As someone in the industry said to CDC Gaming recently, an open, competitive, igaming market like the one in place in Ontario is an existential threat to the crown corporation provincial lotteries across the rest of Canada. If they’re going to compete, they can’t sit idly by.
That makes Thursday’s announcement of a partnership between Wazdan, the international developer of casino games, and Loto-Québec, timely.
As European Gaming reported, Wazdan had a big presence at the recent ICE conference in London, showcasing a vast portfolio of new products and hosting a pre-ICE party attended by prominent guests. Wazdan is looking to grow their presence in the North American market.
These are the types of product relationships Loto-Québec will need to roll out to stay competitive.
Players in Quebec can now access some of Wazdan’s most popular titles, like 9 Coins Grand Gold Edition, 9 Coins 1000 Edition, Hot Slot: 777 Crown, Magic Spins, and Hot Slot: Mystery Jackpot Joker.
According to the crown corporation last month, through Q3 FY 2023-2024, from April to Dec. 25, 2023, Loto-Québec posted $2.111 billion in total revenues and a net income of $1.076 billion, decreases of $113.2 million (5.1 percent) and $128.4 million (10.7 percent) compared to the same period in the year previous.
Results by sector for the fiscal period, according to Loto-Québec: Lottery-product-sector revenue amounted to $668.8 million ($724.1 million the same period the previous year); casino and gaming-hall sector revenue totaled $797.9 million ($829.2 million the previous year); and gaming-establishment-sector revenues added up to $659.3 million ($686.4 million the previous year).
“With our sights firmly set on North American expansion, our market entry in Québec is a momentous occasion for Wazdan as we continue to bring innovative experiences to more players than ever before,” said Wazdan Chief Commercial Officer Andrzej Hyla, in a statement. “Wazdan and Loto-Québec have a shared vision for delivering fresh content that puts users at the heart and we have no doubt our games will be received with tremendous success by their players.”
