Canada
Cutting-Edge Display Technology Makes eSports an Arena-Worthy Event
Contribution by Aaron Addison, the in-house gaming expert for LG Business Solutions USA, a leading provider of advanced display technologies to the eSports industry.
Over the last decade eSports has blossomed from a cottage industry into a global phenomenon that attracts tens of millions of viewers and has encouraged major corporate sponsorships of events, competitors and teams. So far, most of the infrastructure used to host eSports tournaments and recreational events has relied on ad-hoc, temporary installations at existing arenas, concert venues and convention halls.
Displays Offer Up-Close Action
The exploding popularity of eSports competitions and competitors is evidenced by Twitch accounts that rival the largest social media stars in terms of engagement and viewing time. The massive viewership and potential for advertising and sales programs, not to mention local investments and cultural pride, are now attracting the attention of colleges and cities in the same way that traditional sports arenas and entertainment venues do.
Nearly all massive public events today, from concerts to sports to dance clubs, employ digital screens to help large crowds get closer to the action and create excitement. For eSports, large digital screens are actually required for in-person viewing, since guests sit far from competitors and therefore cannot see what is happening on their monitors as they play. Utilizing the latest display technologies including DVLED (direct-view light-emitting diode), LCD video walls and the inclusion of many smaller displays throughout a facility, event organizers, developers and building designers are beginning to focus on how to maximize engagement and entertainment value at live eSports events.
Developers See Big Business in eSports
It’s clear that large displays and systems underscore the importance of the electrical and technological infrastructure needed to create eSports arenas. Many developers are interested in arenas that can offer VR game experiences that combine professional-level events with consumer-level play and invite all guests to act as both player and fan.
Meanwhile, competitors are even more reliant on bleeding-edge display technology, requiring gaming monitors with small latency, fast refresh speeds and accurate color and contrast capabilities to compete at the highest level. Essentially, an event or space that does not use the absolute top-of-the-line visual experience for players and patrons will have difficulty providing a professional level of competition or player experience.
Physical Attendance Beats At-Home Viewing
Twitch streamers and competition leagues such as the Ultimate Gaming Championship continue to increase the popularity of eSports viewing. Even if at-home fans are watching through VR systems, they cannot get the same experience as attending a safe and secure live event with hundreds or thousands of eager, like-minded fans. Existing stadiums have so far provided satisfactory infrastructure and accommodations, such as a Fortnite championship held at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York City, the world’s largest tennis stadium.
As competition leagues and their viewerships grow, more purpose-built arenas may become desirable for cities and municipalities to attract events and economic activity. As these spaces can be designed to act as large, full-time interactive ‘arcades’, they may prove to be even more profitable and popular than traditional stadia which still only offer spectating alone, not participation.
The trend of eSports and video gaming popularity in general have followed an upward trajectory since their introduction in the 1970s and show no sign of slowing. Through thoughtful integration of cutting-edge digital displays on both a macro- and micro-scale, the future of large public eSports leagues and competitions may soon rival the fervor and economics of traditional sporting events and stadia.
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Canada
IAGR announces Toronto as host city for 2025 conference
Hot on the heels of its most attended conference in history, the International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR) is excited to announce that its 2025 conference will take place in Toronto, Canada, from October 20 to 23, 2025.
The event will be held in partnership with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) at the Westin Harbour Castle, offering stunning waterfront views and a premier, downtown Toronto location.
‘Fresh off the success of our Rome conference, we’re thrilled to continue the momentum with next year’s event in Toronto,’ said Ben Haden, IAGR President.
‘The IAGR 2025 conference promises to be another unparalleled opportunity for our global community to come together, collaborate and shape the future of gaming regulation. We’re looking forward to working with AGCO to bring it all together.’
AGCO CEO and Registrar Dr. Karin Schnarr, added, ‘We’re excited to welcome IAGR and its members to Toronto. This partnership provides a great opportunity to share Ontario’s innovative regulatory practices and foster meaningful discussions that drive positive change in the industry.’
Stay tuned for registration details early next year.
Bombee Global Entertainment Ltd
ESE Entertainment Completes Acquisition of Gaming Production Company, Bombee Americas
ESE Entertainment Inc., a gaming company that provides a range of services to leading video game developers and publishers, has announced that it has acquired Bombee Global Entertainment Ltd. (Bombee Americas), the North American arm of Bombee Event Production AB, (Bombee), a global production company specialized in live production, special effects, broadcast, and event management for the gaming sector.
Bombee has successfully collaborated with ESE to bring its premier event production services and world class customer service to North America and beyond. The North American arm of Bombee, Bombee Americas, will continue to grow and scale in this new organizational structure under ESE, while maintaining its entire team and global support.
