Canada
Hawks Talon GC Clinch Top Seed in Division in ‘The SLAM OPEN’ Group Play

Hawks Talon GC, the official NBA 2K League Affiliate of the Atlanta Hawks, wrapped up the group play portion of The Coinbase SLAM OPEN on Thursday night with a 3-0 win over Team Smoke. The SLAM OPEN is the NBA 2K League’s first 3-on-3 tournament, and the first to include amateur teams. Hawks Talon Gaming finished group play with a 5-1 record, clinching the top seed in their group and advancing to bracket play, which is set to take place in Indianapolis beginning Weds., May 11. The top two teams in eight divisions advance to bracket play.
Hawks Talon began group play with a 3-0 sweep of Hornets Venom GT and a 3-1 win over Heat Check Gaming before dropping a series to Team Smoke. Talon regained momentum following their loss with three consecutive sweeps of Hornets Venom, Heat Check Gaming, and Team Smoke this week.
The trio of Caesar Martinez (CEEZ), rookies Bryson Fleming (PUTBACK) and John Mushaben (WITNESS) started for Hawks Talon in all six games in group play.
“It means a whole lot to qualify for bracket play with this team,” said Martinez. “After not qualifying during THE TIPOFF, it made us hungrier to not miss another chance to compete in person.”
The bracket play will begin on Wednesday, May 11 with four of the round-of-16 matchups in a best-of-five format. Thursday, May 12 will conclude the round of 16. Friday, May 13 will feature all four quarterfinal matchups in a best-of-seven format. The tournament will conclude on Saturday, May 14 with both semifinals as well as the finals, all best-of-seven.
“I am very proud of the resilient attitude and the level of commitment the guys have shown,” said Diaz-Tolentino. “That is part of the philosophy I wanted to bring to the team, and I am really happy to see them buy in and work for each other, which has led to positive results.”
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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.
Alex Malchenko Head of Sales at Evoplay
Evoplay strengthens Ontario presence in partnership with Caesars Entertainment

Evoplay, the award-winning game development studio, has partnered with Caesars Entertainment to expand its footprint in the Canadian market, following its initial entry earlier this year. The partnership integrates 20 of the studio’s top-performing titles onto Caesars Palace Online Casino, Horseshoe Online Casino and Caesars Sportsbook & Casino in Ontario, including fan-favourites such as Hot Triple Sevens, Triple Chili, and The Greatest Catch Bonus Buy.
Having announced its official entrance into Ontario in March, the collaboration with Caesars marks a significant step in Evoplay’s local strategy. Further standout releases, such as Inner Fire Bonus Buy and Hot Volcano, also launched as part of the initial package, with additional player favourites, including Fruit Nova and Ice Mania.
The collaboration underlines Evoplay’s commitment to working with leading operators to deliver high-quality content tailored to regional audiences.
Alex Malchenko, Head of Sales at Evoplay, said: “Launching with Caesars in Ontario marks a key milestone in our North American strategy.
“It reflects both the strength of our portfolio and our commitment to providing innovative, high-performing content to operators of the highest caliber.”
Ricardo Cornejo Rivas, Vice President of Online Gaming at Caesars Digital, said: “Evoplay brings a fresh and dynamic approach to online gaming, which we’re excited to offer to our players in Ontario. This portfolio of standout titles adds to our growing content library and furthering our ongoing goal of delivering top-tier entertainment experiences to our players.”
The post Evoplay strengthens Ontario presence in partnership with Caesars Entertainment appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Canada
iGaming Ontario Appoints Joseph Hillier as its New President and CEO

The iGaming Ontario Board of Directors has announced Joseph Hillier as the organization’s new President and Chief Executive Officer, effective September 8, 2025. Joseph’s depth in the Ontario igaming market combined with successful public and private sector careers make him the ideal President and CEO at this critical point in iGaming Ontario’s growth.
Joseph was most recently Chief Strategy Officer and Corporate Secretary at the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), where he delivered significant strategic and regulatory initiatives across the province’s alcohol, cannabis, gaming, and horse racing sectors. Prior to the AGCO, he served as Chief of Staff to Ontario Attorney General Hon. Doug Downey and led the development, launch and implementation of Canada’s first private sector-driven igaming market and the creation of iGaming Ontario. Joseph also spent more than a decade working in the financial and legal services sectors.
The Board expressed its sincere thanks to David Smith for serving as Interim President and Chief Executive Officer since Martha Otton’s retirement.
The post iGaming Ontario Appoints Joseph Hillier as its New President and CEO appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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