GME3: All In(tervention), Scrape Britain & Doom With a View

In this week’s GME3, Alberta is looking to get a seat at the table in a Supreme Court fight that could shape whether Canada’s regulated iGaming markets can pursue cross-border player pooling for products like online poker and daily fantasy sports. In the UK, the government has backed away from a controversial proposal that would have made it easier for AI companies to train on copyrighted works without permission. And the latest World Happiness Report suggests that not all social media is created equal, with doomscroll-heavy, algorithm-driven platforms appearing to hit mental health harder than apps built more around direct social connection. Read the full stories below!

Gambling

All In(tervention)

Alberta is seeking to intervene in a Supreme Court of Canada appeal over whether Ontario can legally allow international player pooling for peer-to-peer iGaming products such as online poker and daily fantasy sports. The case stems from a November Ontario Court of Appeal decision that found Ontario could, under the Criminal Code, connect players in those games with participants outside the province and potentially through agreements with other jurisdictions.

That ruling was appealed in December by several provincial lottery corporations – Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries, BCLC, and Atlantic Lottery – acting through the Canadian Lottery Coalition. They argue Ontario’s proposed approach exceeds what the Criminal Code permits and raises broader concerns about provincial authority over gambling across Canada.

In its motion to intervene, Alberta’s Attorney General argues that the iGaming Alberta Act, passed last year, contemplates a similar framework and does not prohibit participation by players outside Canada where local laws allow it. Alberta says the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the Criminal Code could therefore affect the legality and operation of its new regime.

Alberta plans to argue that federal and provincial laws should be interpreted harmoniously, favouring a broad and flexible reading of the Criminal Code that avoids conflict with valid provincial gaming legislation. Alberta officials have also made clear that cross-border liquidity, including potentially with Ontario, is an idea they want to explore. Meanwhile, the lottery corporations argue Ontario’s model effectively supports operators that already promote offshore gambling to players outside Ontario. Alberta says its intervention will not affect the timing of its expected iGaming launch, currently planned for this summer.

Media

Scrape Britain

The UK government has stepped back from its earlier proposal to let AI companies train models on copyrighted works unless rights holders opt out. After strong backlash from musicians, publishers, and other creative industry groups, Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said the government had listened and no longer supports that approach. Instead, it says it has “no preferred option” and will take more time before changing the copyright law.

The original proposal had been heavily criticized by prominent artists, such as Elton John and Dua Lipa, as well as publishers and industry bodies, who argued it would effectively let AI firms use creative works without meaningful permission or compensation. Many in the creative sector see the government’s retreat as a significant win, though they remain cautious that similar ideas could return in another form.

The government says it is trying to balance two competing priorities: protecting creators’ control over their work while also supporting the development of the UK’s fast-growing AI sector. In its latest report, it acknowledged there is still no consensus on how to achieve that balance. It also emphasized that both sectors are economically important, describing UK culture as a major national asset and AI as a rapidly expanding industry.

Creative industry groups welcomed the shift and urged the government not to introduce any new text-and-data-mining exception without appropriate safeguards. Some also called for licensing systems that would protect individual artists, not just large rights holders. Meanwhile, tech groups expressed frustration that the government has not provided a clearer path forward, warning that uncertainty could hurt UK AI startups as other countries move faster to create more permissive frameworks.

Entertainment

Doom With a View

The World Happiness Report suggests that not all social media affects well-being in the same way. Platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and X, which rely heavily on algorithm-driven feeds, passive scrolling, and influencer content, were linked to lower happiness and more mental health problems, especially among young people. By contrast, Facebook and WhatsApp, which are used more for direct social connections, were associated in some studies with higher life satisfaction.

The report found that excessive social media use is contributing to lower happiness globally, with especially strong effects in English-speaking countries and Western Europe. In the UK, overall happiness has now fallen to its lowest point since the report began in 2012. Researchers also emphasized that both the kind of platform used and the amount of time spent on it matter. Moderate use (about an hour or less a day) appeared to be better for well-being than either heavy use or no use at all, suggesting that some social media use can be positive when it supports genuine connection.

The findings are particularly relevant as countries debate stricter regulation, including Australia’s ban on social media for under-16s. One of the report’s authors cautioned that governments should closely watch how that experiment plays out rather than rushing into similar blanket bans.