As Canada’s market matures, player protection challenges are multiplying — from rising offshore activity to the ethical use of AI in responsible gambling.
The Player Protection Symposium at Canadian Gaming Summit 2025 brings together the key minds shaping regulation, technology, and player safety to ask: “How do we protect players without pushing them away?”
Taking place on Thursday, 19 June at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, this focused track will unite leading policy experts, operators, and responsible gambling specialists to examine how Canada’s regulatory and commercial frameworks are developing to safeguard players in a maturing market.
Six expert-led sessions will cover the full spectrum of contemporary challenges, from AI-driven player protection to national self-exclusion models. The symposium offers delegates insight into evolving policies, technologies, and collaborations driving the next generation of responsible gaming in Canada.
Rasmus Sojmark, Founder and CEO of SBC, said: “Protecting players should never be viewed as a compliance box to tick. It’s a complex, developing challenge that spans tech, policy, and empathy. This symposium brings together the people on the frontline of responsible gambling to share the insights that will help us build a truly sustainable gaming industry across Canada.”
The track will open with a special edition of Martin Lycka’s Safe Bet Show, featuring the very special guest, NHL legend Nick Kypreos. Kypreos will regale attendees with tales from his storied career, which included spells at the Philadelphia Flyers, New York Rangers, and Toronto’s very own Maple Leafs!
Among the key panels on the track is Regulation and Responsibility: How the New Politics Affect Player Protection, which will explore what Alberta can learn from Ontario’s approach to responsible gambling and why one in five Ontario gamblers still use unregulated platforms to gamble. Craig Cornforth (Senior Business Development Manager, EPIC Global Solutions), Alistair Facciol (Vice President of iCasino, iGaming Ontario), Steve McAllister (Editor-In-Chief, The Parleh), Ryan McCarthy (Director of Player Health, BCLC), and Geoff Zochodne (Senior News Analyst, Covers), will examine how shifting political landscapes influence player protection strategies and consider whether a coordinated national approach could reduce player reliance on unregulated markets.
Building on these regulatory themes, Self-Exclusion: A Plus for Protection or a Boost to the Black Market? will see panellists examine Ontario’s upcoming centralized self-exclusion system and assess whether it establishes an industry standard for responsible gaming or risks driving players toward unregulated markets. Aaron GlynWilliams (Chief of Staff and Head of Enterprise Strategy, OLG), Catherine Jarmain (Director – Operations & Player Relations, iGaming Ontario), Dr Isabelle Martin (Advanced Specialist, Corporate Office for Responsible Gambling, Loto-Quebec), Tracy Parker (Senior Vice President, Accreditation, Advisory and Insights, RGC), Dr. Kahlil Philander (Carson College of Business, Washington State University), and Al Watson (CEO, Dataworks Group) will explore how regulators and operators can strike the right balance between access, protection, and enforcement.
The session Technology in RG: From Targeted Messaging to AI Support will examine how artificial intelligence can transform responsible gambling measures by using behavioral data to spot at-risk players. Cory Fox (SVP Public Policy & Sustainability, FanDuel), Francesco Rodano (Chief Sustainable Gambling Officer, Playtech), and Dan Umfleet (Group CEO, Kindbridge) will discuss how their organizations are rolling out technology-driven solutions while tackling the ethical questions these tools create, including data privacy concerns, player consent issues, and the dangers of relying too heavily on automated systems when working with vulnerable individuals.
Also featured as part of the Player Protection Symposium is the session It Pays to Be Positive: Changing the Direction of Reinforcement in RG, which will unite leading experts to examine how shifting from punitive messaging to positive reinforcement can help ensure safer gambling behaviors.
The Player Protection Symposium is one of several focused content streams at the Canadian Gaming Summit, alongside dedicated tracks on Sports Betting & Casino, Cybersecurity, Affiliates & Advertising, Leaders, and Payments & Compliance.
Get your tickets for the Canadian Gaming Summit!
Full Event Passes are still available at a discounted rate of $795 per person when you book as a group of three or more — saving you $200 per ticket with our Group Discount.
Operators and affiliates are eligible for free Full Event Passes, just apply via the respective links.
You can also grab an Expo Plus Pass for $195, which gives you access to all conference tracks, sessions, and the show floor. Please note: this pass does not include access to networking events.
Source: https://sbcnews.co.uk/featurednews/2025/06/03/not-just-a-box-to-tick-industry-unites-to-talk-responsible-gambling-in-toronto/
