

Canada
THORNE AND TEAM LIQUID ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP BRINGING INNOVATIVE HEALTH AND WELLNESS SOLUTIONS TO THE ESPORTS COMMUNITY
Thorne HealthTech, the leader in developing innovative solutions for a personalized approach to health and wellness, and Team Liquid, a leading worldwide professional esports organization, today announced that Thorne is now the official Health and Wellness Partner of Team Liquid.
Thorne will offer pathways for personalized health and wellness through quizzes, health tests, and nutritional supplements to support the Team Liquid community – from the professional athlete to the casual gamer – in optimizing peak performance, endurance, and recovery. Thorne’s suite of science-backed products and solutions for nutritional support, restful sleep, and mental focus align and support the esports community’s health and wellness standards.
“Knowing how passionate and connected the Team Liquid community is, we want to ensure they feel empowered and educated about their individual and overall community health and wellness journeys,” said Paul Jacobson, CEO of Thorne HealthTech. “For esports athletes at the highest level to the everyday gamer, we know each journey is personal. We look forward to Team Liquid and the incredible community behind it experiencing first-hand what our high-quality, science-backed products can do.”
“For Team Liquid, this partnership represents the next step in our 360, holistic approach to athlete training, as well as promoting healthy best practices for our extended Liquid community and fans,” said Steve Arhancet, CO-CEO of Team Liquid. “In the past, the physical demands put on the bodies of esports athletes were often overlooked by the industry, but working with Thorne will empower our organization to address how to best educate and fuel our athletes in a way that helps them reach maximum potential.”
Earlier in the year, Team Liquid launched a groundbreaking global training program that quantifies, analyzes, and assesses the cognitive capabilities of esports athletes competing at the highest level to determine the innate ability of the athlete and extended mental potential. This type of cognitive testing underpins the direct link between success in gaming and high-performing cognitive abilities like attention, memory, information processing, and task-switching.
The partnership with Thorne empowers Team Liquid to continue addressing their macro goal of transforming the professional training experience and establishing new industry-wide health and wellness practices and standards. Both parties have begun to discuss a co-authored case study that would feature select Thorne products and solutions put in active practice across a set of Team Liquid athletes. Team Liquid Director of Performance, Chang-Hyun Ko, and Thorne’s Director of Sports Science, Joel Totoro, have been asked to lead the planning of such a study.
Thorne will also elevate notable Team Liquid influencers – AverageJonas, Tiffae, Alixxa, and Acie – as brand ambassadors, with each one having their own unique health and wellness journey that Thorne is excited to support. As ambassadors, they will showcase first-hand experiences with Thorne products and expertise through special events, sponsored streams, and other curated content.
Canada
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Ottawa Opens with Legendary Guitar Smash and Star-Studded Celebration

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Ottawa officially opened its doors with a signature guitar smash, marking the arrival of Canada’s first fully integrated Hard Rock resort, a bold new destination where entertainment, hospitality, and music take center stage.
The $350 million resort brings the brand’s unmistakable energy to Canada’s capital, offering locals and visitors an immersive Hard Rock experience blending iconic music history with world-class entertainment, hospitality, dining, and gaming.
In true Hard Rock fashion, the opening festivities kicked off with the Canadian Tenors’ electrifying rendition of O Canada followed by the brand’s signature Guitar Smash, a modern take on the traditional ribbon-cutting ceremony. Executives, dignitaries, and community leaders took the stage to ceremoniously smash guitars, signaling the official opening of the state-of-the-art entertainment destination.
A special moment included the presentation of a $100,000 donation to Ottawa Food Bank, reinforcing Hard Rock’s commitment to giving back to the communities it serves.
“Bringing Hard Rock to Canada’s capital is an iconic milestone for our brand. We’re proud to expand our global footprint and create a destination where locals and visitors can experience world-class gaming, hospitality, and entertainment all in one place,” said Jim Allen, Chief Executive Officer of Hard Rock International.
“Our government is thrilled that Hard Rock chose Ontario for its first fully integrated hotel and casino venue in Canada. This new entertainment and hospitality destination will draw visitors from near and far to Ottawa, create and sustain hundreds of local jobs, and provide millions of dollars for local infrastructure and community programs,” said Stan Cho, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming.
The post Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Ottawa Opens with Legendary Guitar Smash and Star-Studded Celebration appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
AGCO
MIXI Receives AGCO Approval for PointsBet Acquisition

