Connect with us
Prague Gaming & TECH Summit 2025 (25-26 March)

Canada

Nerd Street Gamers Closes $11.5M Additional Funding Led By Venture Capital Giant Founders Fund

Published

on

 

Nerd Street Gamers, the national esports infrastructure company, announced that it has raised $11.5 million in additional funding led by San Francisco-based venture capital firm Founders Fund, captained by Brian Singerman, bringing the company’s total funding to approximately $25 million.

Nerd Street experienced explosive growth thanks to its digital platform, even with Localhosts, the company’s esports and gaming centers, closed for the majority of the past year due to the pandemic. The platform, which offers affordable competitive experiences like tournaments, camps and coaching, grew its membership by more than 218% since 2019. Meanwhile, Nerd Street’s Twitch Channel, where the company live-broadcasts its tournaments, grew over 4,066% in minutes watched and grew from 13K followers to over 120K this past year.

With an eye towards a post-pandemic future where gamers will need affordable access to high-quality equipment more than ever, Nerd Street continued opening new Localhosts in Austin, Philadelphia and St. Louis in 2020. Over the course of the next year, Nerd Street is planning to open 20,000+ square foot regional Localhost facilities in Philadelphia and Los Angeles, and is rolling out several Localhosts in collaboration with teen and tween-focused retailer Five Below.

“Nerd Street being added to Founders Fund’s portfolio of industry-pioneering organizations is one of our greatest honors to date,” said John Fazio, founder and CEO of Nerd Street Gamers. “Within minutes of meeting Brian, it was clear that he was profoundly aligned with our vision and mission. Backing us during the uncertainty of a global pandemic is a testament to Brian’s bold foresight and an incredible validation for our entire team.”

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

As a partner at Founders Fund, Brian Singerman seeks out companies that will provide value to investors and humankind alike. Nerd Street was an attractive investment for Brian as he has a background as a gamer and immediately saw Nerd Street’s long-term vision to help the industry offer gamers the same opportunities that traditional sports provide athletes.

“I was impressed with John from our first meeting and knew I wanted to help advance his vision of building a robust infrastructure to support gamers of all ages and skill levels,” said Singerman. “As a gamer myself, I’ve watched the massive growth of esports over the years. Esports are surpassing traditional sports in number of players and audience size, especially among younger demographics, and Nerd Street is in a perfect position to capitalize on that shift.”

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Canada

Relax Gaming joins forces with PointsBet to strengthen footprint in Ontario

Published

on

relax-gaming-joins-forces-with-pointsbet-to-strengthen-footprint-in-ontario

 

Relax Gaming, the iGaming aggregator and supplier of unique content, has significantly enhanced its presence in the Ontario market through an agreement with leading Canadian operator, PointsBet.

This partnership reinforces Relax Gaming’s aim to become a standout provider across North America, having already gained early success in Ontario. Relax became one of the first suppliers to deliver content to the region’s players in March 2022, debuting with over 120 games across multiple operators.

PointsBet pride themselves as one of Canada’s leading operators offering unmatched speed, ease of use, and a comprehensive array of pre-game and in-play sports betting options. This is complemented by a top-tier online casino which will now be boosted with the integration of Relax’s portfolio of slots and live dealer options.

With its authentic Canadian approach, PointsBet prioritises technology that minimises external dependencies to maintain control over its platform and has a commitment to responsible gambling best practices, ensuring a safe and secure environment for all players.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

Martin Stålros, CEO at Relax Gaming, said: “Since we launched in Ontario we have enjoyed tremendous success, with our content hitting the sweet spot for the broad range of players in the Canadian province. This partnership with PointsBet will strengthen our presence in the market as the region’s leading operator integrates our rich content portfolio which will engage its player base.”

Scott Vanderwel, Chief Executive Officer at PointsBet, added: “Relax Gaming has established a strong reputation across North America and in Ontario in particular. The impressive range of content that will be integrated into our platform will increase engagement within our online platform and we are delighted to be able to provide more immersive experiences to our audiences.”

