Canada

Global Esports Powerhouses Including CS:GO, Halo, Rocket League, and More Rally at DreamHack Dallas

Published

2 years ago

May 5, 2023

DreamHack Dallas, a three-day gaming lifestyle festival, has announced its diverse slate of esports programming for the weekend of June 2-4, 2023, at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center. In its return to Dallas, the festival will feature seven marquee esports tournaments with $933,000 in total prizing, including world-class competitions for women and collegiate competitors.

DreamHack Dallas is one of several DreamHack festivals across multiple countries this year. Tickets start at $35 for a single day and $99 for three-day access, with more information available at dreamhack.com/dallas/tickets/.

Top 16 CS:GO Squads Clash at IEM Dallas 2023
Sixteen of the world’s top teams will face off at DreamHack in one of the most prestigious North American Counter Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) tournaments of the year: Intel® Extreme Masters (IEM) Dallas. All DreamHack Dallas ticket holders have access to the tournament, which features a $250,000 prize pool and a win in the race to complete Intel® Grand Slam V. The winner of IEM Dallas will automatically qualify for the Group Stage of IEM Cologne 2023, a $1 million event taking place on July 25-August 6.

Halo Championship Series Brings $125K Invitational to Dallas
DreamHack Dallas will play host to one of two Halo Championship Series Global Invitationals this season. Sixteen teams representing North America, Europe, Mexico, and Oceania will compete for the lion’s share of the $125,000 prize pool.

European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

Rocket Clash Highlights Top Women Rocket League Competitors
North America and Europe’s top all-women Rocket League trios will compete for the $20,000 Rocket Clash prize purse. Online qualifiers and group stages will narrow down squads to two representatives from each region to face off live at the festival on June 3. Sign-ups for regional qualifiers are open now.

World’s Top All-Women CS:GO Teams Meet at ESL Impact Dallas Finals
Eight of the world’s best all-women squads will clash at the ESL Impact Dallas Finals, a three-day, $123,000 Counter-Strike: Global Offensive tournament. This event will crown the winner of League Season 3 of ESL Impact, a part of parent company ESL FACEIT Group’s #GGFORALL initiative. Following the belief that “it’s not GG [Good Game] until it’s GG for all,” #GGFORALL aims to tackle discrimination, foster diversity and inclusion, promote mental wellbeing, and progress environmental sustainability in esports.

Collegiate Rocket League World Championship unites top scholastic squads
Collegiate Rocket League is bringing its World Championship to DreamHack Dallas, where 16 of the best teams from North America and Europe will compete for their share of the $75,000 prize pool. The group stage will take place June 2-3, with the eight remaining teams battling through a single-elimination bracket on June 4.
DreamHack Dallas, a three-day gaming lifestyle festival, has announced its diverse slate of esports programming for the weekend of June 2-4, 2023, at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center. In its return to Dallas, the festival will feature seven marquee esports tournaments with $933,000 in total prizing, including world-class competitions for women and collegiate competitors.

BYOC ticket-holders gear up to compete in $250,000 Fortnite tournament
DreamHack Open Featuring Fortnite, a Zero Build Duos competition that debuted at DreamHack San Diego, is bringing its second installation to Dallas. Available to all BYOC ticket holders, the three-day competition provides an opportunity for attendees of all skill levels to test their mettle and clash for $250,000 in prize money. The top 10 duos will also qualify for Gamers8 Featuring Fortnite, a $2 million event taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from July 28-31.

