Canada
INSIDE THE POCKET SECURES INSTITUTIONAL INVESTMENT FOR GLOBAL EXPANSION IN THE AMOUNT OF $4M
Free-to-play specialist, led by former senior NFL executive, attracts core investment from key heavyweights to accelerate growth
Inside The Pocket (ITP), the leading free-to-play (F2P) aggregation platform, has secured institutional investment of $4m from a consortium of heavy-hitting investors, spearheaded by WinSure Global, as it bids to expand its global footprint.
The core financing will be used to power further development of its proprietary platform for international growth. As a result, Inside The Pocket’s experienced leadership team, led by CEO and former senior NFL executive Hussain Naqi (previously SVP of both Fan Engagement and International Development at the Jacksonville Jaguars) will also be able to draw on the added expertise of senior WinSure Global executives, alongside other notables in this formative funding round, including The Rokker Network and its CEO Andy Rogers.
This strategic funding accordingly positions Inside The Pocket for a defining Series A round later this year, bolstering its reach into untapped territories. There, its proven international scope and flair for localization promises to drive diversified fan engagement around targeted free-to-play sports games. Thanks to its open-aggregation approach, Inside The Pocket already offers the broadest and best-curated mix of games available, with one platform integration acting as a gateway to virtually unlimited content.
As a pioneering free-to-play aggregation platform for the gaming industry, Inside The Pocket is committed to being an agile customer acquisition and retention tool, driving engagement through a range of games whose formats responsibly acquire and retain customers at low cost but also remain fully compliant as regulation continues to roll out across regions from the U.S. to Asia, Africa and LatAm. Its agnostic platform offers a strategic solution which works territory-by-territory, educating uninitiated audiences with fully-integrated games.
Consequently, this pre-Series A round, bolstered by the backing of some of the industry’s most successful proponents in the F2P domain, marks a significant milestone for the company. Inside The Pocket’s technical know-how sets it apart in the crucial F2P domains of game development, player management and, above all, multi-level data. Its dashboards provide clients with the full picture on player activity, thanks to aggregated cross-network player data (e.g. from individual customer journeys to in-play data, and other shared insights on player segments).
Hussain Naqi, Founder and CEO of Inside The Pocket, said: “Inside The Pocket provides the most modular and democratised strategic F2P platform around, assembling the best minds and models for a new era in sports fan engagement, localized to specific global markets. When you’re signed up individually to one or more developers, you can end up with a set of expensive integrations or all your eggs in one basket. Our open-aggregation platform takes the sting out of such outmoded deals by providing the requisite flexibility for maturing markets.
“We’re supremely well-positioned to leverage this opportunity because we can diversify content, leverage consumer data and partition it for our partners as the international markets’ shifting sands coalesce. Harte Hanks, the world’s leading consumer-data provider, also grants us unique consumer insights that will allow us to hyper-segment our audience communication over time, including the World Cup 2022 football.
“It’s a real validation to be backed on our journey by such proven players, many of whom have fantastic track records in building, investing and marshalling innovative digital companies to larger scale and leadership positions in the ever-evolving global gaming landscape.”
Andy Rogers, Founder and CEO of The Rokker Network, commented: “At Rokker, we provide a natural habitat for rapid growth among some of the emerging forces in the igaming sector. We’ve monitored and supported Inside The Pocket’s impressive development, and are keen to assist them in this, a key moment in the evolution of their agnostic F2P platform whose core philosophy is truly democratising gaming for global operators. These game-changing steps cohere with our own vision around the power of tech in digital sports betting.”
James Bridges, Director at WinSure Global added: “We specialise in identifying best-in-breed solutions across a range of asset classes and investment strategies. Indeed, WinSure Global undertakes to generate capital growth by holding long-term strategic investments in companies that can influence the future of industry. Inside The Pocket’s offering, on both B2B and B2C fronts, immediately improves and delivers a step change for F2P aggregation, so it’s another strong story for WinSure to get behind.
“Hussain and his team articulate a simple yet transformative vision: one single integration to open the door to the entire F2P marketplace. So, it’s this highly-flexible platform, combined with their ability to execute, which sets Inside The Pocket up for international expansion – particularly across some formative and fragmented markets which demand localized solutions.”
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AGCO
AGCO Fines Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto $350,000 for Serious Regulatory Violations Linked to Impromptu After-Party on Gaming Floor
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has issued monetary penalties totaling $350,000 against Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto for multiple violations of provincial gaming standards. The penalties follow an impromptu after-party that was permitted to take place in the pre-dawn hours directly on the casino’s gaming floor.
On September 27, 2024, an electronic dance music event attended by thousands of people was hosted in the theatre adjacent to the casino at Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto. The event was marked by widespread intoxication, disorderly behavior, and numerous criminal and medical incidents – both inside and outside the venue – including alleged assaults, drug overdoses, and acts of public indecency. Although paid duty officers were present, additional police and emergency services were required to manage the situation.
