Canada
Ryu Games Announces Flame: “Steam for Web3”, Hires Steam Founder Rick Ellis as Chief Product Officer

Ryu Games announced the beta launch of Flame, a new Web3 games store and marketplace, to better serve the PC gaming market with easily usable NFTs and cryptocurrencies. Flame is a multi-chain wallet, store and launcher of games that users onboard through a simple social login. Additionally, Ryu announced that Rick Ellis, founder of Steam, has joined the company as Chief Product Officer. He will leverage his decades long experience in console, PC and mobile gaming development to drive the growth of Web3 adoption in gaming.
Ellis said: “Games that use NFTs and crypto are in their infancy, but their potential has already drawn millions of gamers to play these sometimes very simple games. The past few years have seen incredible advances in reducing blockchain’s negative environmental impact and lowering the cost of transactions. Meanwhile, serious game developers are heads down building the first generation of AAA titles built around open economies. The last missing piece before mass adoption is a user experience to launch these games. The technical and UX challenges Flame is solving are going to bridge the gap between gamers everywhere and the next internet — one that is owned by the users and not central authorities.”
In October 2021, Valve announced bans on blockchain games and NFTs on its Steam platform, and ironically, the founder of Steam has joined Ryu Games and is working on its Steam for Web3. Before founding Sharkbite Games, Ellis started his gaming career building the dev kits for Xbox and GameCube, and then went on to build the digital distribution service and marketplace for video games that eventually became Steam and was hired by Valve Software. Over the span of his career, he developed the physics engine for Half-Life 2, worked on well-known titles like Counter-Strike and Guild Wars 2, developed the Xbox Dev Kit and also worked on the GameCube console. Ellis was also Vice President of Production at Z2, which was acquired by King.
Ross Krasner, CEO of Ryu Games, said: “The fact that millions of people are fighting through the friction and pain of onboarding to play crypto games and using NFTs is a testament to how fundamental a shift in blockchain tech can be to human-technology interaction. For the first time, people truly own digital assets and can interact in permissionless systems. Gaming is always first to adopt new technologies, and to me, Flame is the last missing piece before Web3 games are just ‘games.’ We’re thrilled to bring on Rick, who built Steam, which today had almost 30 million concurrent users. To put in perspective, only about 3 million people have ever interacted with an NFT.”
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AGLC
AGLC Announces New Board Chair

Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) has announced the appointment of Larry Spagnolo as the new Board Chair, effective August 15, 2025. This announcement follows the official Order in Council issued by the Alberta Government and marks a new chapter in AGLC’s ongoing commitment to support communities, encourage responsible choices and position Alberta as the best place to do business.
Larry brings a wealth of experience in technology and business leadership to the AGLC Board and will play an integral role in guiding AGLC’s strategic direction. He is currently serving as VP and GM of Emerson’s SaaS SCADA business and has held senior roles at Zedi and Telus, driving innovation, growth, and global success.
A strong advocate for education and community, Larry serves as Vice Chair of Athabasca University’s Board of Governors and has held board roles with NAIT and Polytechnics Canada. He was awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal for his community contributions.
AGLC and the Board of Directors extend their heartfelt thanks to Len Rhodes for his leadership and dedication as Board Chair since August 2019. He decided not to seek a third term and will continue to serve in this role until August 14, 2025. Len led AGLC through some significant milestones, including reducing red tape by 51%, growth of the emerging cannabis industry and ensuring AGLC delivered a balanced approach to business development, social responsibility, and regulatory oversight.
The post AGLC Announces New Board Chair appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Bonus Guardian
Pinnacle Ontario live with CasinoEngine in North America debut

EveryMatrix has expanded its partnership with tier-1 operator Pinnacle powering its new casino in Ontario, Canada, using CasinoEngine platform technology – the first time its platform solution has gone live in North America.
The latest agreement builds on the two companies’ previous collaboration that saw EveryMatrix’s CasinoEngine productivity platform power the well-known brand’s global casino offering.
The new launch takes the relationship to North America, marking EveryMatrix’s debut CasinoEngine platform integration in that market.
BonusEngine, EveryMatrix’s cross-vertical bonusing tool will be integrated in the second phase of launch. This will equip Pinnacle Ontario with a host of bonus types as well as AI-powered bonus abuse solution Bonus Guardian.
BonusEngine is the first of multiple engagement tools from EveryMatrix’s EngageSuite that Pinnacle plans to integrate.
With this comprehensive toolkit at its disposal, and the opportunity to add even more casino products in the future, Pinnacle Ontario can tailor campaigns, segment audiences, and reward players more effectively, creating a world-class digital entertainment experience for its customers.
EveryMatrix has more than 300 global customers and holds North American licences in Ontario, New Jersey, Michigan, West Virginia, Connecticut and Pennsylvania.
Stian Enger Petersen, CEO, Casino, EveryMatrix, said: “This launch marks a key milestone for EveryMatrix as we bring our market-leading CasinoEngine platform to Canada for the first time.
“We’re delighted to expand our partnership with Pinnacle and support their ambitions in Ontario with a powerful combination of platform, content, and engagement tools that are proven to drive success.”
The post Pinnacle Ontario live with CasinoEngine in North America debut appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
AGCO
Prime Skill Games Inc. Official Response to AGCO Press Release

As CEO of Prime Skill Games Inc., I feel compelled to address recent comments made by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario regarding so-called unapproved gambling machines in convenience stores across the province.
Let me be perfectly clear
Our machines are not gambling devices. They are entirely skill-based, fully compliant with the law, and built on the fundamental idea that players are in control. The outcome of every session is determined solely by the player’s ability, not by random chance.
Prime Skill Games is proud to be the only true skill game operating in Ontario today.
We categorically reject any suggestion that our products fall under the definition of unregulated gambling. Such statements are inaccurate, misleading, and fail to recognize the critical distinction between games of skill and games of chance.
We stand firmly behind the legality of our machines and the integrity of our operations. We will demonstrate this through every available means, whether through legal documentation, expert analysis, or, if necessary, before the courts. We are prepared and unafraid to defend the truth.
To our players, partners, and business community, we want to reassure you that our mission has not changed. We are committed to offering a responsible, transparent, and innovative entertainment experience. We will not be intimidated by broad and baseless accusations, and we will continue to move forward with strength and clarity.
Sincerely
Matt Zamroźniak
Chief Executive Officer
Prime Skill Games Inc.
The post Prime Skill Games Inc. Official Response to AGCO Press Release appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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