Challenge Texas’ Best at DreamHack Fighters
Fighting game competitors are invited to a full slate of tournaments across seven popular titles at DreamHack Dallas. Available to all guests, tournaments include both singles and doubles play with $90,000 in total prizing. Participating titles include:

Brawlhalla
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Super Smash Bros. Melee
Guilty Gear Strive
Tekken 7
King of Fighters XV
Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3

Explore a slate of gaming lifestyle programming and activities
In addition to competitive experiences, DreamHack Dallas offers something for every type of gamers, including:

Cosplay: DreamHack Dallas will be a hub for cosplay, featuring a $3,000 competition.
BYOC LAN: BYOC ticket holders can grab their PC or console and participate in a number of top titles during the BYOC LAN, one of DreamHack’s tentpole experiences.
Freeplay: DreamHack’s Freeplay area gives attendees a chance to play 12 titles – including Counter-Strike 2.
Arcade: Explore DreamHack’s largest arcade yet, with a variety of cabinets for guests of all kinds – all free to play. Attendees will have the chance to participate in a range of competitions and giveaways hosted at the Arcade throughout the festival.
Artist Alley and Marketplace: Creatives from around the country will host pop-up shops with gaming-themed shirts, posters, pins, and more.
Creator Hub: Content creators have multiple ways to connect with fans at DreamHack Dallas, including broadcasting live from the Stream Studio, networking at the Creator Lounge, or hosting fan meet & greets.

Brawlhalla
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Super Smash Bros. Melee
Guilty Gear Strive
Tekken 7
King of Fighters XV
Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3

Explore a slate of gaming lifestyle programming and activities
In addition to competitive experiences, DreamHack Dallas offers something for every type of gamers, including:

Cosplay: DreamHack Dallas will be a hub for cosplay, featuring a $3,000 competition.
BYOC LAN: BYOC ticket holders can grab their PC or console and participate in a number of top titles during the BYOC LAN, one of DreamHack’s tentpole experiences.
Freeplay: DreamHack’s Freeplay area gives attendees a chance to play 12 titles – including Counter-Strike 2.
Arcade: Explore DreamHack’s largest arcade yet, with a variety of cabinets for guests of all kinds – all free to play. Attendees will have the chance to participate in a range of competitions and giveaways hosted at the Arcade throughout the festival.
Artist Alley and Marketplace: Creatives from around the country will host pop-up shops with gaming-themed shirts, posters, pins, and more.
Creator Hub: Content creators have multiple ways to connect with fans at DreamHack Dallas, including broadcasting live from the Stream Studio, networking at the Creator Lounge, or hosting fan meet & greets.

Blanka Homor

Playson Signs Agreement with Light & Wonder in Global Distribution Deal

Published

2 hours ago

January 31, 2025

GamingAmericas.com

playson-signs-agreement-with-light-&-wonder-in-global-distribution-deal

Playson, the accomplished digital entertainment supplier, has forged a major global content deal with Light & Wonder to significantly enhance the reach of its extensive games portfolio.

This landmark agreement will enable Light & Wonder’s expansive operator network across the UK, Canada, and Latin America to gain access to Playson’s engaging offering.

UK-based operator Dazzletag Entertainment Ltd was the first to go live with the studio’s creative releases last month, with SUPERCHARGED CLOVERS: HOLD AND WIN and 3 POTS RICHES: HOLD AND WIN launched across its online casino brands.

Light & Wonder’s content marketplace is utilised by some of the biggest operator brands from across the globe, providing them with access to more than 3500 games from a host of third-party studios to allow them to build personalised, mobile-ready player experiences and stay ahead of regulatory changes.

The partnership signifies the strength of Playson’s reputation as a respected and highly sought-after provider to operators globally, as the rising demand for its games looks set to take the studio to new heights for 2025.

Blanka Homor, Sales Director at Playson, said: “Our deal with Light & Wonder is a major milestone in our strategic roadmap, as we embark on the next chapter of our global growth. This agreement expands our reach and allows us to deliver our appealing titles to new operators and players.

“The launch of our titles across Dazzletag’s two brands is a great start, and we are confident this relationship will further elevate our presence in the ever-evolving online casino space.”

Steve Mayes, Senior Director of Partnerships at Light & Wonder, said: “We are delighted to be working with such a highly respected digital entertainment provider and deliver their portfolio to our network. This strengthens our commitment to offering operators the best game releases available.

“We look forward to other successful launches in 2025, as we continue to support our operators with diverse content.”

