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Genius Sports Appoints Former NFL Network and ESPN CEO as President, North America

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Genius Sports Limited, the official data, technology and commercial partner that powers the global ecosystem connecting sports, betting and media, announced that Steve Bornstein will join the company in a newly created executive role of President, North America. Mr. Bornstein will lead the Company’s U.S. and Canadian activities, building on the existing team’s capabilities and relationships. He will assume the position with immediate effect.

Mr. Bornstein has held a range of prominent positions across the sports, media and advisory sectors. In particular, he brings extensive broadcast experience to Genius Sports, drawing on his over 20 years at ESPN and ABC, where in 1990 he became ESPN’s youngest president and CEO at age 38. At ESPN he oversaw the launch of ESPN2, ESPN News, ESPN Radio, ESPN Classic, ESPN International, ESPN The Magazine, the ESPYs and the X-Games. He also created the network’s popular programming staples including: College GameDay, NFL PrimeTime, and Baseball Tonight.

Mr. Bornstein is also well-known for his time as President, CEO, and Founder of the NFL Network and Executive Vice President of Media where he oversaw the league’s media division and led negotiations on TV deals and sponsorships. He is a former Chairman of Activision Blizzard’s eSports division where he created professional leagues, and new ways to deliver best-in-class fan experiences across games, platforms, and geographies. He continues to act as a senior adviser to The Raine Group, a merchant bank advising and investing in technology, media and telecom.

As the head of the North American operations, Mr. Bornstein will optimize Genius Sports’ regional business infrastructure to position the Company for accelerated growth in existing and new areas, including streaming. This will include the sourcing and unlocking of value with new and existing sports partners, including the NFL, NCAA, NASCAR, NBA, and MLB. Additionally, Mr. Bornstein will work closely with the executive team to identify innovative and revenue accretive acquisition targets. He will also support the integration of recently acquired businesses, including Second Spectrum, which is the official data tracking and analytics provider of the EPL, NBA, and MLS.

“Steve is an accomplished, forward-thinking executive who brings more than 30 years of sports media experience,” said CEO Mark Locke. “As we continue to execute on our growth strategy North America, we look forward to benefitting from a visionary like Steve who played a major role in shaping the growth and success of iconic brands like ESPN and the NFL. As a leader, he exemplifies the values set out at Genius and will help us progress our culture of collaboration and innovation.”

“I am excited to join Genius Sports at this time in the company’s growth,” said Mr. Bornstein. “And I’m delighted to partner with Mark and his outstanding team as Genius demonstrates and deepens its commitment to drive real value for its partners in the U.S. and Canada. I can’t wait to get started.”

Earlier in his career, Steve also served as Corporate Vice President of Capital Cities/ABC, Inc. (1993), President of ABC Sports (1996), Chairman & CEO of ESPN (1998), and President of ABC, Inc. (1999), where he was responsible for all media assets at ABC/Disney.

Mr. Bornstein holds a degree from the University of Wisconsin. An active philanthropist, he is the founder & Chairman of The V Foundation which has raised more than $335 million for cancer research in the name of late college basketball coach and ESPN analyst Jim Valvano. A lifelong believer in sports as a force for good, he has served on the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports and the California Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness.

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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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Alex Malchenko Head of Sales at Evoplay

Evoplay strengthens Ontario presence in partnership with Caesars Entertainment

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Evoplay, the award-winning game development studio, has partnered with Caesars Entertainment to expand its footprint in the Canadian market, following its initial entry earlier this year. The partnership integrates 20 of the studio’s top-performing titles onto Caesars Palace Online Casino, Horseshoe Online Casino and Caesars Sportsbook & Casino in Ontario, including fan-favourites such as Hot Triple Sevens, Triple Chili, and The Greatest Catch Bonus Buy.

Having announced its official entrance into Ontario in March, the collaboration with Caesars marks a significant step in Evoplay’s local strategy. Further standout releases, such as Inner Fire Bonus Buy and Hot Volcano, also launched as part of the initial package, with additional player favourites, including Fruit Nova and Ice Mania.

The collaboration underlines Evoplay’s commitment to working with leading operators to deliver high-quality content tailored to regional audiences.

Alex Malchenko, Head of Sales at Evoplay, said: “Launching with Caesars in Ontario marks a key milestone in our North American strategy.

“It reflects both the strength of our portfolio and our commitment to providing innovative, high-performing content to operators of the highest caliber.”

Ricardo Cornejo Rivas, Vice President of Online Gaming at Caesars Digital, said: “Evoplay brings a fresh and dynamic approach to online gaming, which we’re excited to offer to our players in Ontario. This portfolio of standout titles adds to our growing content library and furthering our ongoing goal of delivering top-tier entertainment experiences to our players.”

The post Evoplay strengthens Ontario presence in partnership with Caesars Entertainment appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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iGaming Ontario Appoints Joseph Hillier as its New President and CEO

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The iGaming Ontario Board of Directors has announced Joseph Hillier as the organization’s new President and Chief Executive Officer, effective September 8, 2025. Joseph’s depth in the Ontario igaming market combined with successful public and private sector careers make him the ideal President and CEO at this critical point in iGaming Ontario’s growth.

Joseph was most recently Chief Strategy Officer and Corporate Secretary at the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), where he delivered significant strategic and regulatory initiatives across the province’s alcohol, cannabis, gaming, and horse racing sectors. Prior to the AGCO, he served as Chief of Staff to Ontario Attorney General Hon. Doug Downey and led the development, launch and implementation of Canada’s first private sector-driven igaming market and the creation of iGaming Ontario. Joseph also spent more than a decade working in the financial and legal services sectors.

The Board expressed its sincere thanks to David Smith for serving as Interim President and Chief Executive Officer since Martha Otton’s retirement.

The post iGaming Ontario Appoints Joseph Hillier as its New President and CEO appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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