Canada
NHL Announces Expanded Calendar, New Brand Identity for Esports Champions
The National Hockey League (NHL) has announced an extensive format change to the programming calendar for its annual esports initiatives played on the EA SPORTS NHL game title. The tournament, now in its sixth season, has been rebranded as the EA SPORTS NHL 23 World Championship. The annual global tournament showcases a new creative vision and an expanded calendar of events that aligns with the NHL season.
Players and fans will have the opportunity to engage with more NHL esports content than ever before under the tournament umbrella – including live Twitch streams, Club tournaments, in-person events, and NHL player content, with an official World Championship making its triumphant return in June coinciding with the 2023 NHL Awards and 2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft.
“Expanded programming in NHL markets and participation from all 32 Clubs has always been our ultimate objective as we continue to grow the NHL gaming ecosystem. As we head into the EA SPORTS NHL 23 World Championship season, we are excited to provide more global opportunities for players to compete at the highest level, more consistent social engagement across NHL platforms and the culmination of funnel tournaments at NHL signature events to showcase the skills of our players to our enthusiastic CHEL community,” Chris Golier, NHL Group Vice President of Business Development and Technology Partnerships, said.
Registration for the EA SPORTS NHL 23 World Championship and ancillary events begin on Thursday, December 8. Players and fans can stay up-to-date and follow all the action on the official tournament website, www.nhl.com/NHL23, and on social platforms using the #NHL23WC hashtag.
The Club Championship component of the tournament will add 32 prominent events to the calendar and allow NHL Clubs to expand their gaming presence, engage a younger audience, and crown an EA SPORTS NHL 23 Club Champion. All NHL Clubs will host an esports tournament where the winner will receive prize money and an automatic bid into the EA SPORTS NHL 23 North American Championship knockout round.
EA SPORTS’ new cross-platform matchmaking ability will enable players to square off against opponents on the same console generation, creating larger player pools and shortening queue times to ensure players have more options to face off and spend less time waiting to take the ice. Each ancillary event will produce two winners – one from each respective console generation (one from PlayStation 4 / Xbox One and one from PlayStation 5 / Xbox Series X|S) – who will then continue play in the EA SPORTS NHL 23 World Championship draw. This will give players more chances to play, qualify and win, and fans more touchpoints to the CHEL community.
The new tournament structure will see the NHL also host a new slate of online open tournaments in North America and Europe with finalists having the chance to attend an in-person final event during NHL North American signature events, including the 2023 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend and 2023 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series.
Canada
Revolver Gaming Partners with Blazesoft to Expand in the Social Sweepstakes Market
Revolver Gaming, a leading developer of premium online slot games, is excited to announce its latest partnership with Blazesoft, a leading provider of online social casinos with sweepstakes elements. This partnership will see Revolver Gaming’s acclaimed portfolio of slot games delivered to Blazesoft’s brands, enriching their offering and providing players with cutting-edge entertainment.
Blazesoft is a well-established leader in the social sweepstakes market with leading brands in Fortune Coins, Zula Casino, Sportzino, Yaycasino.com who deliver engaging and compliant gaming experiences to players. By introducing Revolver Gaming’s innovative titles, Blazesoft strengthens its position as a prominent group operating the largest online social casinos in the U.S. and Canada for players seeking immersive and high-quality content.
As part of the collaboration, players on Blazesoft social gaming platforms will gain access to Revolver’s top-performing titles, including Badlands, Irish Coins, and Thor of Asgard. These games, celebrated for their stunning visuals, unique features, and dynamic gameplay, align perfectly with Blazesoft’s mission to offer exceptional entertainment to its users in North America.
Ryan Lazarus, CEO of Revolver Gaming, commented:
“We’re thrilled to partner with Blazesoft, a standout operator in the social sweepstakes sector. This collaboration highlights our commitment to bringing top-quality games to players in innovative and growing markets. The social sweepstakes space is booming, and Blazesoft’s platforms provide the perfect home for our titles to reach and engage new audiences.”
Yuliya Ivanisova, Chief Commercial Officer at Blazesoft said: “With Blazesoft’s established reputation and Revolver’s innovative content, this collaboration sets the stage for enhanced player experiences and strong market performance.”
The partnership underscores Revolver Gaming’s dedication to supporting operators in the social sweepstakes gaming industry, a market that continues to experience tremendous growth. With Blazesoft’s established reputation and Revolver’s innovative content, this collaboration sets the stage for enhanced player experiences and strong market performance.
Bally Bet Sportsbook & Casino app
Bally’s Interactive Launches the New Bally Bet Sportsbook & Casino App in Ontario
Bally’s Interactive, the digital and sports betting division of Bally’s Corporation, has launched the all-new Bally Bet Sportsbook & Casino app in Ontario, Canada. This latest release marks another significant milestone for the company, following the recent app update in New Jersey and a series of successful app launches in the past year, including the introduction of Bally Bet Sportsbook across multiple states and Bally Casino in Rhode Island.
The updated Bally Bet Sportsbook & Casino app represents a major step forward, as it combines the functionalities of the existing Bally Casino app and Bally Bet Sportsbook app into one comprehensive platform. Powered by White Hat Gaming, this new app allows players residing in or traveling to Ontario to conveniently place wagers on both sports and casino games using a single app, account, and universal wallet.
“We are thrilled to introduce the new Bally Bet Sportsbook & Casino app, marking a significant milestone for Bally’s. This integrated platform merges the features of our previous apps, providing players in Ontario with a seamless experience for both sports and casino betting. Our commitment to enhancing the player experience remains at the forefront as we strive to personalize the enjoyment of playing Bally Bet,” said Robeson Reeves, CEO of Bally’s Corporation.
BCLC
Be #GiftSmart: Scratch the Idea of Gifting Scratch & Win Tickets to Kids
BCLC reminds adults to gift responsibly this holiday season
With the holiday season in full swing, BCLC is reminding British Columbians to gift responsibly and scratch lottery products from their shopping lists for kids.
“Scratch & Win tickets can make great stocking stuffers for the adults in your life, but they’re not for kids,” said Ryan McCarthy, BCLC’s Director of Player Health. “The research shows that children who have early encounters with gambling are four times more likely to develop riskier gambling behaviour as they grow up. While people are out shopping for those last-minute gifts, BCLC wants adults to be aware of the potential risks associated with gifting lottery products to children and to consider safer alternatives.”
While Scratch & Win tickets are among the most common ways kids can be introduced to gambling, children are increasingly exposed to various online forms, such as gambling streams.
“With the convergence of gaming and gambling, youth are becoming more exposed to gambling content in online spaces like streaming sites, where creators are able to live-stream their own gambling, usually while playing online slots and instant games,” said Dr. Luke Clark, Director for Gambling Research at UBC. “Our research at the UBC Centre for Gambling shows that a higher frequency of watching online gambling streams is associated with a more positive attitude towards gambling and a high intention to gamble in the future.”
In B.C., it is illegal to sell lottery products to anyone under the age of 19 and BCLC encourages adults to have conversations with the kids in their lives about the risks associated with gambling.
“Open and honest conversations are crucial when it comes to navigating childhood exposure to gambling,” said McCarthy, who shared the following tips to adults:
- Monitor for gambling-related lifestyle changes. For example, developing a positive attitude towards gambling or a preoccupation with video games or streaming sites.
- Be a positive role model. Exhibit safer gambling behaviour and talk about the risks.
- Limit exposure. Monitor kids’ online activities and discourage engagement with gambling content. Explain how gambling is based on chance.
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