Just in case you hadn't noticed from the endless TV ads, Ontario has now launched its iGaming market.
THREAD 🧵 on the gaming sites that have been licensed by the province so far, and their MANY links to money laundering and other crimes... thanks, Doug Ford!!!
There are now 24 gambling sites launched, with about 15 total companies running them. Most of these operators are established international casino and sports betting platforms newly licensed for Ontario.
BetRivers is run by Rush Street Interactive (RSI), which is a U.S.-based corp with both brick-and-mortar casinos and online sites & backed by a hedge fund.
There have been various fines in their history, including for underage betting.
Coolbet (Coolbear Ontario Limited) is a Malta-based operator. Malta has long been known as one of the havens for iGaming companies and a centre for money laundering.
FanDuel and DraftKings were the 2 biggest companies in daily fantasy betting. For many years, they have been seen as a target for money launderers, and were also accused of racketeering.
The hedge fund that purchased TorStar has also seen several scandals since the purchase, including the CEO sharing QAnon-type posts and large amounts of advertorial content for online gambling.
Bwin (operated in Ontario by ElectraWorks Maple Limited) is actually a subsidiary of Entain - same as BetMGM. Entain was formerly known as GVC Holdings. GVC was also in a scandal around the acquisition of one of its UK betting sites.
Rivalry began in the eSports market, but also has moved into betting as a sportsbook and casino games. They were in markets around the world before getting the Ontario license.
They got a $20M investment, and IPO'ed in October 2021.
Bragg Gaming, the operator of 888 casino in Ontario, has Postmedia's Paul Godfrey as one of it's biggest shareholders. Godfrey was even named the Interim CEO in 2021.
Godfrey is a max donor to the PC Party, as is the founder Adam Arviv.
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The reporting around the #KlondikePapers doesn't seem to have dug into the charity arm of the Plymouth Brethren Church known as the "Rapid Relief Team" that much...
This is where a lot of the positive publicity around the church is generated.
You will see this "Rapid Relief Team" handing out food packs to first responders everywhere from the school shooting in Texas, to flood zones in Manitoba, to community housing in Hamilton, and a house fire in Woodstock.
1) In 2010, Mike Harris arranges for Doug Ford and Rob Ford meet with the billionaire DeGasperis developer family. The Fords gathered $25k in donations, but the event was not reported in their campaign finances.
2) In 2010, Doug Ford and Rob Ford take in $27k in donations at the high end Harbour 60 restaurant - but don't report the $9,000 dinner in their campaign finances.
THREAD 🧵 on Doug Ford's mishandling of the economy in Ontario, specifically when it comes to the Construction Industry, and also how Ford has neglected Women and Families while throwing tens of billions of taxpayer dollars to his "buddies".
To start this thread, let's take a look at the Construction Industry before Doug Ford became Premier in 2018.
In 2016, there was already a massive shortage of labour, and an estimated 9,000-11,000 net new construction workers needed every year just for the GTA alone.
Pic from just a few minutes ago inside the @fordnation rally in Hamilton... it is a huge airplane hangar with tons of space (enough to drive the Ford bus right in).
Does this look like a place that needs to arrest @CarymaRules to keep her away?
Maybe @CarymaRules should've come with some "GET IT DONE" signs
Oh - there are a few more people... seems like ex-CFL player Lumsden brought his crew.
Today at his press conference, Doug Ford was asked about the Liberals’ accusations that Ford only helped big box stores and didn’t help small businesses… here’s the clip: