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NBA 2K League Season 3 Week 2 Preview

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KENNY’S KNOCKOUT WEEK: Raptors Uprising GC point guard Kenneth “Kenny Got Work” Hailey was named NBA 2K League Player of the Week for week 1 of the 2020 NBA 2K League season. Highlighted by a 51-point game against 2019 runner-up 76ers GC, the Memphis-native averaged 35 points and connected on 24 three-pointers over the two matches to lead his team to a 2-0 record. Hailey and Raptors Uprising GC will visit Grizz Gaming on Tuesday, May 12 and Hornets Venom GT on Thursday, May 14. Both series begin at 7 p.m. ET.

FINALS REMATCH: On Friday, May 15 at 9:30 p.m. ET, 76ers GC will host T-Wolves Gaming in a rematch of the 2019 NBA 2K League Finals. Led by Finals MVP Michael “BearDaBeast” Key, Minnesota won the 2019 NBA 2K League championship in a dramatic 5-game series. The team was presented official NBA 2K League championship rings from Jostens last Thursday before tipping off their Season 3 campaign.

G LEAGUE ROOTS: Week 2 will also feature the matchup of two head coaches with NBA G League roots. Austin Peterson, the head coach of Cavs Legion GC, is also an assistant coach for the Canton Charge, while Warriors Gaming Squad head coach Mike Newton spent last season on the basketball operations team with the Santa Cruz Warriors. Warriors Gaming Squad will host Cavs Legion GC on Friday, May 15 at 7 p.m. ET.

DYNAMIC DEBUTS: Led by the dynamic duo of Nidal “Mama Im Dat Man” Nasser (2019 NBA 2K League MVP) and Dayne “OneWildWalnut” Downey (2018 NBA 2K League MVP), Blazer5 Gaming, the winningest team by regular-season record in NBA 2K League history, will make its 2020 season debut in Week 2. During the offseason, the team hired Andrew Maxie as its head coach and selected Brandon “Hood” Caicedo and Georgio “OOC Slim” Bonte in the 2020 NBA 2K League Draft delivered by Panera Bread. Caicedo led the NBA 2K League in scoring (29.2 PPG) in the 2018 season with Cavs Legion GC. Blazer5 Gaming will visit Pacers Gaming on Tuesday, May 12 at 9 p.m. ET and host Lakers Gaming on Thursday, May 14 at 9 p.m. ET.

THIS IS NOT A GAME: Drafted in the first-ever NBA 2K League Draft, Jomar “Jomar” Varela-Escapa had a remarkable journey to the NBA 2K League. Varela-Escapa was born in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico and when Hurricane Maria left his home without power, he used his family’s diesel generator to play during the qualification windows for the league. The power forward played seasons 1 and 2 with Blazer5 Gaming and is in his first season with Pacers Gaming. On Friday, May 15 at 7 p.m. ET, Varela-Escapa will face fellow Puerto Rico native Michael “BP” Diaz-Cruz when Pacers Gaming visits Hawks Talon GC. Diaz-Cruz was born in Puerto Rico but moved to Bridgeport, Connecticut at the age of one. BP was acquired by Hawks Talon GC from Kings Guard Gaming this past offseason in arguably the biggest trade in NBA 2K League history according to The Action Network’s Darren Rovell.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE HIGHLIGHTS:

*All games are simulcast on ESPN’s platforms, Twitch and YouTube*

Tuesday, May 12
Raptors Uprising GC vs. Grizz Gaming – 7 PM ET
Blazer5 Gaming vs. Pacers Gaming – 9 PM ET

Wednesday, May 13
Warriors Gaming Squad vs. 76ers GC – 9 PM ET
Mavs Gaming vs. Lakers Gaming – 9 PM ET

Thursday, May 14
Raptors Uprising GC vs. Hornets Venom GT – 7 PM ET
Kings Guard Gaming vs. Gen.G Tigers – 9 PM ET

Friday, May 15
Cavs Legion GC vs. Warriors Gaming Squad – 7 PM ET
76ers GC vs. T-Wolves Gaming – 9:30 PM ET

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Bragg Gaming Group Enteres into New Financing Agreement with Bank of Montreal

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Bragg Gaming Group, a leading global B2B iGaming content and technology provider, announced it has entered into a new financing agreement with the Bank of Montreal (BMO), a leading North American financial institution, pursuant to which BMO has made available to the Company certain credit facilities in a maximum aggregate amount of up to US$6.0 million to support its ongoing working capital and general corporate requirements (the BMO Facilities).

In connection with the closing of the BMO Facilities, Bragg has successfully repaid in full the outstanding promissory note with entities controlled by Doug Fallon (the Prior Note Indebtedness). The new BMO Facilities replace the Prior Note Indebtedness, signalling a significant step in the Company’s financial strategy to partner with a major commercial bank to support its growth.

“We are very pleased to establish this new relationship with the Bank of Montreal, a recognized leader in financial services. This new credit facility strengthens our balance sheet and provides us with a flexible capital structure to execute our strategic plan. The ability to secure financing from a major North American bank underscores the confidence in our business and our long-term growth prospects. We look forward to a long and successful partnership with BMO,” said Robbie Bressler, CFO of Bragg Gaming Group.

The BMO Facilities are secured by, amongst other things, a first-ranking security interest over all of the assets of the Company and certain of its key operating subsidiaries, and are uncommitted and are repayable upon the earlier of (i) demand by BMO, (ii) the occurrence of certain insolvency events, and (iii) on the one-year anniversary of the closing date, unless a one-year extension is granted at BMO’s discretion.

