Will Canada's Gaming Summit be Essential to the Country's iGaming Industry?
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Canada's iGaming Summit—the Canadian Gaming Summit (CGS)—is the country's standout event for senior executives wanting to grow the gaming and betting market. Experts from Canada and globally travel annually to gain industry insights, introduce their next best idea, and network with other professionals.
The 27th edition ran from June 18-20, 2024, at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. It was massive for the industry, with more than 2,500 delegates attending. From the 2024 convention, it seemed Alberta, Toronto, was a massive focal point, with multiple panels discussing the impact of a regulated market in Alberta. Ontario is one of the fastest-growing areas, seeing $2.4 billion in revenue and 15,000 new jobs.
Read on to learn more about the CSG impacts.
The 2024 Canadian Gaming Summit
The Canadian Gaming Summit, which took place in 2024, will forever go down as changing Canada's iGaming market. While Las Vegas remains king of the industry, others have grown around it and challenged it, in which Canada is hoping to join.
Hosted at the Metro Toronto Convention Center with more than 2500 delegates there, it was one of the most successful events in the history of the CGS. It enabled people within the industry to consolidate and review such important milestones and establish how things will be done in Canada's gaming sector in the future.
The possibility of Alberta as an upcoming regulated iGaming jurisdiction came up as one of the key focuses of this meeting. Several panels focused on the best practices that Alberta could borrow from Ontario, which was able to set up a controlled environment for iGaming.
If Alberta follows Ontario's lead, it could generate $2.4 billion a year in revenue and create 15,000 new jobs. According to Martha Otton of iGaming Ontario, it will also solve some economic problems Alberta is currently grappling with.
The changes in gaming registration and security and their impact on the gaming experience were also major turning points discussed by Interac VerifiedTM.
What That Indicates for the iGaming Market
The conversations and feedback from the 2024 CGS were exciting. It'll be interesting to see how they change the Canadian online casino industry.
The experience that offshore gaming companies have had in Canada demonstrates that regulation is good for business and society. If Alberta decides to jump on the bandwagon along with the rest of the provinces in Canada, there is likely to be large-scale growth in the Canadian iGaming industry.
The development of a consolidated regulatory approach was, perhaps, one of the most important lessons learned from the summit. While the provincially based system of Canada provides opportunities for customization, the deficiencies that arise could impair the growth. At CGS, experts there agreed that a better-aligned regulatory regime could potentially be an incentive for significant international companies and trust from consumers.
The evolution from new payment solutions to AI solutions and the evolving consumer expectations doesn't escape the industry. This is increasingly important in the context of the dwindling loyalty of the Canadian players to brands, where the average number of accounts held by a player across operators is 3.8.
What to Expect at the 2025 Canadian Gaming Summit
For the 2025 summit, there's a high possibility that the audience would be treated to even more advanced technological developments.
The adoption of Interac Verified™ and other payment innovations will be at the center stage given the industry's push on increasing security and usability. The panels can also look into the potential of AI-fueled personalization and analytics tools that provide operators with new ways to understand players and make their offerings more competitive.
Another point of focus is international cooperation. The summit presents an opportunity to interact with delegates from other countries, learn from other markets, and implement best practices.
The CSG 2025 will run from the 17th to the 19th, 2025.
How iGaming is Changing
One of the major areas of focus has been the shift toward personalization. Gamers expect personalized experiences in everything from game searches to features that keep them engaged.
Another highlight is the growing demand for more effective payment methods. The 2024 CGS showed that seamless payments are essential to the player's journey. Instant payments and localized payment systems are not just conveniences; they are competitive advantages.
Regulation is also considered to be an important factor of change. Provinces such as Ontario demonstrate that appropriate regulation within a market is sufficient for its development, capitalization, and sundry consumer needs. At the same time, other provinces that are contemplating regulating the market are evolving and consolidating.
What Impact Are Global iGaming Summits Having?
Canada's gaming industry is changing because of global iGaming summits—but there are others. Conferences like the Canadian Gaming Summit, ICE London, and the American Gaming Association's Global Gaming Expo.
Global forums and summits also advocate for new ways of doing things. They supply new technologies and transformations that Canadian operators need to consider in order to be among the leaders in the industry.
Global conferences create relationships and partnerships. Canadian operators can link with foreign suppliers, regulators, and affiliates, which results in joint efforts aimed at growth and innovation.
Will you attend the 2025 CSG? Every year, each summit continues to change how people see iGaming. It'll be interesting to see what the 2025 summit does for the industry.