The post Playson Signs Agreement with Light & Wonder in Global Distribution Deal appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

Bragg Gaming Group

Bragg Gaming Announces Preliminary Unaudited Results for the Year Ended December 31, 2024 and 2025 Strategic Initiatives and Guidance

Published

2 hours ago

January 31, 2025

GamingAmericas.com

bragg-gaming-announces-preliminary-unaudited-results-for-the-year-ended-december-31,-2024-and-2025-strategic-initiatives-and-guidance

Bragg Gaming Group announced its preliminary unaudited results for the year ended December 31, 2024 based on information currently available to management and certain strategic initiatives and issued financial guidance for 2025, highlighting anticipated double-digit growth in Revenue and Adjusted EBITDA driven by a strategic focus on proprietary and exclusive content.

Anticipated Full Year 2024 Results Highlights

The Company expects the financial results for full year 2024 to include the following highlights: Revenue not less than EUR 102 million, an increase of 9% from EUR 93.5 million for 2023, Adjusted EBITDA of not less than EUR 15.4 million, an increase of 1% from EUR 15.2 million for 2023.

Anticipated Financial Highlights for 2025

Revenue Guidance: Revenue for the year ended December 31, 2025, is expected to reach between EUR 117.5 million and EUR 123.0 million, representing double digit growth compared to the Company’s anticipated 2024 revenue.

Adjusted EBITDA Guidance: Adjusted EBITDA is forecasted to range between EUR 19.0 million and EUR 21.5 million, supported by a shift toward higher-margin product offerings.

Strategic Business Drivers

The Company is expecting to realize its anticipated 2025 results in part, as a result of certain strategic initiatives, including:

• Shift in Revenue Concentration: The percentage of revenue from the Company’s proprietary and exclusive content business is expected to increase providing a more margin-accretive mix and improving profitability with reduced reliance on third party content revenue by year end.

• Growth in Key Markets: Content-focused products, including proprietary, exclusive and aggregated content are projected to drive significant revenue growth in North America and Brazil, which are expected to contribute up to 10% and 15% of revenue, respectively by year-end.

• Brazil’s Growth Potential: The Company believes that its proprietary and exclusive content and aggregation businesses are strategically positioned to capture a significant share of Brazil’s $1.5 billion iGaming market, projected to more than double to over $3.3 billion by 2029, according to H2 Gambling Capital.

• US Market Penetration: The Company believes that it is strategically positioned for significant growth in the US market by leveraging its proprietary and exclusive content portfolio. Through integration with top-tier operators such as DraftKings, FanDuel, Rush Street, Caesars and BetMGM, and licenses in all key iGaming states, the Company’s content is accessible to over 90% of the US iGaming market, valued at over $9.5 billion, according to H2 Gambling Capital. Under the leadership of Neill Whyte, Chief Commercial Officer, and Garrick Morris, SVP (Commercial, US & Canada), veterans of the iGaming industry with multi-decade successful market penetration experience under their belt, the Company has strong leadership to garner enhanced market share. It is expected that proprietary and exclusive content growth in the US will be further driven by the recently announced technology and content partnership with Caesars Entertainment Inc. This partnership, which leverages the Company’s cutting-edge technology and innovative development strengthens the Company’s profile in a competitive and dynamic market.

• Stronger Penetration in Major European Markets: Bragg aims to expand content distribution in key Western European markets, including Italy, UK, Spain, and Sweden, by leveraging existing integrations with top operators and implementing targeted sales strategies.

• Expand Exclusive Partnerships: The Company plans to increase its roster of partner studios to enhance the release cadence of titles in North America. Additionally, Bragg aims to grow exclusive content distribution in Central European markets, including the Czech Republic and Germany, through strategic partnerships with studios such as Gamomat and King Show Games.

• Stability in PAM Business: The Company’s PAM business is expected to remain flat year-over-year, an overall positive, despite the anticipated contraction of the Netherlands market in 2025 due to regulatory changes made in the fourth quarter of 2024.

• Enhanced Technology Profile: The Company continues to innovate with technologies such as FUZE, which provides bonuses, free rounds, tournaments, jackpots, recommendation engine and other engagement and promotional tools seamlessly across all iGaming, Sportbetting and iLottery products, requiring no additional integration. These advanced features enhance player experience and contribute to the growth of the Company’s product portfolio revenue.

