

Canada
Live Now, Izanami Becomes Queen of Cards & Chibi Bots Take Over SMITE
SMITE’s latest update, out today, marks the start of three distinct events, the Heavenly Light major event, the Chibi Bots Battle Pass, plus a Birthday Celebration event. Each in its own way has free rewards for players to unlock.
The four month long Heavenly Light event has now started, featuring dozens of purchasable skins plus quest lines. The collection reward is Hi-Rez’s new top-of-the-line shapeshifting skin: Queen of Cards Izanami. This Unlimited skin can only be unlocked as a bonus for purchasing the entire event.
Izanami, the Japanese matron of the dead, has been chosen to become SMITE’s new ‘Tier 5’ skin, meaning one that rotates between several forms and evolves according to player actions during matches. Queen of Cards Izanami has four different forms, each representing a card suit – Hearts, Spades, Diamonds, and Clubs – and each as distinct as a separate skin.
For the first time in SMITE, this skin features its own quest system and is able to evolve permanently, not just for the current match. The Queen of Cards demands that her subjects entertain her – preferably by spilling the blood of enemy Gods. Each time she gets a kill or assist, she draws four cards. When it’s four of a kind, players permanently unlock a special emote for the current form, with entirely different animations.
Battle Pass: Chibi Bots
It may be hard to choose the best theme for a Battle Pass, yet SMITE has found the ultimate one: a fusion between what players love the most – Chibi Gods and mecha Gods.
Starting today, four adorable Chibi Bots skins can be unlocked in the latest Battle Pass. Everyone progresses simply by playing matches, gaining access to dozens of rewards, including some for free such as the Intruder Bot skin for Cupid. Purchasing the Chibi Bots Battle Pass grants access to all rewards, including the other three robotic stars: Beaky Bot, Freezy Bot, and Doom Bot.
Birthday celebration event
During the Heavenly Light Update, SMITE is celebrating its 8th launch anniversary! Through a special in-game event, all birthday gifts go to the community as a token of gratitude, using a structure that has proved extremely popular.
A wide variety of prizes can be unlocked each day just by playing, including the new Husky Handler skin for Skadi, Boosters, Gems, and player-made cosmetics the SMITE team selected during a contest. Those include memey global emotes showcasing Khepri’s giving out free hugs and Candy Shop Achilles coming out of a giant birthday cake.
Countless new combinations in custom games
Delivering a community request, new settings are now available for custom games. Playing with friends or for community events and tournaments, everyone can now use the exact same conditions as the World Championship – or quite the contrary, you can go wild with the craziest settings such as infinite gold, no mana costs, outrageous cooldown reduction, and more.
Canada
Thunderkick’s portfolio makes Ontario debut through SkillOnNet brands

Global entertainment brand SkillOnNet is deepening its existing partnership with Stockholm-based game studio Thunderkick to launch the developer’s unique, engaging slot titles in Ontario.
The Canadian province is one of the most exciting regulated markets in North America, and the Ontario players will now gain access to Thunderkick’s full portfolio of highly acclaimed games via SkillOnNet-powered online casino brands such as PlayOJO, SlotsMagic, and SpinGenie.
Thunderkick is known for its independent, boundary-pushing slot games like Pink Elephants, Esqueleto Explosivo, and Beat the Beast and has established a strong reputation for creativity and originality in the iGaming space. The deal allows the studio to further expand its global footprint while giving Ontario players the chance to enjoy a fresh wave of premium content.
Ontario’s regulated online gaming market, which officially opened in 2022, has quickly become a key market for the iGaming industry, and SkillOnNet was among the first brands to secure licensing in the province. The expansion reinforces SkillOnNet’s commitment to delivering top-tier entertainment in regulated markets globally.
Jani Kontturi at SkillOnNet said: “Thunderkick has been a key partner of ours in other markets, and we’re delighted to bring their outstanding content to Ontario. This region is fast becoming a vital part of our operations, and we’re confident players here will respond just as positively to Thunderkick’s games as they have elsewhere.”
Mariam Dodosh, Account Manager at Thunderkick said: “We’re thrilled to expand our relationship with SkillOnNet and enter the Ontario market together. Our games have a track record of strong performance, and we’re excited to see them go live in one of the most dynamic new regions in iGaming.”
The post Thunderkick’s portfolio makes Ontario debut through SkillOnNet brands appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Canada
Maverick Games Launches Sports Betting Operations in Ontario

Maverick Games has launched sports betting operations in Ontario, through a partnership with Delasport.
Maverick Games will offer Ontarian players a premium sports betting experience, built on Delasport’s superior technology and known for its unique innovative features that players love including personalization, recommendations, gamification, quick bets, player engagement features, and more.
Maverick Games is the second brand to launch on Delasport’s technology in Ontario, with another full turnkey brand set to go live soon. Delasport also recently unveiled its innovative sports betting jackpot network game, SuperPot. The company will showcase this unique product at the Canadian Gaming Summit next month and begin rolling it out to Ontarian operators shortly thereafter.
“We are proud to see Maverick Games live and thriving with our one of a kind sportsbook solution at its core. They have been a fantastic partner from the start, and this launch further demonstrates how fast and efficient our technology is when paired with a clear vision and strong collaboration,” said Rosaire Galea Cavallaro, VP of Business Development at Delasport.
“Maverick Games’s sports vertical is a major step forward for us and launching it with Delasport has been the right move from day one. The platform’s performance and flexibility allow us to deliver the kind of user experience we believe Ontario players deserve. We’re excited to now bring that vision to life,” CEO Matt Rathbun said.
The post Maverick Games Launches Sports Betting Operations in Ontario appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Canada
Tsleil-Waututh Nation Signs MoU to Acquire Casino Business at Hastings Racecourse & Casino

Tsleil-Waututh Nation (TWN) announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding to acquire the casino business and related real property interests at Hastings Racecourse & Casino (Hastings) in the City of Vancouver from Great Canadian Gaming Corporation (Great Canadian Entertainment).
“We are thrilled to take another important step towards economic self-determination for our Nation in our traditional territory, and we are eager to work with the senior management team at Great Canadian Entertainment to finalize due diligence and execute a definitive agreement, as well as working with the City of Vancouver to ensure the best long-term use of this important asset within the City. We believe that this opportunity is historic for us in many ways, and we look forward to entering the gaming industry in due course,” said Jen Thomas, Chief of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation.
“We are excited about working with TWN on their potential acquisition of the casino operations and related real property interests at Hastings Racecourse & Casino. Recognizing that Hastings is part of the TWN’s traditional territory, we can think of no better entity to inherit this asset, and we look forward to supporting them in the transition after the anticipated close of the sale,” Matt Anfinson, Chief Executive Officer of Great Canadian Entertainment.
The agreement is subject to further due diligence, finalization of financial terms and the execution of a definitive purchase and sale agreement. Once a definitive agreement has been executed by the parties, it is anticipated that the transaction will be subject to customary closing conditions as well as customary approvals by gaming regulatory and other authorities, including certain approvals by the City of Vancouver given its ownership of the real property. It is expected that Great Canadian Entertainment will provide transition services to TWN for a period of time following the anticipated closing.
The post Tsleil-Waututh Nation Signs MoU to Acquire Casino Business at Hastings Racecourse & Casino appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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