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We can’t wait to welcome our delegates to the New Horizons in Safer Gambling Conference this October 28 - 30, 2024 at the Vancouver Convention Centre, in beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia.

Safer Play: The Competitive Advantage
What if we looked at safer play as an opportunity rather than an obligation? What if we focused on what we want to do rather than what we can’t change? As an industry, we know we can’t eliminate all harms from gambling, but we can certainly take steps to make it safer. Happy, healthy players who are having fun with their play are key to a sustainable industry and responsible growth. So how do we make safer play a competitive advantage?

Safer play can take many forms: it is gamifying tools that help players set limits; it’s choosing products where risks are reduced or mitigated; and it’s determining how to market to players of varying risk levels. Safer play is also about how we support our players through challenging conversations, and understanding how to interact with those who demonstrate high-risk behaviours.

Plain and simple, safer play is good for business. So, let’s shift the conversation. Let’s make safer play the competitive advantage.

This year’s New Horizons Conference will explore the best and promising practices in the safer play journey. We welcome you to join us at New Horizons as we explore these four key areas of the safer play journey: acquisition, player growth, player retention and support.


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Tuesday, October 29
 

9:00am PDT

Welcome and Opening Remarks
Tuesday October 29, 2024 9:00am - 9:15am PDT
Tuesday October 29, 2024 9:00am - 9:15am PDT
Room 211-214 - Level 2

9:15am PDT

Keynote Address: Gambling On The Safer Side: A Different Approach to Creating Competitive Advantage
Tuesday October 29, 2024 9:15am - 10:30am PDT
Gambling On The Safer Side: A Different Approach to Creating Competitive Advantage
Consumer preferences are shifting towards more sustainable and healthier options, and business sectors are adapting to meet consumers where they are at. In this engaging keynote, Dr. Shawn DuBravac will show gaming industry leaders how various sectors are evolving to prioritize health and wellbeing without compromising on engagement and profitability. Drawing parallels across diverse industries, we will delve into the changing landscape where offering safer options could indeed become a significant competitive advantage. We will unpack the journey from traditional business practices to the incorporation of innovative technologies and strategies aimed at fostering win-win solutions for safer consumer experiences while cultivating loyal long-term success.
Speakers
avatar for Dr. Shawn DuBravac

Dr. Shawn DuBravac

President, Avrio Institute
Dr. DuBravac is an internationally-recognized thought leader, delivering pragmatic and provocative insights on the trends, technologies and paradigms transforming the globe. His research focuses on the forces shaping tomorrow that are percolating on the peripheral of society and business... Read More →
Tuesday October 29, 2024 9:15am - 10:30am PDT
Room 211-214 - Level 2

11:00am PDT

Plenary 2: How Regulation of iGaming Drives Safer Gambling Innovation
Tuesday October 29, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT
In 2022, Ontario joined jurisdictions in the United States and Europe in creating a competitive regulated online gambling market for its residents. With competition comes innovation, and regulation has contributed to broadening the reach of player protections thanks to a shared interest in safer gambling. Experts from international operators, BetMGM and RushStreet will discuss their contributions to safer gambling innovation in Ontario and internationally, while experts from the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) and iGaming Ontario (iGO) share their Ontario-specific experience.
Speakers
avatar for Hodan Fourie

Hodan Fourie

Director of Business Integrity and Financial Crime Risk, Flutter International
Hodan Fourie is a senior risk professional with almost two-decades experience in the iGaming sector. Mrs Fourie is currently the Director of Business Integrity and Financial Crime Risk at Flutter International, the international division of Flutter Entertainment Plc , the world’s leading online sports betting and iGaming operator.  Mrs Fourie is experienced in safer gambling and financial crime risk management. Prior to the Flutter and The Stars Group (TSG) merger in 2020, Mrs Fourie served in various senior roles within TSG with focus on regu... Read More →
avatar for Stewart Groumoutis

Stewart Groumoutis

Director of iGaming, BCLC
Stewart Groumoutis is a seasoned expert with over 20 years in the online gambling industry. As Director of iGaming at BCLC’s PlayNow.com, he has been instrumental in building the platform into one of the world’s top, government run, regulated gambling websites. Stewart has led... Read More →
avatar for Richard Taylor

