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Polygon Studios Secures Hires From EA, Amazon and Others, As Web2 Talent Join Exodus to Web3

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Polygon Studios, the developer relationship arm of Polygon Technology, is helping web2 and web3 companies build decentralized apps on the Polygon chain, announces five new hires to spearhead its growth in the Web3 blockchain gaming space. The new hires join Polygon Studio’s recently appointed CEO, Ryan Wyatt, who previously headed YouTube’s Gaming vertical before migrating to the Web3 industry.
Polygon Studios’ new hires include C-level executives Michael Blank as Chief Operating Officer and Young Ko as Chief Financial Officer.
Michael Blank brings a wealth of gaming experience to Polygon Studios after almost two decades with Electronic Arts, a leading game developer and publisher. Blank served as Senior Vice President of Player Network, the company’s strategy to connect and engage EA’s more than 300 million users. In that capacity, he led global teams that drove EA’s direct to consumer digital gaming platform, social ecosystem and the rapid growth of EA Play, the publisher’s multi-platform gaming subscription. During his time at Electronic Arts, Michael held a variety of senior leadership roles, including Executive Producer for several of EA’s prominent game franchises.
Polygon Studios has also welcomed Young Ko, who cites nearly 16 years of progressive financial and entrepreneurial expertise across entertainment, music, fashion, and real estate. Young spent the past 9 years as the VP of Finance at Penske Media (brands include Rolling Stone, Billboard, Variety, and SXSW) where he oversaw the Finance, Accounting, Treasury, and Global Tax teams.
Joining Young and Mike is Urvit Goel — VP, Gaming Business Development — and Charnjit Bansi — VP, Game Design — who also cut their teeth in the Web2 arena.
Urvit brings a wealth of cross-functional experience leading teams in Finance, Marketing, and Business Development during his nearly decade long tenure at Amazon. Most notably, Urvit has experience building long term strategic partnerships with the world’s largest game publishers on a global scale. He has built and led Business Development teams driving a variety of gaming initiatives for Amazon, most recently launching Amazon’s Cloud Gaming business.
Charnjit brings over 20 years of intimate knowledge of AAA Web2 game leadership and development, all from world-class game developers including Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer Games — creators of the renowned Call of Duty franchise. Most recently, Charnjit served as Director of Product Management at Mythical Games, a game technology company and publisher of the blockchain MMO, Blankos Block Party.
Polygon Studios also welcomes gaming industry veteran and recent EA alumni, Ben Watley. Ben will serve as Senior Director of Strategy, Gaming at Polygon Studios, working closely with Young, Mike, Charnjit, and Urvit to expand Polygon’s Web3 products and services. Working alongside Ben is ex-NASA software engineer and Riot Games strategist, Will Matteson, who joins Polygon Studios as Corporate Strategy Manager.
The new hires closely follow the appointment of Ryan Wyatt as CEO of Polygon Studios after seven years spearheading YouTube’s gaming vertical.
Ryan Wyatt, CEO of Polygon Studios, said, “We’re thrilled to be attracting such high-calibre talent as we build out the dream team of Web3. The combined expertise and perspectives from both the traditional and blockchain industries will be invaluable in growing the developer ecosystem and bridging the gap between Web2 and Web3.”
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Caesars Entertainment

OLG Selects Caesars Entertainment as the Service Provider for Windsor Casino

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The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation has selected Caesars Entertainment as the Service Provider in the Windsor Casino procurement process. This is the final procurement process in the OLG’s land-based gaming modernization initiative.

Tom Reeg, CEO of Caesars Entertainment, said: “We are thrilled to be selected as the service provider for the Windsor Casino by the OLG. Caesars has a long history of managing Windsor and looks forward to continuing to deliver exceptional guest service and experiences at the property.”

Caesars and its predecessor companies have partnered with the OLG to operate Caesars Windsor (fka. Casino Windsor) since the opening of the temporary facility in 1994. Caesars will assume responsibility for gaming and non-gaming operations of the Windsor casino on behalf of the OLG under a 20-year operating agreement, which is expected to begin in 2026.

