Absolutebet partners with Lemon Group to tokenize casino assets
Ontario-licensed Absolutebet is set to tokenize real-world casino assets via a partnership with Dubai-based fintech Lemon Group.
Absolutebet was licensed by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario in August and will launch in the first quarter of 2026.
It will then start progressively rolling out tokenization of its assets through Lemon Group’s blockchain, LemonChain.
The partnership will create a regulated, blockchain-secured investment platform, that enables players, investors, and partners to hold stakes in land-based casino assets through digital tokens.
Absolutebet has also indicated it plans to expand into new regions in 2026, including Alberta and Brazil. Absolutebet said “the timeline reflects a measured approach to regulatory coordination, technology integration, and investor readiness”.
While this is Lemon Group’s first foray into casino tokenization, it has already used its LemonChain platform to tokenize assets in finance, banking and natural resources.
Absolutebet Chief Executive Kfir Dahari said, “By combining the trust of a regulated casino brand with the innovation of blockchain, we’re creating real-world digital value accessible to a global audience. LemonChain’s infrastructure and compliance framework make them the ideal partner to bring the vision to life.”
The first phase of the collaboration will include tokenizing Absolutebet-affiliated land-based casino properties, and their online counterparts. These tokenized assets will be listed exclusively on the LemonChain Marketplace.
“This partnership showcases how regulated industries can adopt blockchain responsibly and transparently,” said Lemon Group Chairman and Co-Founder of the Lemon Foundation, His Excellency Dr Fahed Merhebi. “By leveraging LemonChain’s RWA framework, we’re opening the door for traditional businesses to enter decentralized finance in a fully compliant, asset-backed manner.”
According to Merhebi, this was made possible by his business partner Thomas Huggins, President of Royal Casino Group and advisor to Absolutebet, who highlighted the potential value of tokenization for the Ontario-facing igaming platform.
“Absolutebet as the first tokenized online and land-based casino operation represents an estimated US$500 million market value when considering its ability to raise funds through tokenization and the LemonChain,” Huggins said.
“This model allows Absolutebet to expand and acquire valuable new assets – all of which can be tokenized – making Absolutebet the hub of a new tokenized ecosystem that empowers investors to become owners. Deals like this that innovate while adding real-world value and utility are exactly why Royal Casino Group exists.”
Both teams will integrate the Boost Token, which acts as a gaming and rewards layer. This will drive engagement, player rewards, and liquidity across both platforms.
It is not the first time that tokenization has been used in the gambling industry, several crypto casinos have tokenized assets in the past, however this may be the first time that real-world land-based casino assets have been tokenized.
An early example of tokenization in leisure and hospitality was in 2018, when luxury hotel the St. Regis Aspen Resort, in Colorado, chose tokenization over traditional real estate fundraising models.
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The Backstory
Setting the stage for tokenized casino ownership
Absolutebet’s plan to tokenize real-world casino assets is a novel step in a highly regulated market, but it is not happening in a vacuum. Ontario’s maturing online gambling ecosystem, shifting global compliance norms and a crowded content race in North America all inform the timing and risk calculus behind a regulated, blockchain-secured investment platform. As operators jostle for growth in a market that rewards transparency and punishes missteps, the stakes for getting tokenization right are as much about regulatory credibility as investor appeal.
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, which licensed Absolutebet in August, has enforced a strict consumer-protection regime since the market’s launch. The regulator has not shied from action: it recently fined Casino Days CA$54,000 for deceptive bonus practices after a player complaint revealed buried terms and a high-risk wagering requirement. That case underlines the compliance bar Absolutebet must clear as it prepares a first-quarter 2026 launch and then a phased rollout of tokenized assets. The company’s message of a measured approach to regulatory coordination and investor readiness is aimed squarely at that reality.
Ontario’s rulebook and the fine print
Ontario remains Canada’s only live regulated online gaming jurisdiction, with detailed standards governing advertising, game integrity and player protection. The regulator’s internet gaming standards are publicly available and emphasize clear disclosure and responsible gambling. For context, operators and suppliers point to the AGCO’s Registrar’s Standards as the north star for compliance, which the agency outlines here: Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming. Absolutebet’s tokenization model will be judged against the same principles that ensnared bonuses deemed misleading or high risk.