Konrad Wasiela, CEO of ESE, said: “Today marks the next stage of ESE—a 2.0 version of our company. With the acquisition of Bombee Americas, we are not only solidifying our presence in North America but also paving the way for growth and innovation in the gaming industry. This is a major step, positioning us to deliver even greater value to our partners and elevate the gaming experience for our clients globally. We’re thrilled about the opportunities ahead and the exceptional talent joining our team.”
Transaction Terms
The Acquisition was completed by way of a share purchase agreement (the SPA) among the Company, Bombee Americas, and the shareholders of Bombee Americas (the Vendors). Pursuant to the SPA, ESE acquired all of the outstanding shares of Bombee Americas in exchange for: (i) $750,000 in cash paid on closing, (ii) $375,000 in cash to be paid six (6) months following closing, subject to customary adjustments based on the working capital of Bombee Americas on closing, (iii) $375,000 in cash to be paid twelve (12) months following closing, and (iv) 30,000,000 common shares of ESE (the Consideration Shares), issued at a deemed issue price of $0.10 per share.
In connection with the Acquisition, the founders of Bombee Americas have signed three-year service agreements and will continue to run the business following the closing, along with the rest of the personnel of Bombee Americas who will remain in place, ensuring a smooth transition of operations. As part of the Acquisition, the Company has acquired the liabilities of Bombee Americas, mainly consisting of customary current obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business for Bombee Americas, which are not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s operations or financial position.
No finder’s fees were paid or payable in conjunction with the Acquisition.
The Acquisition was an arm’s length transaction within the meaning of the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange (the Exchange) and constituted an “Expedited Acquisition” in accordance with Exchange Policy 5.3 – Acquisitions and Dispositions of Non-Cash Assets. The Acquisition remains subject to the final approval of the Exchange.
Canada
Suspected Digital Fraud Coming from Canada Up Nearly 11% Since H1 2023, Reveals New TransUnion Analysis
In the first half (H1) of 2024, Canada saw a significant increase in suspected Digital Fraud attempts, with nearly 5.74% of all attempted digital transactions where the consumer was located in Canada involving suspected Digital Fraud, revealed a new TransUnion® (NYSE: TRU) analysis. This is nearly an 11% year-over-year (YoY) rate increase from H1 2023, and TransUnion also documented an 11% increase in the volume of suspected Digital Fraud from Canada during this period, despite a less than a one percent (0.7%) YoY increase in the volume of transactions.
According to a recent TransUnion survey,1 more than half (54%) of Canadians said they were recently targeted by email, phone call or text message fraud attempts. Phishing was the most common scheme type (45%), followed by smishing (42%) and vishing (39%).
The increasing use of digital transactions, combined with rising suspected Digital Fraud attempts are also impacting businesses as they potentially face revenue losses and increased operational costs due to fraud. According to a TransUnion business survey for the H2 2024 Update to the State of Omnichannel Fraud report, 200 Canadian business leaders said their companies lost approximately 6% of equivalent revenue – representing $78 billion – over the past year due to fraud. The most prominent causes of fraud loss cited by them were:
- Scam/Authorized fraud (31%): Dishonest scheme intended to trick a person into giving up something of value (e.g., account access, money, information)
- Account takeover (19%): Unauthorized individuals taking over someone’s online account (e.g., bank, social media, email) without their permission
- Synthetic identity fraud (18%): Use of a combination of personal information to fabricate a person or entity to commit a dishonest act for financial or personal gain
TransUnion also found that suspected Digital Fraud attempts – where the consumer was transacting in Canada and targeted businesses globally – increased on average by 10.5% YoY in H1 2024 compared to H1 2023 and impacted all industries.
Top Three Industries Globally with Highest Rate of Suspected Digital Fraud Attempts Coming from Canada in H1 2024
- Gambling (online sports betting, poker, etc.) – 9.6%
- Retail – 9.2%
- Government – 7.7%
Top Three Industries Globally with Highest YoY Increase (H1 2024 vs H1 2023) in the Rate of Suspected Digital Fraud Attempts Coming from Canada
- Logistics – 172.9%
- Gambling – 79.3%
- Video gaming – 67.8%
“Protecting customers and their businesses from fraud is essential to enabling safe and tailored consumer experiences. These findings reveal that despite the good-faith efforts that are being undertaken by companies to identify and prevent fraud to date, fraudsters continue to evolve and it’s vital that fraud prevention methods keep up with the changing times,” said Patrick Boudreau, head of identity management and fraud solutions at TransUnion Canada.
“Businesses that aren’t already doing so should ensure that they are taking advantage of fraud prevention technologies such as identity verification, IP intelligence, device reputation and synthetic identity detection as critical components of their fraud prevention programs,” he added.
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