Richard Taylor

Director of Responsible Gambling, BetMGM
Richard L. Taylor, Jr. is the Director of Responsible Gambling for BetMGM where he oversees the company’s responsible gambling strategy, initiatives, and functions, including the GameSense program. Prior to this position, Richard worked for MGM Resorts International in... Read More →
avatar for Catherine Jarmain

Catherine Jarmain

Director of Industry Programs and Monitoring, iGaming Ontario
Catherine Jarmain joined iGaming Ontario as Director of Industry Programs and Monitoring in April 2021. In this role, Catherine is responsible for iGaming Ontario’s responsible gambling and anti-money laundering programs in addition to oversight of contracts with operators... Read More →
avatar for Catherine Meade

Catherine Meade

Vice President - Community, Sustainability & Social Responsibility, Ontario Lottery & Gaming Corporation (OLG)
Catherine Meade is the Vice President - Community, Sustainability & Social Responsibility with the Ontario Lottery & Gaming Corporation (OLG).  She leads OLG’s award-winning Social Responsibility and Community Sponsorships teams as well as the recently created Sustainability... Read More →
avatar for Bruce Caughill

Bruce Caughill

Managing Director, Canada, Rush Street Interactive
Bruce Caughill is Managing Director (Canada) for Rush Street Interactive, a trusted online gaming company carrying on business exclusively in regulated markets. Previously, he served as Chief Legal Officer with Ontario’s Alcohol and Gaming Commission, providing key legal and policy... Read More →
Tuesday October 29, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT
Room 211-214 - Level 2

1:00pm PDT

Session 3A: Slots, Sports and Streams – New Directions in Gambling Research
Tuesday October 29, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm PDT
The Centre for Gambling Research is based in the UBC Department of Psychology in Vancouver where much of their research examines the risk potential of different gambling formats.
In this three-part session, we will hear about the new directions of gambling research in slots, sports and streams from three research experts. For many years, slot machines have been recognized as a higher-risk product but little research has examined online offerings. In this session, Dr. Mariya Cherkasova will present research on the key design features of modern online slots. With the increased attention to the risk profile of modern sports betting, Dr. Luke Clark, the CGR Director, will describe research analysing media coverage of sports betting around its recent legalization. Last of all, digital technologies are enabling new ways of accessing gambling. Claudia Fu, a CGR graduate student will present the latest research on the impacts of viewing gambling via streaming platforms such as Twitch.
Speakers
avatar for Dr. Luke Clark

Dr. Luke Clark

Director of the Centre for Gambling Research, University of British Columbia
Dr. Luke Clark is the Director of the Centre for Gambling Research at UBC, and a Full Professor in the Department of Psychology. His research on the psychology of gambling combines multiple methods including behavioural analysis and data science. His current research focuses on three... Read More →
avatar for Dr. Mariya V. Cherkasova

Dr. Mariya V. Cherkasova

Assistant Professor, West Virginia University
Dr. Cherkasova is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology, Area of Behavioral Neuroscience, at West Virginia University, where she directs the Brain Behavior and Addiction laboratory. Her research is in the area of addiction neuroscience and focuses on psychological... Read More →
avatar for Claudia Fu

Claudia Fu

Graduate Student, University of British Columbia
Claudia Fu is a graduate student in UBC Psychology’s cognitive science program. Her research focus is on the risks associated with emerging forms of gambling and advertisement exposure, particularly their effect on the perception of win probability in young people. 
Tuesday October 29, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm PDT
Room 211-214 - Level 2

2:15pm PDT

Session 4A: Motivating Change: Incorporating Motivational Interviewing Approaches to Promote a Culture of Safer Play
Tuesday October 29, 2024 2:15pm - 3:15pm PDT
We all want to feel seen, heard, and understood. This is why BCLC’s Player Health team has integrated Motivational Interviewing approaches into its programing. As a result, it helped to shape a culture of safer play. From its GameSense Advisor Program to its new active reinstatement process, BCLC has embedded key principles of MI with a focus on empathy, collaboration and empowerment, offering an effective way to connect with players and inspire positive change.

