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$310,000 Rocket League Major Headlines DreamHack’s First Stop in San Diego

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DreamHack San Diego, a three-day gaming lifestyle festival, has announced its expanded slate of programming for the weekend of April 7-9, 2023, at the San Diego Convention Center. The festival’s first-ever stop in San Diego will feature tentpole esports tournaments across the most popular titles, an exclusive screening of The Super Mario Bros. Movie with celebrity guests, an assortment of casual and competitive LAN experiences with nearly $1 million in total prizing, the launch of a brand new charity initiative in partnership with the Autism Society San Diego, and much more.

Rocket League Championship Series Winter Major

The top 16 internationally ranked Rocket League squads will descend upon San Diego for the most exciting major of the season: the Rocket League Championship Series Winter Major. The $310,000 tournament will take place at the RLCS Stage at DreamHack San Diego. DreamHack attendees can secure their spot with an RLCS Seating add on.

Top Brawl Stars, Clash of Clans teams face off in largest-ever Snapdragon Pro Series powered by Samsung Galaxy North American competition

The Snapdragon Pro Series powered by Samsung Galaxy will feature top mobile esports competitors from North America as they compete for $100,000 in total prizing. Fans can watch the live Brawl Stars and Clash of Clans finals at the festival or visit the Snapdragon Pro Series booth to learn more about how to go from competing on their couch to becoming a global champion.

DreamHack San Diego is just one of many Snapdragon Pro Series competitions around the world.

Drop in on a $250,000 Fortnite Tournament open to all BYOC ticket-holders

Fortnite will return to DreamHack’s casual and competitive lineup with the DreamHack Open Featuring Fortnite, a Zero Build competition kicking off at DreamHack San Diego. Available to all BYOC ticket holders, the competition provides an opportunity for attendees of all skill levels to test their mettle and clash for $250,000 in prize money.

DreamHack Magic

DreamHack San Diego hosts Round 2 of the United States Magic: The Gathering Regional Championship. The country’s best players will compete for their share of the $130,000 prize pool and a chance to qualify for The Gathering Pro Tour and the Magic World Championship.

DreamHack Magic also offers competitive and casual formats for players of all types, including:

  • An open $10,000 Phyrexia: All Will Be One sealed tournament
  • An open $10,000 standard tournament
  • Hourly drop-in tournaments
  • Open play Commander
  • Four and eight-person events throughout each day

Between sets, attendees can visit the Magic Artist Alley, chat with MTG influencers, and teach new players about the classic card game through MagiKids.

Cosplay at DreamHack San Diego

A cornerstone of gaming community and culture, DreamHack San Diego will be a hub for local and national cosplayers. Some of the biggest names in cosplay will tour the festival floor, participate in the $3,000 Cosplay Championships, and walk through their creative process during onsite panels.

DreamHack San Diego will feature dozens of popular cosplayers and content creators, including:

  • LoveBunny
  • Andrew McLean
  • DinoGraveyard
  • IvySprings
  • & many more to be announced soon

Explore DreamHack’s Expansive Artist Alley and Marketplace

Creatives from around the country will host pop-up shops with gaming and culture-inspired prints, pins, comics, and more at the festival’s Artist Alley. Several artists will be debuting DreamHack-exclusive merchandise only available in San Diego.

The Artist Alley will host over 20 artists, including:

  • BizBazClub
  • Moonshine Charms
  • CuteSewLuna
  • N2Apparel
  • & many more!

Exclusive The Super Mario Bros. Movie Screening

Watch one of the biggest video game movie releases of the year on one of DreamHack San Diego’s biggest stages. This will be one of the movie’s largest exclusive showings in the U.S., taking place at the Main Stage for all attendees.

Dream Big by DreamHack and Autism Society San Diego

DreamHack San Diego and Autism Society San Diego are teaming up to launch Dream Big, an initiative to raise autism awareness and funds for the non-profit during Autism Acceptance Month.  Attendees can use promo code DREAMBIG when purchasing a DreamHack ticket for a 20% discount, with 50% donated directly to Autism Society San Diego.

Celebrity guests are also getting involved, including:

  • Anjali Bhimani
  • Brent Noll
  • Eric Bauza
  • Jessica Dicicco
  • Jon Allen
  • & many more, with additional guests to be announced soon

Guests can get involved at the festival or at home through social media campaigns, fundraising, and on-site events.

DreamHack Fighters

The San Diego fighting game community will have opportunities to connect and compete in 11 titles. Some of the DreamHack San Diego fighting game activities include:

  • Brawlhalla Esports – DreamHack San Diego is the year’s first tournament stop for Brawlhalla’s 2023 esports program, with $70,000 in prizing across singles and doubles circuits.
  • DreamHack Fighters – DreamHack will host 14 tournaments – including singles and doubles play – across popular fighting game titles. Each tournament game requires a $1 fee to play, with cash prize pools across each competition. Participating titles include:
    • Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
    • Super Smash Bros. Melee
    • Guilty Gear Strive
    • Street Fighter V
    • Tekken 7
    • & more

$40,000 BYOC LAN Tournaments & Freeplay

Competition takes place on and off the stage at DreamHack San Diego, including 10 bring your own controller (BYOC) tournaments across eight titles. Festival goers can compete against fellow festival attendees in Overwatch 2, VALORANT, Rocket League, and more, with nearly $40,000 up for grabs throughout the weekend.

