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Hawthorne Race Course And PointsBet Open Closest Sportsbook To Downtown Chicago For Fans To Watch-And-Wager, Bet-And-Go

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Hawthorne Race Course and PointsBet have partnered together to open Illinois’ newest retail sportsbook and the closest in-person sports betting destination to downtown Chicago. PointsBet, a premium global sportsbook operator, debuted its mobile app and digital sports betting product in Illinois at the start of the NFL season. The brick and mortar sportsbook at Hawthorne is the first of four Chicagoland locations that the companies will open as Illinois partners, and is a precursor to the premium PointsBet Sportsbook that will be a part of Hawthorne’s historic $400 million casino development, scheduled to open in late 2021 (pending final regulatory approval).

“The next year is going to be action-packed for Hawthorne as we prepare to redevelop the race track into a fully operational casino and premier gaming entertainment destination,” said Tim Carey, president and CEO of Hawthorne Race Course. “And that action starts now with the opening of our new PointsBet Sportsbook. We partnered with PointsBet because they have the best technology and are truly innovative, but also because they put customer service at the forefront, which is critical to our long-term success particularly for the on-site experience.”

The PointsBet Sportsbook at Hawthorne was designed for the new realities of on-site entertainment, featuring a “bet-and-go” lobby with six self-service kiosks as well as a modular “watch-and-wager” sportsbook with ample space for social distancing. The sportsbook has over 60 HD TVs, 20 self-service kiosks, a 3-person betting concierge counter inclusive of a dedicated high denomination wager desk, and a VIP lounge with reserved seating.

“PointsBet has been successful in making a name for itself by offering a personalized mobile sports betting experience with unrivaled speed and ease of use, as well as the most bet types across every game,” said Johnny Aitken, CEO of PointsBet USA. “At the heart of that effort is our passion for live sports and entertainment, and our desire to always put the bettor first. While most stadiums across the country are currently closed to fans, our sportsbook is a place for sports lovers to engage together and share that game day excitement in a safe and responsible manner. We, together with our partner Hawthorne Race Course, are thrilled to provide the Illinois consumer with exactly what they’ve been craving.”

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Jeff Walik, Mayor of the Village of Stickney, wherein Hawthorne is located; and Illinois State Representative Bobby Rita, who was the chief architect of the gaming expansion bill that legalized Illinois sports betting and permitted casino-style gaming at race tracks, placed the ceremonial first wagers. In honor of Hawthorne’s 130 years in business, Walik bet $130 on the Chicago Cubs Run Line vs the Marlins today, while Rita placed a $130 Chicago parlay on the Cubs and White Sox to win today. Any winnings from the wagers will be donated to the Racing Industry Charitable Foundation, which provides health and social services to families in the Illinois horse racing industry.

The PointsBet Sportsbook at Hawthorne is just 10 miles from downtown Chicago, and is the first sportsbook to open on the southwest side of the City. Thoroughbred racing returns to Hawthorne on Friday, October 2nd with weekend racing through the end of the year. The interim sportsbook and racing clubhouse will host wagering while the new Hawthorne Casino is in development, which will feature slots, table games and a state-of-the-art PointsBet Sportsbook, in addition to restaurants, bars and an entirely new grandstand and clubhouse for racing fans. Three more PointsBet Sportsbooks will open at Club Hawthorne off-track betting bars in coming weeks in suburban Crestwood, Oakbrook and Prospect Heights.

PointsBet recently joined forces with the Chicago Bears, designating PointsBet as the famed franchise’s first ever sports betting partner. As a nod to Illinois sports fans, PointsBet is offering the best price in market for all Chicago Bears games this season across both the pregame spreadline and moneyline bet types. The operator also recently announced a partnership with Chicago Bears legend, Devin Hester, highlighting the symbiotic element of Hester’s world-class speed on the field and PointsBet’s unmatched speed and ease of use off it, thanks to PointsBet owning their technology end-to-end and placing an emphasis on an in-house development approach.