PointsBet Holdings Limited announced that MIXI has received written confirmation that AGCO has no concerns with the proposed acquisition by MIXI of the shares in PointsBet Holdings Limited.
PointsBet has also received written confirmation from iGaming Ontario (iGO) in relation to MIXI’s proposed acquisition of shares in PointsBet.
Accordingly, the condition precedent to MIXI’s proposed PointsBet-Board recommended Takeover Bid relating to Ontario approvals in paragraph 4.5 of Schedule 1 of the Bid Implementation Deed dated 16 June 2025 (BID) has been satisfied.
MIXI’s proposed Takeover Bid remains subject to the satisfaction of certain other limited conditions as previously announced, including a 50.1% minimum acceptance of the proposed MIXI Offer (as defined in the BID).
The Northern Territory Racing and Wagering Commission provided its approval on 24 March 2025 for MIXI to acquire PointsBet. PointsBet confirmed that MIXI’s proposed Takeover Bid is no longer subject to any gaming regulatory approvals.
The post MIXI Receives AGCO Approval for PointsBet Acquisition appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
AGCO
AGCO Fines Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto $350,000 for Serious Regulatory Violations Linked to Impromptu After-Party on Gaming Floor

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has issued monetary penalties totaling $350,000 against Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto for multiple violations of provincial gaming standards. The penalties follow an impromptu after-party that was permitted to take place in the pre-dawn hours directly on the casino’s gaming floor.
On September 27, 2024, an electronic dance music event attended by thousands of people was hosted in the theatre adjacent to the casino at Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto. The event was marked by widespread intoxication, disorderly behavior, and numerous criminal and medical incidents – both inside and outside the venue – including alleged assaults, drug overdoses, and acts of public indecency. Although paid duty officers were present, additional police and emergency services were required to manage the situation.
In the midst of this high-risk environment, casino management approved an unscheduled request by the performing artist to host an after-party on the active gaming floor. The artist and more than 400 guests were permitted onto the gaming floor where the artist was allowed to perform amidst operational table games and gaming machines – without any prior risk assessment or planning.
As a result, security personnel were unable to effectively control the casino floor, including witness reports that an attendee was seen climbing onto slot machines. Failure to maintain appropriate control compromises the security, safety, and integrity of the casino floor. Following the conclusion of the event, the operator failed to promptly report these incidents to the AGCO as required.
Based on the findings of its review, the AGCO’s Registrar has issued an Order of Monetary Penalty (OMP) totaling $350,000 against Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto. These penalties address critical failures in their operations, incident reporting, employee training, and the management of disturbances.
A gaming operator served with an OMP has 15 days 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.
“Casino operators have a fundamental duty to control their gaming environment. Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto’s lapses in this incident compromised the safety of patrons and the security and integrity of the gaming floor,” Dr. Karin Schnarr, Chief Executive Officer and Registrar of AGCO, said.
The post AGCO Fines Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto $350,000 for Serious Regulatory Violations Linked to Impromptu After-Party on Gaming Floor appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
-
gaming3 years ago
ODIN by 4Players: Immersive, state-of-the-art in-game audio launches into the next generation of gaming
-
EEG iGaming Directory8 years ago
iSoftBet continues to grow with new release Forest Mania
-
News7 years ago
Softbroke collaborates with Asia Live Tech for the expansion of the service line in the igaming market
-
News6 years ago
Super Bowl LIII: NFL Fans Can Bet on the #1 Sportsbook Review Site Betting-Super-Bowl.com, Providing Free Unbiased and Trusted News, Picks and Predictions
-
iGaming Industry7 years ago
Rick Meitzler appointed to the Indian Gaming Magazine Advisory Board for 2018
-
News6 years ago
REVEALED: Top eSports players set to earn $3.2 million in 2019
-
iGaming Industry8 years ago
French Senator raises Loot Boxes to France’s Gambling Regulator
-
News7 years ago
Exclusive Interview with Miklos Handa (Founder of the email marketing solutions, “MailMike.net”), speaker at Vienna International Gaming Expo 2018