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Luckbox team celebrate with TSXV trading set to start today

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The team behind leading esports betting brand Luckbox were celebrating as the company was set to begin trading on the TSX Venture Exchange in Toronto.

Luckbox’s parent company Real Luck Group Ltd was due to make its public market debut on Wednesday, December 16, at 2.30pm GMT / 9.30am ET / 6.30am PT under the ticker “LUCK”.

The public listing comes just 20 months after Luckbox accepted its first bet and caps an eventful year for the company as the Covid-19 pandemic pushed esports (and particularly esports betting) closer to the limelight.

With most of the world forced into lockdown and all major sports on hold, esports became one of the few forms of live entertainment to survive as tournaments moved online.

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Gaming channel Twitch (owned by Amazon) saw its viewed hours increase to 5 billion in the second quarter of 2020. That was a 50% increase over the first quarter. Facebook, even though its viewed hours are about a fifth of Twitch’s, saw its viewership increase 75% over the same period.

Arguably the biggest beneficiary of the esports’ boom was the betting sector. Luckbox reported a 500% increase in turnover during the spring lockdown, accelerating its path to go public.

Now that day is here, Luckbox CEO Quentin Martin is looking ahead to 2021 with big plans.

He said: “The massive potential of esports is well documented and late last year PwC cited esports as having higher growth potential than any other sport. That was before we knew about Covid, of course, and the events of 2020 have put esports in sharper focus. Many who weren’t paying attention certainly are now.

“We’re at the forefront of the esports betting sector and we’ve seen first hand the impact it’s had on esports betting. It’s been huge – a large part of our reasoning to go public this year was the acceleration we saw during lockdown. “We saw a massive spike in players moving from betting on sports to betting on esports and, encouragingly, we managed to lock up some 75% of the gains we made. We have clear evidence that players who tried esports betting for the first time enjoyed it and stuck with us. “I think another indication of esports’ shift into the mainstream was our EGR Award in November. The EGR Operator Awards are the Oscars of the betting industry and for us, an esports-dedicated platform, to be named Rising Star shows that the egaming world is taking esports seriously and accepts it is very much a vertical to watch.”

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So, how does 2021 look for Luckbox? Martin said the company has big plans for the year ahead. He said: “These are exciting times and 2021 will be a very busy year for us. So far, almost all of our growth has been organic and the potential for growth through marketing is huge. “We’ll focus strongly on content marketing, affiliates, partnerships, influencers and direct media and we’ll be strengthening our marketing team with more key hires.

“Luckbox is a bespoke website, built by our team to cater to the unique demands of an esports audience – that is to say, aged 18 to 38, well educated and extremely tech-savvy – and a big part of our efforts this year will be continuing to hone our product. We’ll be launching sports betting, working on a casino offering and many other cool features that will help attract and retain players.

“We also have big plans from a B2B perspective, too. We’re looking to bring odds compilation in-house and the most effective way for us to do that would be via a merger/acquisition. This would also make Luckbox an even more attractive as a B2B solution for one of the gambling industry’s behemoths, who, as I have mentioned, are finally realising the value of having a truly authentic esports betting product.”

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Canada

Relax Gaming joins forces with PointsBet to strengthen footprint in Ontario

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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.

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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.

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Canada

Jackpot Digital Receives Approval from the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority

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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.”

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Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation

Play Alberta, CSEC Extend Partnership

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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.

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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.

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