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2021 World Series of Poker In Review: Week One Highlights And What To Look Forward To

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The 52nd annual World Series of Poker® (WSOP®) wrapped up its first week of play at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino this week, exceeding participation expectations as the series returns to in-person play this year. With record participation over the weekend, including nearly 13,000 players participating The Reunion No-Limit Hold’em, with 6,000 participants in the event on Sunday alone, and nearly 4,300 players participating in Monday’s No-Limit Hold’em Deepstack, the WSOP opening week delivered some heart-warming wins and exciting starts to the tournament.

Poker fans and interested media can tune into the weekly WSOP virtual press conference on Friday, Oct. 8 at 12 p.m. PST where host Tiffany Michelle will dive deeper into this week’s milestone events with special guests, bracelet winners and more. This week’s virtual press conference can be viewed on the WSOP YouTube channel. Be sure to check out last week’s press conference, with special guests WSOP Vice President, Jack Effel; Senior Vice President, General Manager of CLEAR Sports & Entertainment, Jerome Pickett; and world-renown professional poker players Maria Ho and Daniel Negreanu here.

Week 1 Highlights

George McBride cries tears of joy cashing the $500 The Reunion No-Limit Hold’em

Having only ever played $20 home games with friends, George McBride tried his hand at the WSOP Reunion event on Friday, Oct. 1. After narrowly surviving the money bubble burst, an emotional McBride cashed his winnings for the first-time ever. View the moving video that has already garnered 216.1k views on Twitter, here.

Newcomer Jesse Klein beats out poker veterans, winning $552,182 in the $25k H.O.R.S.E. event

Philadelphia local Jesse Klein took home a gold bracelet during the $25,000 H.O.R.S.E. event, claiming victory against vicious final table representing a combined 22 gold bracelets. Klein specifically came out to Las Vegas for the H.O.R.S.E event and will return home with $552,182 in earnings.

Caesars Palace dealer Jimmy Barnett wins gold bracelet, crowned $500 Casino Employees No-Limit Hold’em champion

Jimmy Barnett, a 36-year-old dealer at Caesars, earned his first WSOP gold bracelet and $39,013 during the very first event of the 2021 WSOP. Originally from California, Barnett moved to Vegas in 2018 to become a dealer at the Golden Nugget and has worked in the industry ever since.

Poker legend Phil Hellmuth makes run for 16th career gold bracelet

Playing 10 hours a day, for three days straight, poker royalty Phil Hellmuth makes his run for his 16th career gold bracelet. Don’t miss live coverage on PokerGo on Friday, Oct. 8 at 4:15 p.m.

What To Look Forward To

Friday, Oct. 8 – Event #17A: MILLIONAIRE MAKER No-Limit Hold’em
Players will face off for a chance at a guaranteed $1,000,000 first place prize in one of WSOP’s most popular events.
Sunday, Oct. 10 – Event #20A: Flip & Go No Limit Hold’em Presented by GGPoker
The popular online format will make its live poker debut at WSOP, offering players a chance to skip the beginning stages of the tournament and get right into the heat of the action.
Wednesday, Oct. 13 – Event #26: Freezeout No-Limit Holdem
One buy-in only. Players will be able to play in the same as the Main Event format at every popular buy-in level from $500 to $5,000.

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AGLC

AGLC Announces New Board Chair

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Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) has announced the appointment of Larry Spagnolo as the new Board Chair, effective August 15, 2025. This announcement follows the official Order in Council issued by the Alberta Government and marks a new chapter in AGLC’s ongoing commitment to support communities, encourage responsible choices and position Alberta as the best place to do business.

Larry brings a wealth of experience in technology and business leadership to the AGLC Board and will play an integral role in guiding AGLC’s strategic direction. He is currently serving as VP and GM of Emerson’s SaaS SCADA business and has held senior roles at Zedi and Telus, driving innovation, growth, and global success.

A strong advocate for education and community, Larry serves as Vice Chair of Athabasca University’s Board of Governors and has held board roles with NAIT and Polytechnics Canada. He was awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal for his community contributions.

AGLC and the Board of Directors extend their heartfelt thanks to Len Rhodes for his leadership and dedication as Board Chair since August 2019. He decided not to seek a third term and will continue to serve in this role until August 14, 2025. Len led AGLC through some significant milestones, including reducing red tape by 51%, growth of the emerging cannabis industry and ensuring AGLC delivered a balanced approach to business development, social responsibility, and regulatory oversight.

The post AGLC Announces New Board Chair appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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Pinnacle Ontario live with CasinoEngine in North America debut

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EveryMatrix has expanded its partnership with tier-1 operator Pinnacle powering its new casino in Ontario, Canada, using CasinoEngine platform technology – the first time its platform solution has gone live in North America. 

The latest agreement builds on the two companies’ previous collaboration that saw EveryMatrix’s CasinoEngine productivity platform power the well-known brand’s global casino offering.

The new launch takes the relationship to North America, marking EveryMatrix’s debut CasinoEngine platform integration in that market.

BonusEngine, EveryMatrix’s cross-vertical bonusing tool will be integrated in the second phase of launch. This will equip Pinnacle Ontario with a host of bonus types as well as AI-powered bonus abuse solution Bonus Guardian.

BonusEngine is the first of multiple engagement tools from EveryMatrix’s EngageSuite that Pinnacle plans to integrate.

With this comprehensive toolkit at its disposal, and the opportunity to add even more casino products in the future, Pinnacle Ontario can tailor campaigns, segment audiences, and reward players more effectively, creating a world-class digital entertainment experience for its customers.

EveryMatrix has more than 300 global customers and holds North American licences in Ontario, New Jersey, Michigan, West Virginia, Connecticut and Pennsylvania.

Stian Enger Petersen, CEO, Casino, EveryMatrix, said: “This launch marks a key milestone for EveryMatrix as we bring our market-leading CasinoEngine platform to Canada for the first time.

“We’re delighted to expand our partnership with Pinnacle and support their ambitions in Ontario with a powerful combination of platform, content, and engagement tools that are proven to drive success.”

The post Pinnacle Ontario live with CasinoEngine in North America debut appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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Prime Skill Games Inc. Official Response to AGCO Press Release

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As CEO of Prime Skill Games Inc., I feel compelled to address recent comments made by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario regarding so-called unapproved gambling machines in convenience stores across the province.

Let me be perfectly clear

Our machines are not gambling devices. They are entirely skill-based, fully compliant with the law, and built on the fundamental idea that players are in control. The outcome of every session is determined solely by the player’s ability, not by random chance.

Prime Skill Games is proud to be the only true skill game operating in Ontario today.

We categorically reject any suggestion that our products fall under the definition of unregulated gambling. Such statements are inaccurate, misleading, and fail to recognize the critical distinction between games of skill and games of chance.

We stand firmly behind the legality of our machines and the integrity of our operations. We will demonstrate this through every available means, whether through legal documentation, expert analysis, or, if necessary, before the courts. We are prepared and unafraid to defend the truth.

To our players, partners, and business community, we want to reassure you that our mission has not changed. We are committed to offering a responsible, transparent, and innovative entertainment experience. We will not be intimidated by broad and baseless accusations, and we will continue to move forward with strength and clarity.

 

Sincerely

Matt Zamroźniak

Chief Executive Officer

Prime Skill Games Inc.

The post Prime Skill Games Inc. Official Response to AGCO Press Release appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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