The Ontario iGaming market went live in April 2022, and ever since then, software developers from far and wide have been looking for a way into Canada’s largest and most populous province.
The year kicks off with some good news for two of those developers, as both Octoplay and Peter & Sons were granted approval by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) to offer their products through licensed casino operators in Ontario.
The two new studios, who have been operating in other markets around the globe for some time, will add dozens of exciting new video slot titles, expanding the offer for Ontario online casino players and adding more versatility to existing online casino portfolios in the province.
Octoplay Continues Aggressive Expansion Into Regulated Markets
Founded in 2021, Octoplay is an iGaming software developer that’s been making plenty of waves in recent months with its aggressive expansion and bombastic game releases.
In 2023 alone, Octoplay was granted licenses in Malta, Sweden, and UK, granting it access to some of the most valuable and most populous markets out there.
According to company’s press release, the expansion into Ontario was part of their overall strategic regulated market expansion, whose goal is to penetrate all major regulated gaming markets.
OctoPlay’s Legal Director Martina Borg Stevens said: “We have been clear about our mission to obtain a licence in every single regulated market, and this is a testament to this.”
“To be awarded a licence from such a prestigious regulator makes us feel incredibly proud and establishes a strong foothold in the North American market, which we look forward to building upon.”
The gaming license granted by AGCO to OctoPlay will enable online casinos in Ontario to offer popular games like Pearly Shores, Twice as Nice, and Hot Harvest to their players in the coming weeks and months, as they reach agreements with the developer to add its games to their portfolios.
In the meantime, OctoPlay will be looking for further licenses and expansion into the regulated iGaming markets in North America, with American states like New Jersey, Michigan, and Pennsylvania the obvious next steps.
Peter & Sons Partner with SkillOnNet for Ontario Launch
Another relative newcomer to the iGaming arena is Peter & Sons, a company founded in 2019 and operating out of Yerevan, Armenia.
In January 2023, Peter & Sons received investment from SkillOnNet, one of the biggest gambling tech providers in the industry, and the partnership has now resulted in Peter & Sons games being added to SkillOnNet’s offering in the Ontario iGaming market.
Known for incorporating high-end audio-visual elements in their games, Peter & Sons is dedicated to creating unique player experiences with their games, with the likes of Wild One, Barbarossa, and Book of Books being among their most popular titles.
These games, along with the rest of the Peter & Sons portfolio, will now be offered to Ontario online casinos through SkillOnNet’s existing gaming license in the province.
Speaking about the partnership, SkillOnNet Head of Games Jani Kontturi said: “Peter & Sons is an important partner studio, and so it was natural we would introduce its games to Ontario, which is proving to be a key market for us. This is a studio that loves to innovate, producing titles that are rich in pop culture and humor, as well as adventure and ancient myths. We know that Ontarians are going to fall in love with these games, just like we did.”
At the same time, Peter & Sons Co-founder Yann Bautista commented: “We can’t tell you how excited we are to enter a whole new market and reach a completely new audience. We’ve poured our heart and soul into creating these games, and we’re thrilled that casino players in Ontario will now get to enjoy them, too.”
With new studios joining the Ontario iGaming market in just two weeks of 2024, it would appear that casino players across the province have plenty to look forward to in the new year.
