There are now three big names interested in the prospect of building a new gambling complex in Toronto. First Wynn and MGM expressed their interest in the idea, and no Las Vegas Sands has decided to get in on the action. According to a new report in the Globe and Mail, the company has been exploring potential sites all over the Greater Toronto Area.

William Hill is one of the largest sportsbetting operators in the United Kingdom, but the company has had its eye on the American market for quite some time. The operator has purchase three Nevada-based sportsbooks and has just finalized a deal with Bet Smart Media, a Canadian gaming company, which help to solidify William’s Hill place in the North American gambling market.

When Ontario Place was shut down earlier this year, local politicians believed that the former amusement park should be made into a gambling complex much like the Las Vegas Strip. The idea was thrown around for the past six months, but that pipe dream will not come to fruition as a report on Ontario Place’s redevelopment does not include plans for a casino.

The London Olympics are starting shortly and bookies are getting ready to handle millions of dollars’ worth of wagers. This year will be the busiest Olympics for both online and land-based sportsbooks, as a number of factors encourage even more betting activity this time around.

Most provinces across Canada are working on offering their own online gambling websites, and Prince Edward Island has finally picked up on the trend. After showing its support for the Atlantic Lottery Corporation’s online gambling venture, the local government is beginning to consider new and interesting outlets for the activity. One of its latest projects is called GeoSweep, an idea generated by a UK gaming operator called Roboreus.

Recent reports have shown that Nevada is working hard to develop its online gambling market. Granting preliminary approval to a wide range of companies has put Nevada far ahead of other states interested in passing online gambling legislation. However, many politicians hope to see online gambling legislation passed on a federal level rather than having individual states pass their own gaming laws.

You’d think the online gaming community would be past prejudiced and sexual harassment. The cloak of anonymity that the internet provides should put everyone on an even playing-field – but that doesn’t seem to be the case. Recent reports have shown that female online gamers are being abused by their male counterparts, and women are now speaking out against it.

Social gaming is the new big trend in the gaming universe. It allows players to access a wide range of games using their Facebook accounts, so they can compete with friends and share their progress on their profile. It is an exciting movement for the gaming market, but some are concerned that children will be harmed by social gaming in the long run.

Last year, when the American Department of Justice announced that running online gambling websites is not technically illegal, federal lawmakers jumped at the chance to pass online poker legislation. While plenty of states have attempted to launch their own online gambling websites (and a few have been successful), federal lawmakers are still committed to legalizing the activity nation-wide.

Amazon.com is one of the world’s premier destinations for entertainment in the online world. You can purchase just about any book, movie or video game from the website. So, it would seem only natural for the company to venture into the online gaming market – and that is exactly what it has done. The new Game Connect Service from Amazon offers a new way for players to take part in all types of online games.

An issue that is becoming increasingly prevalent in Canadian society is that of underage gambling. Young people under the age of 18 are now getting involved in an activity that is reserved for adults, and a new program from the McGill Centre seeks to discourage them from doing so.

 The British Columbia Lottery Corporation has paid for the World Series of Poker entry for Vancouver Canucks’ Robert Luongo. The company has recently coined a sponsorship deal with the famed hockey player, and this will be their first major venture together. Luongo will be playing in the main event of this year’s World Series of Poker, and BCLC is footing the bill. 

The biggest ever Lotto Max jackpot will be offered in the BCLC weekly lottery draw tonight. $100 million is up for grabs tonight, and several lucky players will be cashing in. It is a record-breaking occasion, and players across the province are excited for the event. Since the Lotto Max jackpot is capped at $50 million, the prize has been divided up. One lucky player will win $50 million while 50 other players will win secondary prizes worth $1 million. It is a unique format, but it still an occasion worth celebrating.

PokerStars has one of the widest-reaching poker tours in the world. The company sponsors dozens of tours across North American, Australasia and Europe. Now, PokerStars is adding another location to its internationally-renowned tournament schedule, announcing that it will be the new sponsor of the Brazilian Series of Poker.

For over a year, former Full Tilt Poker CEO Raymond Bitar has avoided the American authorities. He has spent time in Ireland, where the company was based during its last years, but has finally turned himself in. Facing charges of running an illegal gambling operation and defrauding players, Bitar’s sentencing has been scheduled for July 23, 2012.