As the official, exclusive sports betting partner of NBC Sports, PointsBet will utilize the media giant’s premium television and digital assets to promote the PointsBet brand across Illinois. As part of the agreement, NBC Sports provides PointsBet with year-round, multi-platform media and marketing opportunities across its unmatched portfolio of events, including exclusive multiplatform gameday integrations across NBC Sports Chicago, regional broadcast home to the Chicago Blackhawks, Bulls, and White Sox. PointsBet’s full Spanish-language functionality will reach Hispanic sports fans via Telemundo Deportes and Telemundo broadcast stations.

SOURCE PointsBet

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SGG Media Announces Exciting New PlayOJO Partnership

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Industry-leading social media marketing agency SGG Media is thrilled to announce an exciting new collaboration with the prominent Canadian online casino PlayOJO.

Under the new agreement, SGG Media is set to become PlayOJO’s exclusive provider of live-action casino shows. Leveraging SGG Media’s extensive network of over 2,500 sports and casino influencers, these shows will stream thrilling casino experiences directly to PlayOJO players. Viewers will have the opportunity to interact with the streamers and place bets while witnessing all the exciting live casino action offered by PlayOJO.

Following the live shows, SGG Media will create and share short video highlights of the most captivating moments from the games across various social media platforms, engaging with SGG’s combined following of over 75 million fans. This is the third largest database of sports social media followers, a huge portion of whom have crossover potential and interest In the online casino industry.

The marketing agency has achieved significant success with its casino streams in 2024. They launched their groundbreaking ‘Casino Stream’ show in February. This innovative show offers nightly live-action casino games, providing viewers with an immersive experience in the fast-paced world of roulette, blackjack, slots, and other online games.

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PlayOJO is one of the most popular legal online casinos in Ontario. The casino collaborates with major developers and content providers in the industry, offering a distinctive and enjoyable online casino experience to Ontarian’s, all of which will be highlighted as a result of this deal.  “We’re thrilled to partner with the SGG team as we introduce our live casino shows in Canada. This unique live show experience will highlight PlayOJO’s best-in-class online casino, featuring slots, live casino, and table games, truly demonstrating why PlayOJO is the home of feel-good fun!”, says the PlayOJO Team.

SGG Media and PlayOJO are dedicated to ensuring a fun and safe online casino environment for players. Both parties will display clear responsible gambling messages throughout the streams, helping to inform players to gamble legally and responsibly.

Speaking about this commitment to responsible gambling, Troy Paul, CEO of SGG Media, said, “We want to create a fun and exciting show, but also make sure viewers know this is a legal casino and players need to wager only money they can afford to lose as entertainment.”

On the deal, Paul said: “We are extremely excited to begin working alongside PlayOJO. It is a brand that wants to drive innovation in the industry, sharing our vision for a more community-driven online casino experience.”

Through our streams, our micro-influencers and content creators will help shine a spotlight on PlayOJO’s fantastic gaming experiences while also growing a community that will want to return for more.

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This extends beyond the streams, with our huge network of micro-influencers sharing video content across their platforms, ensuring engagement continues after the stream goes off the air.”

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Great Canadian Entertainment and Petroglyph Development Group Announce Agreement for Purchase and Sale of Elements Casino Victoria

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Great Canadian Entertainment announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to sell Elements Casino Victoria to Petroglyph Development Group Ltd. (PDG) in yet another historic transaction for both parties.

This transaction comes on the heels of the previously announced definitive agreement for Great Canadian Entertainment to sell its other landmark property and business on Vancouver Island, Casino Nanaimo, to PDG. PDG is a wholly owned corporation of the Snuneymuxw First Nation (the Nation) and is dedicated to realizing the economic potential of the Nation.

Great Canadian’s Board of Directors unanimously approved the transaction, which remains subject to customary closing conditions as well as customary approvals by the regulatory authorities. The Company will provide transition services to PDG for up to two years post-closing.

