Affiliate strategies and ad innovation take centre stage at Canadian Gaming Summit 2025

The Canadian Gaming Summit 2025 will explore the challenges and opportunities within one of the country’s most dynamic and closely scrutinised sectors with a dedicated Affiliates & Advertising track. 

Held on Thursday, 19 June at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, the track will explore how affiliates are adapting their strategies to operate within Canada's tightly regulated and fast-evolving market. With current frameworks limiting certain promotional tactics, the sessions will offer insight into creative brand building, sustainable growth, and the tools affiliates need to succeed in a market with shifting rules and rising expectations. 

Experts will explore how affiliates can balance broad brand awareness with performance-driven results, navigate Ontario’s strict marketing rules, and develop strategies that protect profitability in a competitive landscape. 

Rasmus Sojmark, Founder and CEO of SBC, said: "Driving traffic” sounds simple, but there’s a lot of complexity behind it. For affiliate marketers—and anyone in gaming marketing—it becomes even tougher when you factor in the many restrictions that limit how aggressive or creative you can be. These rules aren’t bad; they just make the path harder to navigate. 

"By bringing together experts with firsthand experience of these challenges, this track will provide practical guidance, tested strategies, and a clearer understanding of what effective marketing and affiliate growth look like in today's Canadian market."

The track will open with iGaming Advertising in Canada: Leveraging ATL and BTL for iGaming Success, a panel that will bring together a well-rounded mix of profiles, featuring representatives from an operator, an affiliate, and experts in marketing and legal. Kris Abbott (Country Manager, Stake Canada), Mark Harper (Head of Canada, Rhino Entertainment), Matthew Showell (CEO, Snap Call Media, SlotFan.com), Jack Tadman (Principal, GME Law), and Ugis Zvilna (CEO, Clear Media Group Inc) will explore how brands are approaching ATL and BTL strategy in 2025, weighing performance-driven tactics against long-term brand investment in a market where capturing attention is more competitive than ever. 

The session Marketing Innovation: Building Customer Loyalty Through Brand will examine how gaming companies can inspire player loyalty through bold, strategic marketing. Alannah Della Vedova (Director of Content & Brand, FanDuel), Sandy Fleischer (Partner, Pound & Grain), Pat Eichner (Head of Communications & Media, Kindbridge), Jeff Laniado (Director of Sales, Optimove), and Dave Rivers (Head of Marketing, PointsBet Canada) will explore how storytelling, personalised engagement, gamification, and advances in play psychology can help brands craft a unique proposition, strengthen customer retention, and drive long-term loyalty. 

Gaming Advertising: What's the Problem? will focus on how to market responsibly amid increased scrutiny on gambling advertising in Canada. Charmaine Hogan (Head of Regulatory Affairs, Policy Development, Strategy, Gambling and Gaming, Playtech), Catherine McLeod (CEO, thinkTV), and Kevin Kennedy (Director, Client Strategy and Partnerships, The Parleh) will offer insight into evolving responsible gambling expectations and the future of advertising in Canada. 

The Power of Influencer Partnerships will see Oliver Bartlett (Vice President - Gaming Product & Content, BetMGM) and Brian Christopher (CEO, BCSlots) unite for an exclusive fireside chat exploring how creators and gaming operators can collaborate to reach new audiences, build trust, and develop content-driven engagement strategies that resonate with modern players. 

Also featured as part of the track is a presentation on Amazon's plans for live sports streaming in Canada with Christopher Walton (Head of Streaming Video Sales, Amazon), exploring how brands can reach and engage Canadian audiences through streaming services. 

The Affiliates & Advertising track is one of several focused content streams at the Canadian Gaming Summit, alongside dedicated tracks on Sports Betting & Casino, Cybersecurity, Player Protection, Leaders, and Payments & Compliance. 

Get your tickets for the Canadian Gaming Summit! 

Operators and affiliates are eligible for free Full Event Passes, just apply via the respective links. 

Full Event Passes are still available at a discounted rate of $795 per person when you book as a group of three or more — saving you $200 per ticket with our Group Discount. 

You can also grab an Expo Plus Pass for $195, which gives you access to all conference tracks, sessions, and the show floor. Please note: this pass does not include access to networking events.