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Leading Esports Platform Challengermode Announces US Launch

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Leading Swedish esports platform Challengermode, the home of competitive gaming, has today announced that it will be launching into the North American market. With a focus on building out existing and new partnerships, driving customer acquisition and expanding its international team, this move will help deliver against its mission to make esports accessible to everyone.

The Challengermode platform serves as an esports ecosystem for key actors, including game developers, tournament organizers, content creators and brands. It provides a place where millions of esports fans and casual gamers can compete at any level of skill. For organizers it offers an automated and scalable tournament and league infrastructure, and flexible monetization tools.

For years, Challengermode has been the home for various national, collegiate and corporate esports leagues throughout Europe, as well as a wide variety of official competitions for game publishers like Riot Games, EA Games and PUBG Corp (KRAFTON, Inc.) – with millions of competitions played on the platform yearly. Among its suite of fully automated game titles is the popular mobile game Gods of Boom that integrated with Challengermode’s platform in order to provide its community with accessible esports tournaments.

CEO at Challengermode Robel Efrem said: “We’re incredibly excited to announce our official expansion into the US. Thanks to our established industry partners we are well positioned to bring grassroots esports the focus it deserves, giving players an all important place to compete and level up their skills – while simultaneously acting as a gateway for other stakeholders to participate in the esports economy. Beyond creating a space for players and organizers, our presence in the US is also targeting further integration with game developers looking to build out the esports aspects of their games, allowing new esports titles to hit the ground running.”

Challengermode has been rapidly adopted by thousands of tournament organizers that use its infrastructure to scale up their esports competitions – even ahead of the official US launch.

The esports infrastructure is made available through Challengermode Spaces, with which any gaming community, tournament organizer or game developer gets access to their own all-in-one esports arena. Spaces makes it possible and accessible to grow, engage and monetize an esports or game community.

Philip Hubner, Chief Business Development Officer at Challengermode: “North America is home to over 57 million esports viewers but, despite the scene’s exponential growth in the last decade, the vast majority of this audience has never had a chance to participate in esports in any capacity – this is especially true on consoles. The industry is still extremely top heavy, and built too much around sponsorship, broadcasting licenses and advertising revenue, rather than consumer revenue and participation. Challengermode is looking to turn the current industry model on its head – creating value for all esports stakeholders from the bottom up as well as the top down. Game Developers to us are a key part of what will drive this change, and so we’re excited to work more closely with developers across the Americas – and around the world.”

With recent funding from eWTP Innovation Fund, the global investment arm of the Alibaba Group, GP Bullhound, Telia Ventures and Swedish soccer player Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Challengermode has cemented its position as the fastest-growing grassroots esports platform. The company has hosted millions of competitions with millions of players in Europe alone, and has partnered with some of the globe’s biggest names in esports, including FIFA, renowned esports team Fnatic and digital gaming festival DreamHack. The platform already supports some of the most popular esports titles in the world, including League of Legends, DotA 2, FIFA and PUBG with more being added all the time.

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Caesars Entertainment

OLG Selects Caesars Entertainment as the Service Provider for Windsor Casino

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The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation has selected Caesars Entertainment as the Service Provider in the Windsor Casino procurement process. This is the final procurement process in the OLG’s land-based gaming modernization initiative.

Tom Reeg, CEO of Caesars Entertainment, said: “We are thrilled to be selected as the service provider for the Windsor Casino by the OLG. Caesars has a long history of managing Windsor and looks forward to continuing to deliver exceptional guest service and experiences at the property.”

Caesars and its predecessor companies have partnered with the OLG to operate Caesars Windsor (fka. Casino Windsor) since the opening of the temporary facility in 1994. Caesars will assume responsibility for gaming and non-gaming operations of the Windsor casino on behalf of the OLG under a 20-year operating agreement, which is expected to begin in 2026.

OLG requires an 18-month restriction on any organizational changes consistent with other gaming bundle modernizations in Ontario. Unionized employees will continue to be governed by the terms of their collective agreement.