“We are very pleased to have executed this second historic agreement with the Snuneymuxw First Nation. From its original opening as View Royal Casino in 2001, to major expansion and rebranding of the property in 2018 as Elements Casino Victoria, we are looking forward to the next chapter for this beautiful and historic Vancouver Island destination under PDG’s stewardship. We are excited to work with the Petroglyph team during the transition period to ensure yet another outstanding outcome for the community, our guests, our team members, and the Nation,” said Matt Anfinson, Chief Executive Officer of Great Canadian Entertainment.

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“We celebrate our growing partnership with Great Canadian and our continued progress toward building a strong Snuneymuxw economy that provides a solid foundation for Snuneymuxw self-determination and nationhood. With the acquisition of a second casino operation, we continue to honour the decades of work by past Snuneymuxw leadership who tirelessly pursued this goal, as we begin to realize various opportunities that contribute to optimizing Snuneymuxw socioeconomic potential. Our Nation is sharply focused to make investments that bring returns to our people and builds our presence in the economy so that Snuneymuxw takes its rightful place. Today, we also celebrate our partnership with the B.C. Lottery Corporation in our shared pursuit to support the growth of the provincial economy and First Nation participation,” said Snuneymuxw Chief Mike Wyse.

Erralyn Joseph, President of PDG, said: “This measured acquisition is one that PDG celebrates on our quest to build a corporate enterprise that reinvests into Snuneymuxw First Nation. With a strong operating plan that includes risk mitigation and yields sizable gains, PDG is well on its way to generating wealth for Snuneymuxw and taking a seat at the local, regional, provincial, national and global economic tables. On behalf of the Board of Directors, we are pleased to share this news and remain committed to advancing the region’s economic growth in support of all its residents.”

Ian Simpson, Chief Executive Officer of PDG, said: “Acquiring this significant asset will unlock unprecedented economic potential for Snuneymuxw and PDG, paving the way for transformative growth in Snuneymuxw’s economy and the profits that PDG returns to our Nation.”

McMillan is serving as legal counsel to Great Canadian. McCarthy Tétrault is acting as legal counsel and KPMG Corporate Finance Inc. is acting as financial advisor to PDG.

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Edmonton Oilers and Play Alberta Extend Partnership

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The Edmonton Oilers and Play Alberta announced a new agreement that makes Play Alberta the exclusive sports betting and online gaming partner of the Edmonton Oilers.

The deal will see the Play Alberta logo featured prominently on the Oilers home jerseys and GameSense, AGLC’s responsible gambling program, displayed on the helmets of the Oilers for each home game.

“Play Alberta is proud to continue its partnership with the Edmonton Oilers over the next several seasons. We value our patrons and the fans of the Oilers and are thrilled to see PlayAlberta.ca, Alberta’s trusted gambling platform along with the best-in-class responsible gambling program – GameSense – as prominent fixtures on the Oilers uniformsuniforms,” said Kandice Machado, Chief Executive Officer at AGLC.

PlayAlberta.ca is a leader in the iGaming landscape in the province. All money generated through the site goes to the General Revenue Fund, which supports programs and services that Albertans rely on every day. In addition, the website has integrated AGLC’s GameSense and Self-Exclusion programs to better support players in their gambling journey.

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“We are proud to call Play Alberta the official sportsbook of the Edmonton Oilers. With the revenue generated by Play Alberta going to valued services and programs that help enrich the lives of Albertans, donning the Play Alberta logo on our iconic home jersey is a testament to our long-term commitment to communities across Oil Country,” said Stew MacDonald, President & Chief Revenue Officer, OEG Sports & Entertainment.

The relationship between the Edmonton Oilers and PlayAlberta.ca will allow fans to experience the Play Alberta and GameSense brands through promotions in Rogers Place and ICE District, as well as giveaways throughout the season, including game tickets and memorabilia.

This past year, PlayAlberta.ca generated $235 million in net sales, an increase of more than $42 million from 2022-23. That number contributes to the $1.5 billion in total gaming revenue that’s sent to Alberta’s General Revenue Fund and supports programs and services that Albertans rely on every day.

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