Goldenpark, an online gaming operator, is partnering with Gaming Innovation Group to enter the Ontario online casino market. Goldenpark has been operating in Spain and Portugal, and has already partnered with Gaming Innovation Group (GiG) in Europe.
In GiG, Goldenpark has a partner that’s familiar with Ontario’s emerging regulated online market. In the province, GiG has partnered with several companies that are either live or in development there. As an established GiG partner, Goldenpark will look to move beyond its online footprint in Spain, and a recently launched license in Portugal, to expand to North America.
In a news release, GiG said that it places “significant value on the strength of harvesting relationships with its partners, with open, bespoke and tailorable technology, and access to over 30 regulated markets with eight more in the development pipeline, placing brand control in the operators’ hands for the first time.”
The legal, regulated Ontario sports betting and iGaming market opened in April 2022. It has generated an estimated $35.6 billion Canadian ($26.41 billion in U.S. money) in total wagers as of July 2023. There are 40-plus licensed operators in the province serving more than 1.6 million monthly players, according to iGaming Ontario, which is a subsidiary of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario.
Reaction from GiG, Goldenpark
Executives for GiG and Goldenpark expressed enthusiasm for the Canadian partnership.
“The Ontario online market is a significantly strong one for GiG, and as a valued existing partner we’re delighted to be able to take Goldenpark into North America for the first time,” Marcel Elfersy, Chief Commercial Officer of GiG, said in a news release. “It’s a testament to the strength and flexibility of our offering, and the relationship we’ve built with Goldenpark that we are able to explore and grow new opportunities together.”
On behalf of Goldenpark, José Giacomelli, General Manager of the MGA Online Division, said that one of his company’s biggest challenges for 2024 is the launch in the province for a real money casino app Ontario.
“Ontario represents a vibrant and rapidly growing market, and we believe that together with GiG, Goldenpark will meet its goals,” Giacomelli said. “This agreement signifies not just a geographical expansion, but also an evolution in how both companies envision the future, seize opportunities, and tackle challenges. As always, our core commitment is to our customers and to delivering top-tier solutions, and we are confident that this partnership will allow us to further elevate that standard.”
Gaming Innovation Group was founded in 2012 and operates out of Malta. It is dual listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange and on Nasdaq Stockholm.