The agreement includes customary legal and financial covenants, including a requirement for the Company to maintain a Total Funded Debt to EBITDA ratio not exceeding 2.50:1.00, and a Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio of not less than 1.25:1.00. These financial covenants are to be tested on a consolidated basis at the end of each fiscal quarter.

The Company currently expects to draw on the BMO Facilities in Canadian dollars, which would result in estimated borrowing costs of 6.9%–7.9% for Prime-based loans or 5.9%–6.9% for CORRA-based loans, depending on the period of the draw and the Company’s leverage ratio. Standby fees on the unused portion of the revolving facility will range from 0.75% to 1.75% per annum, depending on leverage.

Management believes that based on the terms of the BMO Facilities, the Company’s borrowing costs on an annualized basis will be less than half of its Prior Note Debt.

Matevž Mazij, CEO of Bragg Gaming Group, said: “Securing this BMO facility represents a critical milestone in our strategic plan to strengthen Bragg’s financial foundation and accelerate value creation for our shareholders. With our cybersecurity incident contained and our borrowing costs cut by more than half, we are laser-focused on executing our strategic shift toward higher-quality earnings. The Company is prioritizing margin and cash generation over lower-margin revenue, and synergies realized post-quarter end to become a leaner operation. We’ve already realized EUR 2 million in annualized synergies and are on track to achieve our 20% Adjusted EBITDA margin target for the second half of 2025.

“Our recent leadership additions in AI and innovation, combined with our expanding partnerships with operators like Fanatics and Hard Rock Digital, position us to pursue highly accretive growth opportunities methodically. The Company remains focused on growing the business in a sustainable and margin-accretive manner, with strong momentum in the proprietary content and technology pipeline positioning Bragg for long-term profitable growth.

“We understand the importance of delivering results for our shareholders, and our board and management team are fully aligned and committed to executing the strategic initiatives that will drive value. With improved financial flexibility, a strengthened operational foundation, and clear milestones ahead, we believe we have the right strategy and team in place to unlock Bragg’s full potential. We remain committed to maximizing shareholder value as we build sustainable, profitable growth and ensure our strong operational performance translates into appropriate market valuation.”

Cyber Breach Update

The Company has also provided an update on its previously announced cybersecurity incident initially detected on August 16, 2025.

Immediately following detection, Bragg took appropriate steps to mitigate any potential impact of the breach. With the assistance of independent cybersecurity experts, the Company has followed industry best practices and considers that the incident is now resolved.

There continues to be no indication that any personal information was affected and the breach has had no impact on the ability of the Company to continue its operations. Bragg has also provided assurances to its customers regarding the security of its game titles. The Company has experienced no negative impact on its revenue or profitability and does not expect that the cost of responding to the incident will have a material financial impact on the Company.

The Company has already applied knowledge gathered from the investigation of the event to enhance its cyber security defenses.

The post Bragg Gaming Group Enteres into New Financing Agreement with Bank of Montreal appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Thunderkick commits to growth in Ontario with Betty partnership

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Independent slots studio Thunderkick has agreed a deal with Ontario-based operator Betty to supply the rapidly growing online casino with a diverse collection of globally popular titles.

Betty, an official partner of sporting franchises Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors, has risen to prominence since its 2022 establishment, when it was built following the consultation of 300 casino players to create the optimal iGaming environment.

Distinguishing itself from North American competitors by catering specifically to slot enthusiasts rather than sports bettors, the operator has curated a portfolio of 2,800 games, hand-picked to deliver customers maximum entertainment value.

Thunderkick’s content is the latest to be integrated into Betty’s online casino, and the agreement will see a selection of its most popular titles, including The Wildos 2, Midas Golden Touch 3, and Esqueleto Explosivo 3, made available to a greater number of Ontarian players.

Thunderkick marked its debut in the Canadian province in Q2 of 2024, and has since partnered with a network of leading operators to improve its market position. The collaboration with Betty will further amplify its visibility in a key jurisdiction as the provider looks to reinforce its reputation as a global slot developer.

Svante Sahlström, CCO at Thunderkick, said: “It’s our mission at Thunderkick to go deeper, not wider, in 2025. That means forging meaningful, lasting relationships in target markets as opposed to securing as many commercial deals as possible.

“Since entering Ontario over 12 months ago, we have worked tirelessly to enhance our presence in the province, and working with leading brands such as Betty allows us to bring our unique games to a deeper pool of Canadian players.”

Paraskeva Smirnova, Casino Operations Manager at Betty, added: “Betty’s USP has always been our drive to build a slot portfolio with the very best titles from the industry’s most creative suppliers.

“Thunderkick’s passion for slot development is there for all to see, and the introduction of its games to our casino further elevates the consumer experience.”

The post Thunderkick commits to growth in Ontario with Betty partnership appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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Save the Date: BCLC’s New Horizons in Safer Gambling Conference Returns November 2026

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BCLC is pleased to announce the return of the New Horizons in Safer Gambling Conference, taking place November 2–4, 2026, at the JW Marriott Parq Vancouver.

This global event brings leading voices in research, policy and industry together to explore innovative approaches to safer gambling. Attendees can expect two days of forward-thinking dialogue, evidence-based insights and collaborative solutions to help shape the future of player health.

Sponsorship Opportunities Now Available

New to the 2026 conference, BCLC is excited to offer sponsorship opportunities to organizations that share BCLC’s passion for safer gambling. Benefits of sponsoring New Horizons 2026 include industry visibility, leadership recognition and meaningful engagement with a global audience. To learn more about sponsorship, please e-mail [email protected].

Registration and program details will be released later this fall.

The post Save the Date: BCLC’s New Horizons in Safer Gambling Conference Returns November 2026 appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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