Liftoff!: Ontario Launches iGaming in North America - SiGMA America Meets with Canadian Industry Players

Ontario just launched its legal iGaming marketplace on April 4. As SiGMA launches SiGMA America in Toronto next month, SiGMA News has launched a mini-interview with leading operators and partners who have decided to expand their reach in this market by licensing their games.

In the first interview, we met Matthew Kelemen. Kelemen is the Director of Business Development for North America at Pariplay. The company was one of only a few companies to be licensed in Ontario. The license will make Pariplay’s aggregation services available across Canadian provinces and will be offered with a number of leading operators and partners.

With the new online gaming market in Ontario, what footprint do you intend to leave in this space?

As in any other market, it’s important to give your customers what they really want. We are already a well-established name in the industry, trusted by operators all over the world, and know that we offer great products. Since our inception, we have worked tirelessly to improve the platform and build premium games offered by amazing studios, including our own Wizard Games.

In addition to a broad and diverse content library with the most popular themes, mechanics, and features, it also has unique conversion and retention tools that increase player lifetime value. We know that competition will increase as new markets open, but we are confident that operators, especially in emerging markets, will quickly understand the strengths of our products and the benefits we can provide.

Why CanadaWhy Canada?

Canada, along with the United States, has long been eyed by telcos and suppliers as the next major market to enter. With the gradual regulation of online gambling, North America has become a reality for the industry and has a lot of potential. For us, it was easy to get into the United States and Canada because the population is huge and mostly undeveloped.

Earlier this year, we entered Alberta as the sole distributor of content for Play Alberta, Alberta’s only regulated online gambling website. The Alberta Government trusts us and we are honored to offer our premium products to local customers. We can’t wait to see how the Ontario market develops.

According to H2 Gambling Capital, the combined market size of online sports betting and online gaming in Canada is estimated to exceed USD 2 billion in 2022, which was only launched in April. This includes Ontario, which is expected to become one of the largest iGaming markets in North America, so we strongly expect Canada to be one of our key focuses.

What are your expectations for the newly opened market?

The company believes that first-mover advantage is key and has already partnered with a number of operators in Ontario, including BetMGM and 888 Casino. In the coming months, he will be performing live with Rush Street Interactive, Caesars, and other big names in the industry.

We are confident that Ontario will be a great market and will contribute significantly to Alberta’s business operations. Ontario has a similar structure to the UK in terms of ease of entry and regulation, which makes trading much easier by moving in and out of one currency. Even though it is a North American market, it has a European atmosphere.

Going forward, we will analyze player data and work with local operators to ensure that the product is as customized as possible and see if there is anything more we can do to support our partners. I’m Pariplay’s first North American director, and having someone here will go a long way toward making our Canadian presence even bigger. It’s still too early, but I’m excited about the opportunities Ontario brings and look forward to seeing how the province develops and becomes a part of it.

What makes your company stand out in the crowd?

The Fusion platform hosts the largest portfolio of games from some of the industry’s most in-demand suppliers, and the content has already proven itself in many of the regulated markets in which we operate. Our experience in Europe, and more recently in the United States and Alberta, has shown that our games resonate with a wide range of players and tastes, providing a great experience and entertainment. Our rapid integration allows operators to partner with us seamlessly, but what sets us apart is the ability to select some, but not all, of our content.

The size of the companies and regions in which they operate. This allows operators to quickly enter new markets and adapt as needed to deliver localized and optimized experiences.

Are you planning to exhibit at the SiGMA America Summit in Canada this June?

Unfortunately, we will not be able to exhibit this year, but we plan to do so in the future. However, at the summit in June, I and several members of the Pariplay team will be supporting the SiGMA event.

Do you have any plans for the future?

We’re always talking to local operators and have some exciting news to share about our plans in Canada for the second quarter of this year. We’ve also continued to expand in other key regulated markets, and we’ve significantly enhanced our Fusion offerings over the past three months with content from several new and unique studios. We will never rest on our laurels and it’s a particularly exciting time for Paris Play, so take a look at this space!

Join us at SiGMA Americas (Toronto):

Toronto is the perfect hub for SiGMA’s growth in North America and is the center of network and business development in the region when it comes to land-based, iGaming, sports betting, and more. As the hub of the large-scale iGaming industry, Toronto will be the hub of SiGMA Group’s initiatives, bringing together industry trailblazers from across the continent for three days of networking, workshops and awards. For more information about sponsorships, talks, or to enquire about attending the event, please contact Sophie at [email protected].