Join us in this session to learn how BCLC’s Player Health team has effectively applied MI, naturally evolving the way they interact and support with players through conversations in person, over the phone and online chat. Learn how embedding MI in its GameSense programing has changed the way they communicate information and helped make the shift from a responsible gambling approach to a holistic player health outlook.
Speakers
avatar for Heather Grieve

Heather Grieve

Team Lead, Virtual GSA Program, BCLC
For 23 years Heather worked as a clinician in mental health and substance use services where she was known for her clinical skill and her commitment to holding space for those who are struggling.  These years of experience have accumulated to a broad clinical skillset that have... Read More →
avatar for AJ Maisonneuve

AJ Maisonneuve

Player Health Regional Team Lead, BCLC
AJ Maisonneuve has been a GameSense Team Lead in the BCLC Player Health program since 2008. He brings more than a decade of experience as an addiction’s clinician and is passionate about applying behavioural change processes and supportive intervention approaches to create positive... Read More →
avatar for Tamara Morgan

Tamara Morgan

Manager, GameSense Programs and Training, BCLC
Tamara Morgan is the Manager for GameSense Programs and Training at BCLC. She has nearly 20 years of dedicated experience in responsible gambling at BCLC and serves as a critical pillar in the development and execution of BCLC’s effective player health programming. She has led the... Read More →
Tuesday October 29, 2024 2:15pm - 3:15pm PDT
Room 211-214 - Level 2

3:30pm PDT

Plenary 5: Sisterhood of Sports Bettors
Tuesday October 29, 2024 3:30pm - 4:45pm PDT
Move over dads, Brads and Chads. With women's sports on the rise and icons like Taylor Swift bringing millions of new female fans to the NFL, the classic sportsbook environment is getting more than a makeover. With the widespread popularity of legal online gambling, women are rapidly engaging in sports betting and quickly becoming the newest market with enormous potential.
But with the enormous potential, comes enormous responsibility. Despite breaking barriers and challenging stereotypes, gambling and sports betting can still be intimidating, especially when it’s still considered a male-dominated industry. This panel discussion brings together different and diverse perspectives into the world of women and sports betting to explore how the sisterhood of sports gambling is changing the game. Dive in with us as seek to understand gambling behaviours among women and explore ways to communicate and support this new market.
Speakers
avatar for Dr. Ceyda Mumcu

Dr. Ceyda Mumcu

Professor, University of New Haven
Dr. Ceyda Mumcu is a full professor and the department chair of Sport Management at the University of New Haven. She specializes in sport marketing and analytics, and her research focuses on topics such as consumer behavior in sports, fan engagement, and the use of data analytics... Read More →
avatar for Julie Hynes

Julie Hynes

Senior Manager of Responsible Gaming, DraftKings Inc.
Julie Hynes is Senior Manager of Responsible Gaming at DraftKings Inc. She is responsible for leading DraftKings’ Responsible Gaming strategy and compliance efforts, including serving as a subject matter expert on product enhancements and RG marketing campaigns. Before joining DraftKings... Read More →
avatar for Marie-Noëlle Savoie

Marie-Noëlle Savoie

Chief Compliance Officer and Vice President, Safer Play & Enterprise Integrity, BCLC
Marie-Noëlle is an experienced lawyer and chief compliance officer. Prior to joining BCLC and the world of gambling, she worked in law firms, as well as in senior roles in the financial services industry. She currently Marie-Noëlle oversees all facets of player health, legal services... Read More →
avatar for Val Calvo Martinez

Val Calvo Martinez

CEO, BettingLadies.com
Val C. Martinez is the CEO and founder of BettingLadies.com, a sports betting community aimed at empowering women in the realm of sports betting. BettingLadies.com was established in 2023. It serves as a vibrant community for sports enthusiasts and bettors, offering a comprehensive... Read More →
Tuesday October 29, 2024 3:30pm - 4:45pm PDT
Room 211-214 - Level 2

4:45pm PDT

Closing Remarks Day 1
Tuesday October 29, 2024 4:45pm - 5:00pm PDT
Tuesday October 29, 2024 4:45pm - 5:00pm PDT
Room 211-214 - Level 2
 
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