In the midst of this high-risk environment, casino management approved an unscheduled request by the performing artist to host an after-party on the active gaming floor. The artist and more than 400 guests were permitted onto the gaming floor where the artist was allowed to perform amidst operational table games and gaming machines – without any prior risk assessment or planning.
As a result, security personnel were unable to effectively control the casino floor, including witness reports that an attendee was seen climbing onto slot machines. Failure to maintain appropriate control compromises the security, safety, and integrity of the casino floor. Following the conclusion of the event, the operator failed to promptly report these incidents to the AGCO as required.
Based on the findings of its review, the AGCO’s Registrar has issued an Order of Monetary Penalty (OMP) totaling $350,000 against Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto. These penalties address critical failures in their operations, incident reporting, employee training, and the management of disturbances.
A gaming operator served with an OMP has 15 days to appeal the Registrar’s decision to the Licence Appeal Tribunal (LAT), an adjudicative tribunal that is part of Tribunals Ontario and independent of the AGCO.
“Casino operators have a fundamental duty to control their gaming environment. Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto’s lapses in this incident compromised the safety of patrons and the security and integrity of the gaming floor,” Dr. Karin Schnarr, Chief Executive Officer and Registrar of AGCO, said.
The post AGCO Fines Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto $350,000 for Serious Regulatory Violations Linked to Impromptu After-Party on Gaming Floor appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
International Game Technology PLC announced that its subsidiary, IGT Canada Solutions ULC (hereinafter “IGT”), signed an eight-year agreement with Atlantic Lottery to supply its IntelligenEVO video lottery central system technology across Atlantic Canada. The agreement includes the option for multiple extensions and positions the Atlantic Lottery to become the first World Lottery Association (WLA)-affiliated lottery operator to deploy IGT’s next-generation central management system in a game-to-system (G2S) distributed market.
“By leveraging IGT’s IntelligenEVO technology, Atlantic Lottery will power its video lottery network with the industry’s best-in-class central system and position itself to maximize future contributions to good causes. As an organization that prioritizes system security and exceptional player experiences, Atlantic Lottery believes that IGT’s IntelliegnEVO solution will help generate high player satisfaction and optimal network performance,” said Michael MacKinnon, Atlantic Lottery VP, Product.
“As a long-time supplier to Atlantic Lottery, IGT looks forward to helping the Lottery achieve its growth and player engagement goals with our leading-edge IntelligenEVO video lottery central system. IGT’s IntelligenEVO is a scalable technology for the WLA market that is backed by decades of experience and operator feedback, and maximizes the benefits of real-time data, cloud-based technologies and in-depth analytics,” said David Flinn, IGT SVP Canada, EMEA and LATAM, Gaming Sales.
With peak system security, network availability and responsible gaming functionalities, IntelligenEVO is a reliable, scalable solution that can meet the needs of today and in the future. The solution will accelerate time-to-market and enables the Atlantic Lottery to benefit from the system’s suite of player-focused functionality. The technology’s G2S and open API design optimizes data collection and delivery and will enable Atlantic Lottery to customize their program for evolving player needs.
The post IGT and Atlantic Lottery Sign Eight-Year Video Lottery Central System Technology Agreement appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
NetGaming, a fast-growing online casino content supplier, is proud to announce its launch in Ontario with Rush Street Interactive, Inc., a leading online casino and sports betting company in the United States, Canada and Latin America. This strategic collaboration marks a significant milestone for NetGaming as it continues to expand its footprint across regulated North American markets.
As part of the launch, Ontario players on BetRivers can now enjoy a diverse portfolio of NetGaming titles, known for their high-quality graphics, immersive gameplay, and unique themes. Standout games such as Zeus’s Thunderbolt, Bison Gold, and Fireball Inferno are among the first to go live, with additional titles set to follow soon.
This partnership is just the beginning. NetGaming plans to extend its collaboration with Rush Street Interactive into Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Mexico over the coming months.
Pallavi Deshmukh, CEO of NetGaming, commented: “We are thrilled to go live with Rush Street Interactive, a powerhouse operator with a strong presence and loyal player base. This launch marks a significant milestone in our
North American expansion strategy and underscores our commitment to delivering exceptional gaming experiences tailored to local player preferences across the region.”
Richard Schwartz, CEO of Rush Street Interactive, commented: “We are pleased to partner with NetGaming to bring innovative, premium games to our players in Ontario. This collaboration aligns with our strategy to offer world-class
entertainment through engaging, action-packed online casino games. We look forward to expanding this partnership into additional regulated markets in the months ahead.”
This strategic partnership highlights both companies’ dedication to providing high- quality, innovative, and responsible entertainment to players in regulated markets.
The post NetGaming Goes Live in Ontario with Rush Street Interactive via BetRivers Platform appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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