• Data and AI Enhancements: By leveraging extensive gaming data, the Company generates actionable insights and employs AI-driven optimizations to elevate player experiences and enhance operator profitability, thereby accelerating profitable growth in proprietary and exclusive content verticals. Opportunities to leverage AI to reduce costs and enhance product margins are also being actively explored.

• Pipeline Opportunities: A robust pipeline of opportunities is under development, which, if realized, could further enhance 2025 performance but are not yet reflected in the current guidance.

• Stock Appreciation Rights Plan: Bragg has also introduced a new Stock Appreciation Rights (SAR) plan for its executive management team, further aligning management interests with those of shareholders. The SAR plan has been implemented under the Company’s Amended and Restated Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan and pays out only if the Company’s share price increases over a three-year period, with a full payout contingent on achieving a four-fold increase from a base price of $5 CAD. This structure ensures that executive compensation is firmly tied to delivering significant shareholder value. Additionally, the plan includes accelerated vesting provisions in the event of a change of control, preserving alignment with shareholder interests in all value-creation scenarios. SAR award payouts may be settled through the payment of cash, the issuance of shares, or through a combination of both, subject to the discretion of the Company’s Board and availability of shares under the Company’s equity incentive plan at the time.

“I am pleased with where we believe 2024 results will land and very excited about the strong growth trajectory outlined in our 2025 guidance. Our strategic investments in proprietary and exclusive content as well as various Data, Player journey and AI enhanced engagement features, are expected to drive our growth in 2025. By focusing on margin-accretive products, we are well-positioned to boost both revenue and profitability while pursuing opportunities in key markets such as Brazil and the United States. Our PAM product remains a top-tier performer, and while our 2025 growth will largely come from the content side of the business, we have exciting prospects to expand our PAM offering. Additionally, I’m particularly proud of the strong executive team that we have assembled at Bragg this past year. The recently announced Caesars deal highlights their impressive capabilities,” said Matevž Mazij, CEO of Bragg.

The post Bragg Gaming Announces Preliminary Unaudited Results for the Year Ended December 31, 2024 and 2025 Strategic Initiatives and Guidance appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

Canada

Playson signs agreement with Light & Wonder in global distribution deal

Published

1 day ago

January 30, 2025

George Miller

Reading Time: 2 minutes

The award-winning game studio will deliver titles to players in the UK, Canada and Latin America

Playson, the accomplished digital entertainment supplier, has forged a major global content deal with Light & Wonder to significantly enhance the reach of its extensive games portfolio.

This landmark agreement will enable Light & Wonder’s expansive operator network across the UK, Canada, and Latin America to gain access to Playson’s engaging offering.

UK-based operator Dazzletag Entertainment Ltd was the first to go live with the studio’s creative releases last month, with SUPERCHARGED CLOVERS: HOLD AND WIN and 3 POTS RICHES: HOLD AND WIN launched across its online casino brands.

Light & Wonder’s content marketplace is utilised by some of the biggest operator brands from across the globe, providing them with access to more than 3,500 games from a host of third-party studios to allow them to build personalised, mobile-ready player experiences and stay ahead of regulatory changes.

Blanka Homor, Sales Director at Playson, said: “Our deal with Light & Wonder is a major milestone in our strategic roadmap, as we embark on the next chapter of our global growth. This agreement expands our reach and allows us to deliver our appealing titles to new operators and players.

“The launch of our titles across Dazzletag’s two brands is a great start, and we are confident this relationship will further elevate our presence in the ever-evolving online casino space.”

Steve Mayes, Senior Director of Partnerships at Light & Wonder, said: “We are delighted to be working with such a highly respected digital entertainment provider and deliver their portfolio to our network. This strengthens our commitment to offering operators the best game releases available.

“We look forward to other successful launches in 2025, as we continue to support our operators with diverse content.”

The post Playson signs agreement with Light & Wonder in global distribution deal appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.