The post OLG Selects Caesars Entertainment as the Service Provider for Windsor Casino appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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AGCO issues penalties of $151,000 against Great Canadian Entertainment for alleged age verification failures

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The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has issued $151,000 in penalties to Great Canadian Entertainment for allegedly failing to prevent minors from accessing gambling on multiple occasions at three Toronto-area casinos.

As part of its investigation, the AGCO reviewed four separate incidents in which minors allegedly gained access to the casino floors and in which some of these minors participated in gambling activities – two cases at Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto, and one at each of Casino Ajax and Pickering Casino Resort.

The AGCO is committed to ensuring casinos meet Ontario’s high standards of harm reduction and responsible gambling. The AGCO’s Standards require operators to ensure only eligible individuals are permitted into a gambling site and strictly prohibit access to anyone under 19 years of age (except in the course of employment). The Standards also mandate that casino employees have the necessary competence, skills, experience and training to effectively carry out their duties, including age verification.

This enforcement action underscores the AGCO’s dedication to protecting youth and other vulnerable individuals.

A casino operator served with an Order of Monetary Penalty by the AGCO Registrar has the right to appeal the Registrar’s decision to the Licence Appeal Tribunal (LAT), an adjudicative tribunal that is part of Tribunals Ontario and independent of the AGCO.

“Ontario casino operators have an obligation to ensure minors are not able to access casino floors or activities such as slot machines or table games. The AGCO will continue to monitor and hold all casino operators accountable for fulfilling this important role.”  – Dr. Karin Schnarr, Chief Executive Officer and Registrar, AGCO.

The post AGCO issues penalties of $151,000 against Great Canadian Entertainment for alleged age verification failures appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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ToonieBet Launches its Sportsbook on Apple App Store and Google Play Store

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ToonieBet, Soft2Bet’s flagship online casino and sportsbook for Ontario, has officially launched its sportsbook on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. The platform is tailored specifically for local players, offering a dynamic betting experience with a broad range of sports events and competitive odds. The platform also features personalised promotions and loyalty rewards designed to match the preferences of Ontario’s diverse betting community.

The sportsbook uses official data feeds, ensuring players have access to the most accurate and up-to-date information on top local and international sports events. Additionally, the platform offers live broadcasting with real-time match analytics, allowing users to make informed betting decisions as events unfold. Integrated with MEGA and advanced player account management features, the operator is committed to delivering a seamless and responsible gaming environment that enhances the overall player experience while supporting local sports initiatives.

As part of this launch, the platform has also introduced a Sportsbook section on its official website, expanding its portfolio and bringing more choice to its growing customer base. With access to over 85,000 live events each month and more than 70,000 pre-match events across a wide range of sports, players now have even more ways to bet on what they love. Soft2Bet’s Canadian brand invites all players to explore its standout online casino and the full spectrum of sports betting, all delivered through a fast, secure, and fully localised platform.

‍Since its debut at the end of 2024, ToonieBet has offered a fast, fair, and secure online casino and sportsbook experience, fully localised for Ontario’s vibrant gaming market. The Apple App and Google Play additions further enhance accessibility, bringing ToonieBet’s premium entertainment to players on the go.

Additionally, this milestone complements the operator’s recent partnership with the NHL’s Ottawa Senators, which made ToonieBet the Official Online Casino Partner of the team. The partnership includes in-arena branding, digital promotions, and fan engagement initiatives like social contests, allowing ToonieBet to connect with Ontario sports fans in exciting ways and offering chances to win team merchandise and tickets.

Yoel Zuckerberg, Soft2Bet’s Chief Product Officer, said: “As Soft2Bet continues our rapid growth, we are excited to provide Ontario players with access to ToonieBet’s sportsbook which is now available on the Apple App and Google Play Store, offering seamless access to a customised experience tailored for the province’s passionate gaming community.”

The post ToonieBet Launches its Sportsbook on Apple App Store and Google Play Store appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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