Established as one of the industry’s leading B2B suppliers, Relax Gaming was awarded GGA’s Product Launch of the Year in February 2023 for Dream Drop Jackpots. Money Train 3 names the 2023 CasinoBeats Game Developer Awards amongst its 6 Slot of the Year titles, while the brand also won the award for Skill Games Supplier at the 2023 EGR B2B Awards along with the Innovation in Mobile award at the 2023 SBC Awards.

Relax Gaming provides more than 4,000 online casino games, from its high-performing proprietary slots to a significant, varied library of content from hand-picked third-party studios via its partnership programmes.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)
Continue Reading

Canada

Jackpot Digital Receives Approval from the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority

Published

on

jackpot-digital-receives-approval-from-the-saskatchewan-liquor-and-gaming-authority

 

Jackpot Digital, a leading manufacturer of electronic multiplayer dealerless poker tables, has announced that it has received approval from the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority (SLGA) to act as a registered supplier of gaming supplies and services to regulated casinos in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan.

The approval follows the Company’s news release dated February 6, 2024, announcing the signing of a licensing agreement with the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA) to install the Company’s Jackpot Blitz dealerless poker ETGs into SIGA casinos.

SIGA operates seven casinos and Playnow.com in Saskatchewan. At the outset, SIGA proposes to install Jackpot Blitz machines at its Dakota Dunes and Gold Horse Casino properties, located in Saskatoon and Lloydminster, respectively.

Jackpot CEO Jake Kalpakian said: “We are excited to receive approval as a gaming equipment supplier in Saskatchewan. This represents the first major jurisdictional, non-tribal license received by Jackpot during our continuing expansion into the land-based casino market. We have many more license applications underway in the US and other Canadian provinces, which will dramatically impact our ability to accelerate the rollout of Jackpot Blitz across North America.”

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)
Continue Reading

Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation

Play Alberta, CSEC Extend Partnership

Published

on

play-alberta,-csec-extend-partnership

 

Teams under the Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation (CSEC) banner have expanded their long-term partnership with Play Alberta, the province’s premier iGaming destination. As part of the agreement, the Flames will feature AGLC’s responsible gambling program, GameSense, on their home helmets and a Play Alberta insignia displayed on their home jerseys. The Stampeders, Wranglers, and Roughnecks will integrate the Play Alberta logo onto their uniforms.

“There’s significant importance now to showcase meaningful responsible gambling efforts in the iGaming industry. I’m proud of our initiatives to provide GameSense with such a visible platform. GameSense promotes healthy gambling habits online and in person and including AGLC’s responsible gambling platform over the course of this partnership is a huge accomplishment,” Kandice Machado, Chief Executive Officer at AGLC.

The agreement makes Play Alberta the exclusive sports betting and online gaming partner of the Flames, Wranglers, Stampeders, and Roughnecks. Through the partnership, Play Alberta and CSEC will develop unique partnerships and in-arena giveaways during the season.

“Through GameSense, our partnership with Play Alberta equips our fans with the knowledge required if they wish to participate in gaming while they support their home team. We are both proud and excited to extend our relationship with Play Alberta that makes cheering for our teams that much more fun while also generating revenue to support the quality of life for Albertans,” said CSEC President and CEO Robert Hayes.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

Alberta is the first jurisdiction in North America to partner with professional sports franchises and integrate PlayAlberta.ca and social responsibility branding onto uniforms. It upholds AGLC’s commitment to responsible play, raising awareness of GameSense and Self-Exclusion, resources that give bettors the tools they need to make healthy gambling choices.

In addition, proceeds generated through the website go toward the province’s General Revenue Fund. In 2023–24, $235 million was generated for programs and services that Albertans rely on every day through Play Alberta, an increase of more than $42 million from the previous year.

Continue Reading

Trending