The market’s enforcement posture is shaping commercial behavior beyond promotions. Content decisions and partnership selection increasingly reflect a bias toward demonstrable compliance and engagement mechanics that pass regulatory muster. That is visible in supplier deals such as Playson’s tie-up with High Flyer Casino in Ontario, which leans on proven “Hold and Win” mechanics designed for retention without courting the regulatory red lines that trigger penalties. For a tokenized offer to win acceptance, its disclosures, custody model, secondary market controls and eligibility screening will need to be as plain as a terms page, not a white paper footnote.
Capital discipline meets new financing rails
Tokenization is often pitched as an ownership democratizer and a funding accelerant. But this push is arriving in a period when gaming companies are trimming debt, hunting cheaper credit and prioritizing flexible financing. In Canada, Bragg Gaming Group’s repayment of US$5 million on a secured note and its plan to secure a lower-cost facility speak to a broader theme: balance sheet resilience enables growth and acquisition optionality in a margin-sensitive sector. Absolutebet’s narrative that tokenization can unlock asset-backed capital aligns with that quest, but it will be measured against real borrowing alternatives that established operators are accessing.
Investors will also scrutinize liquidity pathways. Absolutebet says tokenized assets will list on Lemon Group’s marketplace, which adds a necessary distribution layer. The availability of a dedicated venue such as the LemonChain Marketplace could matter for price discovery and exit optionality in a new asset class, which is why the link between issuance and venue is a core part of the proposition: LemonChain Marketplace. Whether secondary trading volume materializes will depend on regulatory green lights, asset disclosures and the breadth of qualified participants the platform can onboard across jurisdictions.
Signals from other regulated frontiers
The compliance tide is not unique to Ontario. The United Arab Emirates has been building a top-down regulatory framework for commercial gaming, with the new authority in Abu Dhabi starting to define vendor permissions and oversight. Yolo Group recently secured two gaming vendor licenses in the UAE and shuttered gray-market brands as part of a pivot to licensed markets. That move shows how quickly access to new jurisdictions can hinge on demonstrable conformity with rules, and how companies are willing to reshape portfolios to qualify.
For a tokenization scheme tied to multi-market expansion, UAE’s direction of travel is a useful tell. If Absolutebet aims to scale a tokenized ecosystem beyond Ontario to Alberta or Brazil, it will face a mosaic of standards on investor protection, crypto asset classification and cross-border marketing. The UAE’s memorandum of understanding with New Jersey’s Division of Gaming Enforcement also signals increasing regulatory cooperation, which can accelerate best-practice diffusion across markets. In practical terms, disclosures acceptable in one regime are likely to be stress-tested elsewhere.
Product pipelines, distribution and player funnels
Tokenization alone will not drive customer lifetime value. Operators that win in regulated markets pair financial innovation with steady content flow and broad distribution. In Ontario, suppliers like Playson are expanding footprints through local operators to keep lobbies fresh, as seen in the High Flyer Casino partnership. In the U.S., social casinos have become a proving ground for engagement loops and monetization mechanics that can inform real-money offerings later. Golden Matrix Group’s deal to bring Expanse Studios titles to Blazesoft’s social casino network illustrates how suppliers build audience scale across 46 states without regulatory friction, then port lessons into regulated environments.
That playbook matters for Absolutebet’s strategy because tokenized holders will expect utility, not just paper claims on assets. If tokens tie into loyalty, access or rewards across online and land-based properties, the model starts to look less like speculative scrip and more like a multi-sided engagement layer. Ontario operators are already iterating on loyalty constructs within strict advertising rules. The difference here is that token economics and rights need to dovetail with responsible gaming obligations, KYC requirements and any restrictions on inducements.
What to watch between now and launch
Three threads will determine whether tokenized casino assets become a durable feature of regulated gaming. First, compliance architecture: the structure must meet Ontario’s standards on transparency and consumer safeguards, with clear, front-loaded terms that regulators demanded in the Casino Days enforcement case. Second, funding efficacy: the cost of capital raised via tokenization should be competitive with conventional credit options that peers like Bragg Gaming Group are pursuing, net of issuance, custody and marketplace fees. Third, market fit: integration with content, loyalty and distribution channels similar to those evolving through Ontario content partnerships and U.S. social casino networks will be critical to generate recurring engagement.
Regulated markets reward discipline. As authorities in Ontario, the UAE and elsewhere refine oversight, the path forward favors operators that blend innovation with uncompromising compliance. If the tokenization rollout delivers real utility and transparent governance, it could open a new capital channel for casino operators. If not, it will serve as another cautionary tale in a sector that is learning, sometimes expensively, that technology does not outrun the rulebook.
