In Canada, only one Province has a legalized competitive sports betting market. That would be Ontario whose market has been available since early April 2022. Recently, a live dealer in Ontario named Playgon had been ordered to shut down its Las Vegas studio. The Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) found that Playgon’s partner in the United States claimed their studio games would only be for entertainment purposes. However, Playgon’s Vegas lounge products became available for real money at some Ontario sportsbooks earlier in 2024. While Playgon is based in British Columbia, it produces its Las Vegas product through an affiliate, Birate Productions.
Without the special agreement they had, streaming live games from Nevada to other American states would be illegal. Most live casino dealers in the US require the live dealer to be in the same state where the wager was placed. Playgon feels that they were following the law by only streaming to international online casinos. The Nevada Gaming Control Board felt differently. There was no chance for Playgon to take any real legal action as the NGCB gave them just eight days to comply. On July 26, Playgon confirmed that it had shut down its Las Vegas studios.
What other products does Playgon offer?
Despite being forced to leave the market with their live dealer games in Nevada, Playgon still has digital online table games and daily fantasy sports. The industry operator has had a presence in Nevada since 2016 with their partners, Birate Productions. Nevada’s Gaming Control Board made sure to let the regulator know the games would be for “entertainment purposes only.” That made them exempt from the need for a license. However, Playgon obtained a gaming license from the Malta Gaming Authority in 2021. The following year, Playgon struck distribution deals with three major gaming aggregators. That included EveryMatrix, Pariplay, and Relax Gaming. All three are still operating in the United States, though they no longer offer Playgon ‘s content.