OLG requires an 18-month restriction on any organizational changes consistent with other gaming bundle modernizations in Ontario. Unionized employees will continue to be governed by the terms of their collective agreement.

The post OLG Selects Caesars Entertainment as the Service Provider for Windsor Casino appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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Gaming Literacy Aiding Decisions

Rush Street Interactive Announces Initiative Supporting Increased Gaming Literacy for Teens

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Rush Street Interactive, in partnership with Integrity Compliance 360 (IC360), has launched a new initiative called Gaming Literacy Aiding Decisions (GLAD), an innovative program designed to assist educators in enhancing high school student gaming literacy and promoting that cohort’s responsible relationship with this ever more socially prevalent activity.

“Consumers today have more entertainment options than ever before, including within the gaming space. We appreciate that this expanded landscape offers individuals more ways to fulfill their entertainment needs. As technology continues to evolve, entertainment options, such as online gambling, have become increasingly mainstream and accessible. Like any material societal change, this evolution requires thoughtful education and honest, open dialogue – particularly for youth who are coming of age in an environment where these choices are all around them. I’ve seen this first hand with young people in my own community. It’s clear that exposure is growing, and with it, the need for responsible frameworks,” said Richard Schwartz, CEO of RSI.

“At RSI, we believe our role as a leading online gambling operator goes beyond simply committing financial resources. We have a responsibility to seek out and create opportunities that empower young people with the knowledge and tools to make informed decisions—so that when the time comes, they can determine for themselves, with confidence and understanding, what relationship, if any, they wish to have with gambling products. This is why, in partnership with IC360, we developed GLAD—a curriculum designed to become a foundation in responsible gaming education for North American teens by helping inform their understanding of gambling and the importance of doing so responsibly,” Richard Schwartz added.

“We are proud to partner with Rush Street Interactive, a company that has not only identified the need for gambling literacy among young people, but has also taken meaningful, proactive steps to lead the way in addressing the critical educational gap. Their demonstrable commitment to supporting educators and empowering students sets a new standard for creating informed and responsible attitudes towards gambling,” Eric Frank, Co-CEO and President of IC360, said.

The GLAD curriculum will initially launch in New Jersey and Delaware where, this spring, RSI and IC360 have been working with educational districts on a speaker series and educator curriculum delivery. These initial efforts will help define success metrics and gather feedback to shape the program’s future, which will ultimately be available to educators more broadly to curate the content that resonates best with students.

The post Rush Street Interactive Announces Initiative Supporting Increased Gaming Literacy for Teens appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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Compliance Updates

Minimum Deposit Casinos Warns of Sweeping Changes as States Crack Down on Online Sweepstakes Casinos

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Minimum Deposit Casinos (MDC), a leading global online casino review hub and division of the OneTwenty Group, has released new insights into the tightening regulatory landscape for sweepstakes-based gaming in the US. Recent moves by lawmakers in New York, Louisiana, and Montana suggest a coordinated push to eliminate or restrict these alternative online gambling models.

In New York, Senate Bill 5935, introduced by Sen. Joseph Addabbo, has advanced through the legislative process and targets the operation and supply of sweepstakes-style platforms. The bill specifically addresses platforms that use two forms of digital currency — one of which can be redeemed for real-world prizes — a setup now under scrutiny by state regulators.

Meanwhile, Louisiana has taken a similarly hard stance with Senate Bill 181, led by Sen. Adam Bass. The bill aims to ban all forms of sweepstakes games that mimic casino or sports betting experiences, including both the promotion and operation of such services. It passed the state Senate unanimously and is currently being reviewed by the House.

Montana could become the first U.S. state to enact a full prohibition if Senate Bill 555 is signed into law. The bill, which has passed both chambers, seeks to clearly define and outlaw the operation of unlicensed sweepstakes gambling websites.

“States are clearly starting to zero in on grey-area gambling models. These bills show how quickly the legal landscape can shift, and it’s crucial that players and operators stay ahead of the curve,” said a senior analyst at MDC.

The post Minimum Deposit Casinos Warns of Sweeping Changes as States Crack Down on Online Sweepstakes Casinos appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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