Canada
Live Now, Izanami Becomes Queen of Cards & Chibi Bots Take Over SMITE

SMITE’s latest update, out today, marks the start of three distinct events, the Heavenly Light major event, the Chibi Bots Battle Pass, plus a Birthday Celebration event. Each in its own way has free rewards for players to unlock.
The four month long Heavenly Light event has now started, featuring dozens of purchasable skins plus quest lines. The collection reward is Hi-Rez’s new top-of-the-line shapeshifting skin: Queen of Cards Izanami. This Unlimited skin can only be unlocked as a bonus for purchasing the entire event.
Izanami, the Japanese matron of the dead, has been chosen to become SMITE’s new ‘Tier 5’ skin, meaning one that rotates between several forms and evolves according to player actions during matches. Queen of Cards Izanami has four different forms, each representing a card suit – Hearts, Spades, Diamonds, and Clubs – and each as distinct as a separate skin.
For the first time in SMITE, this skin features its own quest system and is able to evolve permanently, not just for the current match. The Queen of Cards demands that her subjects entertain her – preferably by spilling the blood of enemy Gods. Each time she gets a kill or assist, she draws four cards. When it’s four of a kind, players permanently unlock a special emote for the current form, with entirely different animations.
Battle Pass: Chibi Bots
It may be hard to choose the best theme for a Battle Pass, yet SMITE has found the ultimate one: a fusion between what players love the most – Chibi Gods and mecha Gods.
Starting today, four adorable Chibi Bots skins can be unlocked in the latest Battle Pass. Everyone progresses simply by playing matches, gaining access to dozens of rewards, including some for free such as the Intruder Bot skin for Cupid. Purchasing the Chibi Bots Battle Pass grants access to all rewards, including the other three robotic stars: Beaky Bot, Freezy Bot, and Doom Bot.
Birthday celebration event
During the Heavenly Light Update, SMITE is celebrating its 8th launch anniversary! Through a special in-game event, all birthday gifts go to the community as a token of gratitude, using a structure that has proved extremely popular.
A wide variety of prizes can be unlocked each day just by playing, including the new Husky Handler skin for Skadi, Boosters, Gems, and player-made cosmetics the SMITE team selected during a contest. Those include memey global emotes showcasing Khepri’s giving out free hugs and Candy Shop Achilles coming out of a giant birthday cake.
Countless new combinations in custom games
Delivering a community request, new settings are now available for custom games. Playing with friends or for community events and tournaments, everyone can now use the exact same conditions as the World Championship – or quite the contrary, you can go wild with the craziest settings such as infinite gold, no mana costs, outrageous cooldown reduction, and more.
Powered by WPeMatico
Betty
Thunderkick commits to growth in Ontario with Betty partnership

Independent slots studio Thunderkick has agreed a deal with Ontario-based operator Betty to supply the rapidly growing online casino with a diverse collection of globally popular titles.
Betty, an official partner of sporting franchises Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors, has risen to prominence since its 2022 establishment, when it was built following the consultation of 300 casino players to create the optimal iGaming environment.
Distinguishing itself from North American competitors by catering specifically to slot enthusiasts rather than sports bettors, the operator has curated a portfolio of 2,800 games, hand-picked to deliver customers maximum entertainment value.
Thunderkick’s content is the latest to be integrated into Betty’s online casino, and the agreement will see a selection of its most popular titles, including The Wildos 2, Midas Golden Touch 3, and Esqueleto Explosivo 3, made available to a greater number of Ontarian players.
Thunderkick marked its debut in the Canadian province in Q2 of 2024, and has since partnered with a network of leading operators to improve its market position. The collaboration with Betty will further amplify its visibility in a key jurisdiction as the provider looks to reinforce its reputation as a global slot developer.
Svante Sahlström, CCO at Thunderkick, said: “It’s our mission at Thunderkick to go deeper, not wider, in 2025. That means forging meaningful, lasting relationships in target markets as opposed to securing as many commercial deals as possible.
“Since entering Ontario over 12 months ago, we have worked tirelessly to enhance our presence in the province, and working with leading brands such as Betty allows us to bring our unique games to a deeper pool of Canadian players.”
Paraskeva Smirnova, Casino Operations Manager at Betty, added: “Betty’s USP has always been our drive to build a slot portfolio with the very best titles from the industry’s most creative suppliers.
“Thunderkick’s passion for slot development is there for all to see, and the introduction of its games to our casino further elevates the consumer experience.”
The post Thunderkick commits to growth in Ontario with Betty partnership appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
BCLC
Save the Date: BCLC’s New Horizons in Safer Gambling Conference Returns November 2026

BCLC is pleased to announce the return of the New Horizons in Safer Gambling Conference, taking place November 2–4, 2026, at the JW Marriott Parq Vancouver.
This global event brings leading voices in research, policy and industry together to explore innovative approaches to safer gambling. Attendees can expect two days of forward-thinking dialogue, evidence-based insights and collaborative solutions to help shape the future of player health.
Sponsorship Opportunities Now Available
New to the 2026 conference, BCLC is excited to offer sponsorship opportunities to organizations that share BCLC’s passion for safer gambling. Benefits of sponsoring New Horizons 2026 include industry visibility, leadership recognition and meaningful engagement with a global audience. To learn more about sponsorship, please e-mail [email protected].
Registration and program details will be released later this fall.
The post Save the Date: BCLC’s New Horizons in Safer Gambling Conference Returns November 2026 appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Canada
absolutebet Secures AGCO Registration as an Internet Gaming Operator in Ontario

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 milestone—it’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.
-
Latest News6 days ago
Week 36/2025 slot games releases
-
Conferences in Europe7 days ago
Eurasia and the Middle East in Focus at SBC Summit 2025 Emerging Markets Stage
-
Compliance Updates7 days ago
CT Interactive grows its certified portfolio in Romania
-
Canada6 days ago
absolutebet Secures AGCO Registration as an Internet Gaming Operator in Ontario
-
Latest News6 days ago
VeliTech Appoints Mats Lundin as Chief Sales Officer
-
Latest News7 days ago
Flamez – A Fiery New Online Casino Contender from Ganadu
-
Latest News6 days ago
Arizona Department of Gaming and Arizona Lottery Announce Proclamation Recognizing September 2025 as Responsible Gaming Education Month
-
Industry News7 days ago
StatRankings Launches with Aim to Deliver Faster, Cleaner, and Smarter Sports Data Experience