Canada
INDIANAPOLIS TO HOST NBA 2K LEAGUE’S FIFTH ANNIVERSARY SEASON BEGINNING MARCH 23
The NBA 2K League announced that Indianapolis has been selected as the host city for the NBA 2K League’s fifth anniversary season and unveiled the league’s complete competition schedule, which includes a combination of remote and in-person games. The competition tips off on Wednesday, March 23 with the amateur qualifying event for the Coinbase NBA2KL 3v3 SLAM OPEN, the first of three tournaments in the new Coinbase NBA2KL 3v3 BLACKTOP SERIES, and will culminate with the NBA2KL 3v3 and 5v5 Finals as part of the NBA2KL Championships on Saturday, Aug. 20 and Saturday, Aug. 27, respectively.
In-person NBA 2K League competitions will take place at the new NBA 2K League Studio in Indianapolis at The Pavilion at Pan Am. The studio’s innovative design will feature two circular competition stages to allow for simultaneous in‑person games that give the broadcast the opportunity to switch between games in real-time to capture the most exciting action. Information on tickets for in-person games will be announced in the coming weeks.
“After playing nearly all of the 2020 and 2021 seasons remotely, we are thrilled to get back to our live studio experience in the heart of downtown Indianapolis – a city overflowing with passionate basketball fans and known for putting on some of the biggest events in American sports,” said NBA 2K League President Brendan Donohue. “The NBA 2K League is proud to call Indianapolis our home for the 2022 season.”
“Indiana Sports Corp is excited to partner with the NBA 2K League on its upcoming season in Indy,” said Indiana Sports Corp President Ryan Vaughn. “Our team will provide assistance in several capacities over the course of their 2022 competitions, and we look forward to welcoming this first-ever full tournament season, playoff and championship event to our city. Esports is among the fastest growing sports in the world, and we are thrilled Indy will be the epicenter of the NBA 2K global community for the next 6 months. We are, after all, the city where champions are crowned.”
New this season, as an avenue for the 2 million players who play NBA 2K every day to compete in NBA 2K League competition, amateur teams from around the world will have the opportunity to participate alongside NBA 2K League teams for a share of the 3v3 tournament prize pool. The Coinbase NBA2KL 3v3 BLACKTOP SERIES, which includes the SLAM OPEN, SWITCH OPEN and STEAL OPEN, will complement the traditional 5v5 BANNER CHAIN Powered by AT&T tournaments (THE TIPOFF, THE TURN and THE TICKET). The SLAM OPEN and SWITCH OPEN will include the 24 NBA 2K League teams, North American amateur teams that earned a spot through the tournaments’ qualifying events and Community Teams selected by the league and consisting of top players from the 2K community and social media influencers. The STEAL OPEN will include the 14 NBA 2K League teams that haven’t already qualified for the NBA2KL 3v3 Playoffs, and one amateur international team from each of the European and Asia-Pacific regions that earned a spot through separate international qualifying events. NBA 2K League teams, amateur teams and Community Teams will qualify for the NBA2KL 3v3 Playoffs based on their performance in the prior competitions throughout the season.
THE BANNER CHAIN Powered by AT&T and the NBA2KL 5v5 Playoffs and Finals will continue to feature only NBA 2K League teams. All 24 teams will compete in THE TIPOFF and THE TURN. The five top performing teams from each conference at the end of the regular season will automatically qualify for the NBA2KL 5v5 Playoffs. The 14 remaining teams will compete in THE TICKET, with the winning teams from the two conferences earning the 11th and 12th spots in the playoffs.
For the first time in league history, following the completion of the SLAM OPEN, THE TIPOFF, the SWITCH OPEN and THE TURN, each NBA 2K League team will play five additional 3v3 and 5v5 matches that will finalize which teams automatically qualify for the NBA2KL Championships and determine seeding in the STEAL OPEN and THE TICKET.
The NBA 2K League will announce additional information related to the 2022 season in the coming months, including registration details for the qualifying events for the three Coinbase NBA2KL 3v3 BLACKTOP SERIES tournaments, further details about Community Teams, and the 2022 season prize pools.