Casual players can either grab a BYOC LAN spot or take part in the largest-ever Freeplay experience at a DreamHack event. Jump on a PC to go head-to-head with other attendees or enjoy couch co-op in the all-new console Freeplay area, which includes over 50 systems to play on.

Dethrone the King of the Hill

Throughout the weekend, DreamHack attendees are invited to climb the Pyramid and dethrone the King of the Hill in Fortnite. Play against attendees and surprise stars head-to-head for a chance to sit atop one of DreamHack San Diego’s biggest stages.

DreamHack’s Largest Arcade Cabinet Library

DreamHack San Diego brings the largest arcade of any DreamHack festival to date, with 50 cabinets and something for everyone to enjoy. Attendees can mull through a library of arcade favorites, including both retro classics like Pac-Man and Galaga, as well as modern mainstays like Dance Dance Revolution – all free to play with general admission.

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Thunderkick commits to growth in Ontario with Betty partnership

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Independent slots studio Thunderkick has agreed a deal with Ontario-based operator Betty to supply the rapidly growing online casino with a diverse collection of globally popular titles.

Betty, an official partner of sporting franchises Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors, has risen to prominence since its 2022 establishment, when it was built following the consultation of 300 casino players to create the optimal iGaming environment.

Distinguishing itself from North American competitors by catering specifically to slot enthusiasts rather than sports bettors, the operator has curated a portfolio of 2,800 games, hand-picked to deliver customers maximum entertainment value.

Thunderkick’s content is the latest to be integrated into Betty’s online casino, and the agreement will see a selection of its most popular titles, including The Wildos 2, Midas Golden Touch 3, and Esqueleto Explosivo 3, made available to a greater number of Ontarian players.

Thunderkick marked its debut in the Canadian province in Q2 of 2024, and has since partnered with a network of leading operators to improve its market position. The collaboration with Betty will further amplify its visibility in a key jurisdiction as the provider looks to reinforce its reputation as a global slot developer.

Svante Sahlström, CCO at Thunderkick, said: “It’s our mission at Thunderkick to go deeper, not wider, in 2025. That means forging meaningful, lasting relationships in target markets as opposed to securing as many commercial deals as possible.

“Since entering Ontario over 12 months ago, we have worked tirelessly to enhance our presence in the province, and working with leading brands such as Betty allows us to bring our unique games to a deeper pool of Canadian players.”

Paraskeva Smirnova, Casino Operations Manager at Betty, added: “Betty’s USP has always been our drive to build a slot portfolio with the very best titles from the industry’s most creative suppliers.

“Thunderkick’s passion for slot development is there for all to see, and the introduction of its games to our casino further elevates the consumer experience.”

The post Thunderkick commits to growth in Ontario with Betty partnership appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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Save the Date: BCLC’s New Horizons in Safer Gambling Conference Returns November 2026

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BCLC is pleased to announce the return of the New Horizons in Safer Gambling Conference, taking place November 2–4, 2026, at the JW Marriott Parq Vancouver.

This global event brings leading voices in research, policy and industry together to explore innovative approaches to safer gambling. Attendees can expect two days of forward-thinking dialogue, evidence-based insights and collaborative solutions to help shape the future of player health.

Sponsorship Opportunities Now Available

New to the 2026 conference, BCLC is excited to offer sponsorship opportunities to organizations that share BCLC’s passion for safer gambling. Benefits of sponsoring New Horizons 2026 include industry visibility, leadership recognition and meaningful engagement with a global audience. To learn more about sponsorship, please e-mail [email protected].

Registration and program details will be released later this fall.

The post Save the Date: BCLC’s New Horizons in Safer Gambling Conference Returns November 2026 appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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absolutebet Secures AGCO Registration as an Internet Gaming Operator in Ontario

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Internet Gaming Operator by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).

This significant milestone authorizes absolutebet to offer regulated iGaming services in Ontario’s legal market under the oversight of AGCO and iGaming Ontario (iGO).

The registration marks a key step in absolutebet’s mission to bring a trusted, responsible, and innovative online casino experience to Ontario players. absolutebet is committed to operating with integrity and transparency, meeting all provincial standards for player protection, responsible gambling, anti-money laundering, and game integrity.

Securing AGCO registration is more than a milestoneit’s the start of absolutebet’s journey in one of the most exciting regulated markets in the world,” said Chen Truman, Founder of absolutebet. “We are building a brand that will grow with the Ontario community and set the stage for future expansion.”

On the regulatory milestone, Krisztina Kalla, Legal & Regulatory Compliance Advisor of absolutebet, commented: “I’m incredibly proud to see all the hard work behind this license pay off. Securing AGCO registration has taken months of preparation and close collaboration with regulators and partners. I am very happy to see the result of that work, and even more excited as we move into the launch phase and open up the absolutebet community to Ontario players in a fun and responsible way.”

Ontario is recognized as one of the most competitive and fast-growing regulated iGaming markets in North America. With AGCO registration secured, absolutebet will move forward with the final stages of its iGO onboarding process in preparation for launch.

 

The post absolutebet Secures AGCO Registration as an Internet Gaming Operator in Ontario appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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