NeoGames and the Atlantic Lottery Corporation (ALC) have announced a new partnership that will bring NeoGames eInstant games to players in New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador. This new agreement is the first of its kind for the ALC and may be a sign of the Atlantic provinces willingness to embrace legal online gambling in Canada.
For NeoGames, this new partnership is one of many igaming deals they have agreed to all across Canada.
Article Highlights:
- NeoGames entire eInstant lottery games portfolio will now be available on the ALC online lottery platform.
- The new partnership is NeoGames “first content-only deal in Canada.”
- This deal is unlikely to affect gambling laws in the Atlantic provinces.
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Partnership brings new games Atlantic provinces
There are many interesting aspects of this new deal between NeoGames and the ALC, but the most interesting part is that it will result in new games available on ALC sites across the Atlantic provinces. NeoGames entire eInstant lottery games portfolio will now be available on the ALC online lottery platform.
Robert Lalonde, Director of iGaming at the ALC said of the deal that it will “further enhance the digital gaming experience in Atlantic Canada” and “expand our game content and broaden our appeal to players, while maintaining our commitment to responsible gambling.”
Hili Shakked, Managing Director of NeoGames Studio, specifically highlighted that this new partnership will bring “NeoGames Studio’s premium eInstant titles” to Atlantic Canada. One of these titles includes the Desert Fantasy slot game, which was the winner of the 2023 EGR North America Award for “Best New Game.”
Exclusive and new NeoGames lottery games and features will also be available on the ALC as soon as they are available.
NeoGames partner company investing big in Canadian igaming
NeoGames’ new partnership with the ALC has been described by Hili Shakked and NeoGames as the company’s “first content-only deal in Canada.” While this is true, it is far from NeoGames’ first deal in the Canadian igaming market.
NeoGames and their principal business partner Pollard Banknote Limited own several subsidiary companies currently making waves in the Canadian igaming industry. These subsidiaries include NeoPollard Interactive, BtoBet, and NEO.bet.
BtoBet recently joined forces with the Alberta Gaming, Liquor & Cannabis (AGLC) to provide backend infrastructure, technologies, and expertise to AGLC for their lottery-run sportsbook Play Alberta. Practically speaking, NeoGames, BtoBet’s parent company, now runs one of the only legal sports betting sites in Alberta. NEO.bet, another NeoGames-owned sports betting site, was announced as an official sportsbook partner of the CFL in Ontario earlier this year.
The BtoBet, NEO.bet, and new NeoGames deals are strong signs of NeoGames and Pollard Banknote Limited’s intentions to become a huge player in the Canadian igaming market.
ALC investing in lottery games over private online casinos
Following the legalisation of sports betting in Canada and other changes to the Canadian criminal code regarding online gambling in 2021, virtually every Canadian province has started to rethink their online gambling laws.
In Ontario, the provincial government decided to completely open up their market to private sector sports betting sites and online casinos. Other provinces, like New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador, have decided to purely offer online gambling through their local lottery corporations.
Optimists believe deals like the one between NeoGames and the ALC are signs that the Atlantic provinces may be considering opening its legal online gambling market. However, this is unlikely. Legal online gambling in Ontario has been controversial among politicians, to say the least. National MPs and provincial governments have criticised the amount of casino ads and potential dangers to young people.
New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador are some of the provinces who have been sceptical of legal online gambling in Canada. This deal is unlikely to affect gambling laws in the Atlantic provinces.
Julian Miller is a Canadian writer and an avid sports fan. He has years of experience in the iGaming industry, having started writing while completing his university studies in Montreal, Quebec. In 2022, he graduated, and has since been working full-time in the iGaming space. He has a particular fondness for the English Premier League — though he also has plenty of experience covering football, basketball, and other sports.