Aristocrat has had a big year in North America, and Canada remains a big focus moving forward.

Following a number of notable developments in 2024, including the company’s acquisition of NeoGames and the formation of the Aristocrat Interactive division, SBC spoke to Aristocrat Interactive’s Content & Aggregation VP of Sales & Business Development Andrew Maclean to learn about the progress that has been made.

Previously at NeoGames subsidiary Pariplay, Maclean works on Aristocrat Interactive’s Content & Aggregation team, one of five verticals that make up the division, along with Gaming Systems, iLottery, iGaming & Sports and Gaming White-Label.

“The advantages of this merger were clear, and we expect the joining of each of our expertise to strongly propel Aristocrat Interactive’s position as a must-have content supplier to operators across the globe,” Maclean tells SBC.

Aristocrat Interactive has an estimated enterprise value of approximately $1.7 billion CAD and is expected to deliver a number of key opportunities, with a strong focus on the North American market.

Taking strides in Canada

Over the last few years, Pariplay and NeoGames have established a firm foothold in the U.S. with entries into numerous states, as well as a significant presence in the Canadian market.

Last year, NeoGames struck its first digital content partnership in Canada with Atlantic Lottery Corporation, giving it access to numerous east-coast provinces.

That partnership was the only regulated lottery and iGaming operator in Atlantic Canada was made possible through NeoPollard Interactive, a company jointly owned by Pollard Banknote and NeoGames which powers several Canadian lotteries.

NeoPollard has also long been the iLottery provider for Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis’ Play Alberta platform, while Aristocrat is Alberta’s top retail slot terminal supplier. This summer, Aristocrat Interactive struck a deal to offer a range of its gaming titles on Play Alberta’s website. AGLC launched the Play Alberta app earlier this month; sportsbook-only at first, it will be expanded to include online casino and lottery next year. which will give Aristocrat Interactive a mobile presence in the province.

Maclean and Aristocrat Interactive have their eyes on more expansion in the future, both north and south of the border.

“We work closely with start-ups, medium-sized studios and well-established suppliers to be able to distribute them across North America,” Maclean adds. “Growing as a team post-acquisition has opened the doors to expand our market growth.”

Looking to new horizons

The situation in Alberta could well change before too long, as the government continues to explore opening a regulated commercial online gaming market. So far, only Ontario has laid down the blueprint for regulating iGaming in Canada, but Aristocrat Interactive has experience operating not only in that province but in several U.S. states that have opened their doors.

Maclean says there is much more to come from Aristocrat Interactive in North America, with some “exciting” opportunities in the crosshairs.

“Our strategy is simple – apply for online casino licenses as soon as a new state opens up so we can fully support our operators within that market with both our in-house studios and full aggregation offering,” add Maclean. “This is a big priority for us. The North American market is at times a challenging one, but we are confident in our abilities to navigate through the different requirements for day one market entry.

“We have some very exciting new opportunities on the horizon. Based on the trends we’re seeing, we are heavily focusing on the North American market, with a vision to expand across the U.S. and Canada. In the next year, we also plan to continue expanding into additional markets, releasing new games, and bringing fan-favorite land-based titles online.”

As Maclean puts it, Aristocrat Interactive is “only just getting started.”