Below please find the 2022 NBA 2K League competition schedule:
- March 23 – 26 SLAM OPEN Amateur North America Qualifying Event (Remote)
- March 30 – April 2 SLAM OPEN Amateur North America Qualifying Event (Remote)
- April 5 – 8 THE TIPOFF Group Play (Remote)
- April 12 – 15 THE TIPOFF Group Play (Remote)
- April 20 – 23 THE TIPOFF Bracket Play (NBA 2K League Studio, Indianapolis)
- April 26 – 29 SLAM OPEN Group Play (Remote)
- April 27 – 30 STEAL OPEN Amateur Europe Qualifying Event (Remote)
- May 3 – 6 SLAM OPEN Group Play (Remote)
- May 4 – 7 STEAL OPEN Amateur APAC Qualifying Event (Remote)
- May 11 – 14 SLAM OPEN Bracket Play (NBA 2K League Studio, Indianapolis)
- May 18 – 21 SWITCH OPEN Amateur North America Qualifying Event (Remote)
- May 25 – 28 SWITCH OPEN Amateur North America Qualifying Event (Remote)
- May 24 – 27 THE TURN Group Play (Remote)
- May 31 – June 3 THE TURN Group Play (Remote)
- June 8 – 11 THE TURN Bracket Play (NBA 2K League Studio, Indianapolis)
- June 14 – 17 SWITCH OPEN Group Play (Remote)
- June 21 – 24 SWITCH OPEN Group Play (Remote)
- June 29 – July 2 SWITCH OPEN Bracket Play (NBA 2K League Studio, Indianapolis)
- July 5 – 8 5v5 Seed Weeks (Remote)
- July 12 – 15 5v5 Seed Weeks (Remote)
- July 19 – 22 3v3 Seed Weeks (Remote)
- July 26 – July 29 3v3 Seed Weeks (Remote)
- August 1 – 7 League-Wide Bye Week
- August 10 – 11 STEAL OPEN (NBA 2K League Studio, Indianapolis)
- August 12 – 13 THE TICKET (NBA 2K League Studio, Indianapolis)
- August 17 – 20 NBA2KL 3v3 Playoffs and Finals (NBA 2K League Studio, Indianapolis)
- August 24 – 27 NBA2KL 5v5 Playoffs and Finals (NBA 2K League Studio, Indianapolis)
ComeOn Group announced a significant milestone in its sportsbook expansion journey with the addition of sportsbook to their offering in Ontario following the successful acquisition of the required permits. This addition represents a strategic advancement in the Groups sportsbook growth trajectory where they are set to double its sportsbook business in the coming years.
ComeOn Group is one of 51 active operators in Ontario. The Ontario market has experienced robust growth since its launch, reaching C$6.7 billion in revenue in 2023.* By 2029, the market is forecasted to grow by a total of 29%, with 2024 expected to close with a 20% increase.
ComeOn keeps investing in its sportsbook business acceleration that is powered by its proprietary sportsbook platform and in-house risk management and trading team. As a multi product vertical operator, ComeOn is striving to give its customer base a safe and exciting entertainment destination and this approach is now expanded to their Ontario audience.
Juergen Reutter, Chief Executive Officer at ComeOn Group, said: “We are very excited about the opportunities this new milestone opens up for us. As a casino-led operator it represents a key part of our sportsbook strategy to double our business in the coming years. Like in any of our other markets, we are striving for a differentiated sportsbook entertainment experience that is powered by our in-house technology. Our goal is to deliver top-tier entertainment to our players while fostering safe and innovative gaming experiences.”
*Source – H2GC H2 Ontario Data 25.10.2024 (excl. Lottery)
BCLC
INTRALOT Announces New Project with the British Columbia Lottery Corporation for Online Lottery Platform
INTRALOT S.A. has announced the undertaking of a new project between the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC), the sole lottery operator for the Government of British Columbia in Canada, and INTRALOT Inc., its US subsidiary, for the provision of an online lottery platform. The project also includes the digitalization of the existing land-based network.
The solution will be based on the Player X platform, part of the Lotos X ecosystem, and adds to the company’s overall partnership with BCLC, which has been extended until 2028.
INTRALOT is a leading player in a changing world of gaming. With significant experience in looking forward and anticipating emerging trends, the company provides future-proof solutions to regulated lottery and gaming operators around the world.
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.
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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