model. Our digital business is primarily focused on our Canadian operations and iCasino-first markets in the U.S,” said Snowden.
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/
