Katy Jean

About the Author

Katy Jean is a writer and regular contributor to Bonus. She’s also a front page writer for The Nova Scotian in The Chronicle Herald, delivering news focused on her home province. Katy rose to prominence on Twitter as a source of information on public health briefings, politics, and access to services during the COVID-19 pandemic. She began writing for Online Poker Report in January 2022, concentrating on the Ontario iGaming launch, including its impact on First Nations. At Bonus, she continues to use plain language to help new readers understand the complex online gambling industry, while adding her own expert insight.

Latest articles

Seneca Nation is celebrating its 20th anniversary of casino gaming

Twenty Years Into New York Retail Casino Gaming, is it Time to Revisit the Compact?

August 25, 2022 | By: Katy Jean

Seneca Nation is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its gaming compact with New York State. Through the compact, the tribe owns and operates three upstate casinos. Though celebrations have highlighted the successes of those gaming facilities, the anniversary has also raised the question of whether the 2002 agreement is still fair in 2022. The three casinos […]

Canadian provinces are teaming up against offshore gambling

Canadian Provincial Lotteries Team Up, Call On Government to Fight Offshore Gambling

August 15, 2022 | By: Katy Jean

Five provincial lottery corporations have created a new pan-Canadian coalition to protect Canadians from unregulated online gambling. The Coalition of Provincial Lottery Corporations (CPLC) is calling on the Canadian federal government to help. Its goal is to take action against misleading online gambling advertisements, prevent offshore gaming websites from serving their residents, and keep lottery […]

Unifor workers at eight Ontario casinos have now all reached agreements with their employer, Great Canadian Entertainment

Unifor Casino Strike Ends in Ontario, Details Emerge About Worker Injured on Picket Line

August 9, 2022 | By: Katy Jean

Pickering Casino Resort and Casino Ajax workers have ended their strike after ratifying a new agreement on Friday with their employer, Great Canadian Entertainment (GCE). GCE is the same company referred to as Great Canadian Gaming Corporation in previous articles. It has recently rebranded itself. The two parties reached a tentative agreement on Aug 4. […]

Unifor workers are picketing at Casino Woodbine

Striking Workers at Ontario’s Pickering Casino Picket Nearby Casino Woodbine

August 3, 2022 | By: Katy Jean

Negotiations broke down late last week between Unifor casino workers at Pickering Casino Resort and Casino Ajax and their employer, Great Canadian Gaming Corporation (GCGC). This week, they’ve added a third picket line at Casino Woodbine, located about 65 km from the Pickering location. The new picket line appeared on July 29, expanding on the existing strike […]

Looser requirements for tribal membership in Minnesota could mean more fingers in the casino revenue pie

Minnesota Chippewa Tribe Votes to Remove ‘Blood Quantum’ Requirements

July 26, 2022 | By: Katy Jean

Tribal Gaming

The Minnesota Chippewa Tribe (MCT) voted Wednesday to remove “blood quantum” from enrollment requirements for their tribe, Native News Online reports. It also voted to leave the determination of membership requirements up to the six individual Bands: Bois Forte, Fond du Lac, Grand Portage, Leech Lake, Mille Lacs, and the White Earth Band of Ojibwe. […]

Ontario casino workers are the latest such group to threaten a strike

Great Canadian Gaming Employees Latest Group of Casino Workers to Threaten Strike

July 22, 2022 | By: Katy Jean

More than 2000 casino workers in Ontario are set to strike if they can’t reach new agreements with their employer, Great Canadian Gaming Corporation (GCG). The workers are members of Canada’s largest private sector union, Unifor, which announced the decision Monday. The strike would impact gaming employees and security at up to eight GCG casinos […]

The Ontario government has entered mediation with the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation

Scugog First Nations Enter Mediation With Ontario Government Over Casino Dispute

July 5, 2022 | By: Katy Jean

Mississauga of Scugog Island First Nations (MSIFN) will be entering mediation and seeking relief with the Ontario government. This comes after the province opened new gaming facilities near the MSIFN-owned Blue Heron Casino without consultation as well as claims of agreement violations, bad faith negotiations, and failures to provide consultation related to gaming. In a […]

What Happens In Vegas Stays In Vegas… Unless It’s An Intellectual Property Infringement

June 7, 2022 | By: Katy Jean

Even amidst a global pandemic, Clark County’s Las Vegas has persevered. The lights are on, the slot reels are spinning, and profits continue to climb (a blip in May notwithstanding). Las Vegas is the land of novelty. With its celebrity resident shows, gambling galore, and casinos that still allow smoking, Vegas has maintained itself as […]

Bryn Kenney, Sergi Reixach Deny Cheating Allegations Made By Martin Zamani

April 25, 2022 | By: Katy Jean

If you follow poker gossip at all, then by now you’ve probably heard something about accusations directed at high roller Bryn Kenney by one Martin Zamani. On April 21, Zamani appeared on the Doug Polk Podcast to explain his allegations further. Zamani is a tournament poker player, and brother of Ben Zamani, another professional player. […]

First Nations Resistance To Ontario Privatized Online Gambling Continues To Mount

February 24, 2022 | By: Katy Jean

Tribal Gaming

The Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke (MCK) has joined Six Nations of the Grand River (SNGR) in a mutual cooperation agreement on gaming. This cooperation comes just five weeks beforeOntario is to launch its iGaming market. The province has given a target date of Apr. 4 for private sector operators to begin launching legally. First Nations […]