A new online casino and sports betting option in the legal Canada gaming province of Saskatchewan could be live by Nov. 20.
The Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGMA) plans to launch the site in time for Grey Cup betting.
BCLC to create Saskatchwan gambling site
In early June, SIGA revealed the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) as the winning developer of the Saskatchewan gambling site.
The Crown corporation powers PlayNow.com in both BC and Manitoba. BCLC’s PlayNow.com is the only regulated gambling website in the two provinces offering dedicated player-health specialists, GameSense Advisors.
Alanna Adamko, SIGA’s director of communications and media relations, said:
“BCLC has developed an industry-leading brand, GameSense, that is not only adopted and used by SIGA, but also many other gaming organizations across North America. The PlayNow platform has established built-in responsible gaming controls and resources where players can manage their deposit, spend, loss, and self-exclusion options.”
SIGA has praised BCLC’s PlayNow efforts for successfully establishing a track record in running the platform. It is what the two provinces needed to generate gaming revenue and target audiences.
“BCLC has a mature, established platform successfully operating in BC and Manitoba, and their depth of knowledge in the Canadian market strengthens their position,” Adamko added.
PlayNow gives unique games and experiences, and SIGA is also considering creating custom-made games for the Saskatchewan offerings in the future.
Agreement helps establish legal online gaming
The Saskatchewan government and the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) entered an agreement in September 2021 to strengthen the partnership between the two parties, allowing SIGA to bring online gaming to Saskatchewan.
SIGA’s president and CEO, Zane Hansen, said:
“SIGA is very excited to bring the PlayNow online casino and sports betting experience to Saskatchewan – the PlayNow platform is very competitive against any other online offering. This online offering will integrate into our existing casino operations and will further enhance the entertainment options for SIGA’s and SaskGaming’s customers.”
FSIN and Saskatchewan government originally signed an agreement in 1995 aiming to establish the legal grounds for the digital platform to be operated by SIGA. The Gaming Framework Agreement (GFA) amendment established a 50/50 revenue split between FSIN and the Province.
FSIN represents 74 First Nation communities within Saskatchewan.
The agreement made SIGA the only First Nations operator in Canada that has signed an iGaming deal with any governmental institution.
