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European Gaming Congress 2024

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NFL Week 6 Update: Changes Impact Season Landscape

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There was a ton of action in Week 5. So many things happened that left many of shaking our heads in both amazement and despair.

The Dallas Cowboys season got thrown into question with the loss of star QB Dak Prescott. The Las Vegas Raiders look legit in their trouncing of the Kansas City Chiefs —the scoreboard doesn’t tell the whole story. We saw a Tuesday night football game, which is perhaps the only NFL game on Tuesday in history —at least that I’m aware of— and a handful of NFL schedule changes that could affect various teams as the season wears on.

NFL Schedule Changes and Its Impact

While the Pittsburgh Steelers are cursing the Tennesee Titans for their COVID ways, the Buffalo Bills are likely thanking them. Instead of playing on Sunday then having to face the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday Night Football, only getting three days of rest, the Bills now played a Tuesday night game instead and get to face the Chiefs on Monday Night Football.

The Kansas City Chiefs also benefit a bit from the swapped out schedule. Everybody on the field hates TNF. This year, the Kansas City Chiefs lucked out and don’t play a TNF game. The Pushing their game back gives them a full seven days of rest between Week 5 and Week 6 play. So, instead of playing all banged up on three days of rest after losing to the LV Raiders, they get to fully rest and re-evaluate before facing a tough Bills squad.

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The Chargers were supposed to play the NY Jets in Week 6 but instead, they now get a bye. The problem here is now they’ll play 10 straight games because they no longer have a Week 10 bye. That said, this could be beneficial for Los Angeles because they don’t have to fly home from NOLA and play on short rest.

The Miami Dolphins made out like champs with the schedule changes. They basically get to hang out in Miami for almost a full month. They get the NY Jets in Week 6, then take a rest with their bye in Week 7, then host the Los Angeles Rams in Week 8. It’s good to be in South Beach.

The Pittsburgh Steelers should be mad at the Titans and Big Ben voiced his frustration. Not only did they get stuck with a Week 4 bye instead of Week 8, which means they get 12 straight games with no rest as they potentially head into the playoffs, but they also are forced into three straight weeks of road games. The best sportsbooks have the Steelers at +1200 to win the Super Bowl and +220 to win their division. I wouldn’t be surprised to see those odds fall as fatigue starts to set in during the back half of a tough schedule.

The New England Patriots, Denver Broncos, and New York Jets also got screwed by the schedule realignment. The Broncos are struggling as is, and now they get the New England Patriots and Kansas City Cheifs back to back in weeks 6 and 7. On top of this, just like with the Steelers, the Broncs and the Pats practiced all week expecting to play in Week 5, but they canceled the game last minute. So, not only did their bye week get moved, they didn’t get to take advantage of the rest. This is something that can seriously impact performance down the road.

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The Jets are such a mess that it probably doesn’t matter that they have three West Coast trips in four weeks. They get The Los Angeles Chargers on the road in Week 12, then the Seattle Seahawks in Seattle in Week 13, then the Los Angeles Rams in LA in Week 15. Man, that’s rough. That said, these guys couldn’t find a win at the dollar store right now, so I’m not sure it will impact the outcome of their season all that much.

For those of us who like to make money from NFL football betting, these changes are something we should be aware of and keep in mind. The schedule adjustment changes the dynamic of the season. What players were expecting and prepared for isn’t happening. And many contender teams have been thrust into an arduous second half of football that could impact them in the playoffs.

 

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Canada

Relax Gaming joins forces with PointsBet to strengthen footprint in Ontario

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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.

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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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Canada

Jackpot Digital Receives Approval from the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority

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Jackpot Digital, a leading manufacturer of electronic multiplayer dealerless poker tables, has announced that it has received approval from the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority (SLGA) to act as a registered supplier of gaming supplies and services to regulated casinos in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan.

The approval follows the Company’s news release dated February 6, 2024, announcing the signing of a licensing agreement with the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA) to install the Company’s Jackpot Blitz dealerless poker ETGs into SIGA casinos.

SIGA operates seven casinos and Playnow.com in Saskatchewan. At the outset, SIGA proposes to install Jackpot Blitz machines at its Dakota Dunes and Gold Horse Casino properties, located in Saskatoon and Lloydminster, respectively.

Jackpot CEO Jake Kalpakian said: “We are excited to receive approval as a gaming equipment supplier in Saskatchewan. This represents the first major jurisdictional, non-tribal license received by Jackpot during our continuing expansion into the land-based casino market. We have many more license applications underway in the US and other Canadian provinces, which will dramatically impact our ability to accelerate the rollout of Jackpot Blitz across North America.”

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Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation

Play Alberta, CSEC Extend Partnership

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Teams under the Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation (CSEC) banner have expanded their long-term partnership with Play Alberta, the province’s premier iGaming destination. As part of the agreement, the Flames will feature AGLC’s responsible gambling program, GameSense, on their home helmets and a Play Alberta insignia displayed on their home jerseys. The Stampeders, Wranglers, and Roughnecks will integrate the Play Alberta logo onto their uniforms.

“There’s significant importance now to showcase meaningful responsible gambling efforts in the iGaming industry. I’m proud of our initiatives to provide GameSense with such a visible platform. GameSense promotes healthy gambling habits online and in person and including AGLC’s responsible gambling platform over the course of this partnership is a huge accomplishment,” Kandice Machado, Chief Executive Officer at AGLC.

The agreement makes Play Alberta the exclusive sports betting and online gaming partner of the Flames, Wranglers, Stampeders, and Roughnecks. Through the partnership, Play Alberta and CSEC will develop unique partnerships and in-arena giveaways during the season.

“Through GameSense, our partnership with Play Alberta equips our fans with the knowledge required if they wish to participate in gaming while they support their home team. We are both proud and excited to extend our relationship with Play Alberta that makes cheering for our teams that much more fun while also generating revenue to support the quality of life for Albertans,” said CSEC President and CEO Robert Hayes.

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Alberta is the first jurisdiction in North America to partner with professional sports franchises and integrate PlayAlberta.ca and social responsibility branding onto uniforms. It upholds AGLC’s commitment to responsible play, raising awareness of GameSense and Self-Exclusion, resources that give bettors the tools they need to make healthy gambling choices.

In addition, proceeds generated through the website go toward the province’s General Revenue Fund. In 2023–24, $235 million was generated for programs and services that Albertans rely on every day through Play Alberta, an increase of more than $42 million from the previous year.

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