The Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke (MCK) wishes to inform the community that effective October 28, 2024, the MCK and Mohawk Online Limited (MOL) have ended their longstanding partnership with Avid International Ltd. (owned by Entain plc since 2022) for the operation of the Sports Interaction online gaming platform.
MOL was created as a socio-economic initiative for and on behalf of the MCK. Sports Interaction was operated by MOL and licensed via the Kahnawà:ke Gaming Commission (KGC) based on Kahnawà:ke’s Aboriginal right to conduct and manage gaming. Avid was a B2B supplier to MOL.
MOL’s operation of Sports Interaction generated important revenues for the community for some time. However, in recent years, the regulatory landscape for online gaming in Canada has affected MOL’s operations and its ability to operate in the manner it wishes to do so.
Following the adoption of Bill C-218, which allowed provinces to conduct and manage single-event sports betting, the Government of Ontario launched its own online gaming framework on April 4, 2022. The Council considers that Ontario has taken actions to actively undermine Kahnawà:ke as a legitimate gaming jurisdiction while failing to recognize Kahnawà:ke’s right to conduct, facilitate, and regulate gaming and contravenes the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
“Due to the change in the regulatory landscape for gaming in Canada and economic reasons, we have made the decision to part ways with Entain PLC and look forward to maintaining a cordial relationship in the future,” said Ohén:ton Í:rate ne Ratitsénhaienhs Cody Diabo. “The end of the partnership with Entain will certainly bring forth new opportunities, as the conclusion of the partnership also releases MCK from its obligations of exclusivity. MCK is now free to pursue other opportunities in online gaming, under a new brand”.
Meanwhile, Entain will maintain its back office from the Mohawk Territory of Kahnawà:ke. It will also maintain its licenses with the KGC.
