Canada

NBA 2K LEAGUE’S FIRST-EVER “WINTER CLA$H” TIPS OFF FRIDAY

Published

6 years ago

December 1, 2020

– Online Tournament Featuring NBA 2K League and NBA G League Ignite Players, Social Media Influencers and Fan-Organized Teams will be Livestreamed on Twitch and YouTube –

– Fan Bracket Registration Begins This Week at NBA2KLeague.com –

NEW YORK – The NBA 2K League announced today the league’s first-ever “NBA 2K League Winter Cla$h,” a three-part online tournament beginning Friday, Dec. 4 featuring NBA G League Ignite players, social media influencers and fan-organized teams, competing alongside and against NBA 2K League players for a share of a $35,000 prize pool. The NBA 2K League Winter Cla$h will be livestreamed on the NBA 2K League’s Twitch and YouTube channels. Registration for the fan bracket begins this week at NBA2KLeague.com^*.

“Coming off our most-watched season to date, we’re excited to continue our positive momentum by engaging with NBA G League Ignite players, fans and influencers through offseason events like the NBA 2K League Winter Cla$h,” said NBA 2K League Managing Director Brendan Donohue. “This unique event will bring together some of the most recognizable personalities from the NBA 2K League, the 2K community and beyond to showcase their skills in a variety of game modes on NBA 2K21.”

In the three tournament stages, teams comprised of influencers, NBA G League Ignite players and NBA 2K League players will accumulate points for two designated captain duos consisting of Artreyo “Dimez” Boyd (Mavs Gaming), Dayvon “G O O F Y 7 5 7” Curry (Blazer5 Gaming) and two influencers to be announced in the coming days. On Wednesday, Dec. 2, “BFW Live Presented by Bud Light” on the NBA 2K League’s Twitch channel will feature a special NBA 2K League Winter Cla$h episode, where each captain duo will draft three NBA 2K League players and three additional influencers or NBA G League Ignite players who will earn points for the duo for the duration of the tournament. At the conclusion of the tournament, the influencer captain belonging to the captain duo whose drafted players have earned the most points will receive $7,000, with the runner-up influencer captain receiving $5,000.

The first stage tips off Friday, Dec. 4 with a 5-on-5 NBA 2K21 Pro-Am match. Teams will include a captain duo, influencers and NBA G League Ignite players.

The second stage will begin on Monday, Dec. 7 – Tuesday, Dec. 8 and will feature eight fan-organized teams in each of two distinct console brackets, competing against each other in 2-on-2 competition on NBA 2K21’s MyPark game mode. The winning and runner-up teams from each fan bracket will advance to eight-team main brackets played on their respective consoles on Friday, Dec. 11, where they’ll compete against teams made up of NBA G League Ignite players, NBA 2K League players and influencers.

The third and final stage will take place Friday, Dec. 18 and will be a 5-on-5 NBA 2K21 Pro-Am match. Each team will feature a captain duo and three NBA 2K League players.

All games in each stage of the NBA 2K League Winter Cla$h will be played in a best-of-three format.

Below please find a current list of NBA 2K League Winter Cla$h participants. A full list of participants and the complete game schedule will be announced in the coming days.

AnnoyingTV – Influencer and content creator with over 519K subscribers on YouTube and 8K subscribers on Twitch
Alexander “Steez” Bernstein (76ers GC) –The former financial advisor helped lead 76ers GC to the 2019 NBA 2K League Finals
Artreyo “Dimez” Boyd (Mavs Gaming) –The No. 1 overall pick in the inaugural NBA 2K League Draft averaged 15.6 ppg and 3.4 apg at shooting guard during the 2020 season
DeMar “Deedz” Butler (Heat Check Gaming) – The former U.S. Navy member was selected by Jazz Gaming in the inaugural NBA 2K League Draft
Dayvon “G O O F Y 7 5 7” Curry (Blazer5 Gaming) – The 2018 NBA 2K League Champion with Knicks Gaming averaged a double-double (11.7 ppg, 12.7 rpg) with Grizz Gaming during the 2020 season
Cody Demps (NBA G League Ignite) – Appeared in 40 games for the Stockton Kings during the 2019-20 NBA G League season and averaged 14.4 ppg along with 5.4 rpg
Dominus – Influencer and NBA 2K content creator with 272K subscribers on YouTube
Brendan “Reizey” Hill (Magic Gaming) – The point guard was named 2019 NBA 2K League Rookie of the Year
IpodKingCarter – Influencer and NBA 2K content creator with 646K subscribers on YouTube; also streams on Facebook Gaming
ItsPikaaa – Influencer with 293K followers on TikTok
Jonathan Kuminga (NBA G League Ignite) – Ranked the No. 4 high-school player in the 2020 ESPN 100 and the top player in New Jersey in the Class of 2020
William “Strainer” Morales (Cavs Legion GC) – Shooting guard who averaged 21.7 ppg and 4.1 apg during the 2020 season
Sten “SAV” Valge-Saar (Lakers Gaming) – The Canada native was named a finalist for 2020 NBA 2K League Rookie of the Year Delivered by Panera Bread after averaging 32.9 ppg and 8.7 apg
Justin “Sherm” Sherman (Hornets Venom GT) – Point guard who averaged 22.6 ppg and 5.3 apg with Mavs Gaming during the 2020 season
StaxMontana– Influencer and NBA 2K content creator with 36K subscribers on YouTube
TyTheGuy – Hip hop recording artist, influencer and content creator with 494K YouTube subscribers

The NBA 2K League Winter Cla$h has a total prize pool of $35,000. Below please find the prizing breakdown:

$16,000 available in the tournament’s second stage in the main brackets ($5,000, $2,000 and $500 awarded to 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd/4^th place, respectively on each console)
$12,000 available to the influencer captains based on points accumulated throughout the three stages ($7,000 and $5,000 awarded to the winning and runner-up influencer captains, respectively)
$5,000 awarded to the winning team of the 5v5 Pro-Am influencer game
$1,000 awarded to the winners of each fan bracket in the tournament’s second stage

For more information, fans can follow the NBA 2K League on Twitter (NBA2KLeague), Instagram (nba2kleague), Facebook (NBA 2K League), Twitch (NBA2KLeague) and YouTube (NBA 2K League) and visit NBA2KLeague.com.

*Fan participation in the NBA 2K League Winter Cla$h subject to Official Rules. Not all fans who sign up will get to participate.

Canada

St8 expands Octoplay aggregation deal to Ontario and the UK

Published

13 hours ago

July 2, 2026

Wladimir P.

st8-expands-octoplay-aggregation-deal-to-ontario-and-the-uk

St8 has extended its content partnership with Octoplay into Ontario and the UK, expanding distribution of Octoplay’s casino games in two regulated markets. The companies announced the move on 2 July, 2026.

Under the expanded agreement, St8 will make Octoplay’s full portfolio available to operators in both jurisdictions through St8’s single API integration.

David Fall, Business Development Manager at St8, said:

“Expanding our partnership with Octoplay into Ontario and the UK is another important milestone as we continue to strengthen our aggregation platform with premium content from leading suppliers.

“Octoplay has built an excellent reputation for developing engaging, high-performing games, and we’re delighted to extend this collaboration into two highly strategic regulated markets. This agreement enables our operator partners to access even more quality content through a single integration while supporting their growth in competitive jurisdictions.”

Ralitsa Georgieva, CEO at Octoplay added:

“We’re pleased to expand our partnership with St8 into Ontario and the UK, making our full portfolio available to even more operators through its aggregation platform. St8 has established itself as a trusted technology partner for regulated markets, and we look forward to building on our successful collaboration together.”

The post St8 expands Octoplay aggregation deal to Ontario and the UK appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Canada

St8 extends Octoplay partnership into Ontario and the UK

Published

13 hours ago

July 2, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

st8-extends-octoplay-partnership-into-ontario-and-the-uk

Casino games aggregator and full-service technology provider St8 has expanded its partnership with Octoplay into Ontario and the UK, further strengthening its premium content offering across two of the industry’s most important regulated markets.

Through the extended agreement, St8 will make Octoplay’s full portfolio of casino games available to operators in both jurisdictions, providing partners with seamless access to the supplier’s high-quality content through its single API integration.

The expansion builds on the successful relationship between the two companies and reflects St8’s continued commitment to providing operators with access to leading game providers across regulated markets. By broadening the availability of Octoplay’s portfolio, St8 further enhances the depth and diversity of content available to its operator network.

Octoplay has quickly established itself as one of the industry’s most innovative and fastest growing game studios, recognised for delivering engaging titles that combine premium gameplay with strong player appeal which are now available across 17 jurisdictions. The supplier’s focus on quality and performance aligns closely with St8’s mission to simplify content aggregation while helping operators deliver exceptional gaming experiences.

The latest agreement reinforces St8’s strategy of expanding its premium content portfolio while helping operators simplify integration, accelerate market entry and deliver engaging gaming experiences across multiple regulated jurisdictions.

David Fall, Business Development Manager at St8, said: “Expanding our partnership with Octoplay into Ontario and the UK is another important milestone as we continue to strengthen our aggregation platform with premium content from leading suppliers.

Ralitsa Georgieva, CEO at Octoplay added: “We’re pleased to expand our partnership with St8 into Ontario and the UK, making our full portfolio available to even more operators through its aggregation platform. St8 has established itself as a trusted technology partner for regulated markets, and we look forward to building on our successful collaboration together.”

The post St8 extends Octoplay partnership into Ontario and the UK appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

AGCO

AGCO Fines Great Canadian Entertainment $120,000 for Using Unauthorised Gaming System Software at Four Casinos

Published

16 hours ago

July 2, 2026

Wladimir P.

agco-fines-great-canadian-entertainment-$120,000-for-using-unauthorised-gaming-system-software-at-four-casinos

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has ordered monetary penalties totalling $120,000 against Great Canadian Entertainment (GCE) for using unauthorided gaming system software at multiple Ontario casino sites, a serious compliance failure that bypassed requirements designed to protect the integrity of casino gaming.

Gaming equipment and systems are central to casino operations. They process payments and wagers, support slot-game play and help maintain controls that protect the integrity, safety and security of the gaming environment. When these systems are used or operated without required testing, monitoring and approval, it weakens safeguards designed to detect and prevent unlawful conduct, including money laundering, and can undermine public confidence in Ontario’s regulated casino sector.

The AGCO reviewed 40 instances in which revoked or unapproved bill validator software had been installed across four casino sites between February 20 and March 15, 2025. Bill validators are components within gaming machines that accept and process cash and help support anti-money laundering controls.

The AGCO’s Standards for Gaming require gaming equipment and software to be tested and approved before being deployed in casinos. Bill validators verify the authenticity and value of cash inserted into electronic gaming machines and are an important safeguard. That is why these systems must undergo rigorous testing and approval to confirm they operate as intended, perform critical functions reliably and are authorised before being introduced into a live casino environment.

Casino operators are responsible for ensuring that changes to gaming systems are properly reviewed, tested and authorised before implementation. Using unapproved software in a live casino environment is a serious compliance failure.

A casino operator served with an Order of Monetary Penalty has the right to appeal the Registrar’s action within 15 days to the Licence Appeal Tribunal (LAT), an adjudicative body that is part of Tribunals Ontario and independent of the AGCO.

“The AGCO requires casino operators to protect the integrity of their gaming systems by making sure they are independently tested, approved and operating as intended. When unauthorised software is used in a live casino environment, it bypasses critical safeguards that are meant to uphold the integrity of gaming and the public’s confidence in the system. The AGCO will continue to hold all casino operators accountable for meeting Ontario’s high standards of gaming system integrity,” said Dr. Karin Schnarr, Registrar and Chief Executive Officer at AGCO.

The post AGCO Fines Great Canadian Entertainment $120,000 for Using Unauthorised Gaming System Software at Four Casinos appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.