Canada
Making Money From Video Games – Understanding Esports Betting And How To Win Big

2020 has been a turbulent sort of year, with almost every event in the worlds of sport and entertainment seeing either delays or outright cancellations. And with still no end on the horizon, plenty of companies and organizations are bracing themselves for more losses and disruptions heading into the opening months of 2021.
However, one community that has gone almost the complete opposite way is in the video game industry, and more specifically the competitive spheres of gaming (known as ‘Esports’ professionally).
The world of Esports has blurred the lines between entertainment and elite-level sports, and the numbers behind its growth are absolutely staggering. The video game industry is now worth more than the music and film scenes combined, and the Esports sector is set to hit the $1 billion mark by the opening of 2021.
With so much money running around the scene, here’s a brief overview of understanding wagering on Esports, and how you can get ahead of the curve and win big.
A Blossoming Scene
This explosion in popularity has led to plenty of gamers fulfilling their dreams of turning their passions into cash and making money from playing their favourite titles. Lucrative salaries and huge prize pools are the way the pro players make their fortunes, but there are of course other ways people can make their money without having to invest hundreds of hours into honing their skills.
The first thing about understanding ways to make money off of Esports, is understanding that ‘Esports’ is an umbrella term used to describe any title with a competitive scene. Just like how an individual cannot claim to be a master of wagering on a whole variety of sports, people who do well from Esports betting are the ones who know all the ins and outs of just one or two chosen titles.
Think of the term: ‘quality over quantity’.
The world of Esports is made by its events and competitions, with the more high profile and bigger tournaments naturally offering the best collection of odds and markets. Obviously, understanding which events are top-level and when they are happening is crucial to this; most Esports titles have a competitive scene that splits its tournaments into a tier ladder system of ranking. S-Tier and events are usually reserved for the premium events out there, whilst you’ll be hard-pressed to find many competitive markets for those tournaments down in the B and C-Tiers.
More and more platforms such as Liquidpedia and HLTV are being launched that help would-be fans keep track of the competitive calendars of each and every title, and give them a complete overview of each tournament’s ranking, prize pool, fixtures, standings, and results.
Variants Of Wagering
Much like real-world sports betting, there are a whole host of ways in which a player can begin wagering on their favorite video games and their competitive scenes. Because the competition is so fierce, sites such as Unikrn.com have to offer the most complete collection of markets that appeal to every user that find themselves landing on them.
Users are able to back their favorite teams, orgs or players in both match and season outrights, as well as following the action through dynamic live in-play odds.
The emergence of online live streaming on platforms such as Twitch TV have been instrumental in the growth of Esports’ appeal and popularity to both fans and would-be partners, and following the action right as it happens on such a platform allows for a better understanding of the latest odds as they shift, as well as offering a thrilling viewing experience.
Whilst traditional real-world sports find themselves battling greedy corporations and consistently hidden behind paywalls, Esports is readily accessible for anyone to follow.
On top of the traditional forms of wagering, which most are already familiar with, Esports has helped breathe new life into the betting world with more and more exotic markets that are specific to their respective titles. Betting on the number of rounds won, frags picked up, bombs planted or amount of maps played can all help to provide a unique spread betting element to a user’s experience, and certainly presents a potentially lucrative opportunity for fans of a game who are experienced and knowledgeable enough to know the ins and outs.
Again, understanding a game is one thing, however getting ahead of the curve and beating the markets requires a substantial amount of know-how on how the difference between picking a winner and those value bets that really stretch your winnings with value bets. Understanding the games’ metas, competitions and the subtle nuances of professional plays is the best way of ensuring you really clean up with your bets.
Of course, with anything in the wagering world, it’s always important to remember your limits, ensure everything you do is strictly for fun, and always check that any sites you bet with have all the structures in place to help support you.
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Aaron LaBerge
PENN Entertainment Launches Stand-alone iCasino App, theScore Casino, in Ontario

PENN Entertainment announced that it has launched theScore Casino, a new stand-alone iCasino app in Ontario. The dedicated online casino experience leverages the popular theScore brand, which has been a mainstay in the Ontario market for decades. Now available on Android, iOS, and desktop, customers can login using their existing theScore Bet credentials, allowing for a seamless experience across online gaming platforms.
theScore Casino operates on the same cutting-edge proprietary technology platform as PENN’s online Hollywood Casino, which launched as a standalone product in the US in December. The product was recently ranked by Eilers & Krejcik as the #2 overall iCasino product in the US.
theScore Casino, also available within theScore Bet app, offers a variety of online slots, table games, and live dealer content, including original titles from PENN Game Studios, the company’s in-house game development studio. theScore Casino also includes bespoke live dealer tables and exclusive games such as Blue Jays Blackjack, an original title leveraging theScore Bet’s partnership with the Toronto Blue Jays.
“We’re excited to introduce our dedicated iCasino product in Ontario under the well-known and trusted theScore brand. We’ve built a strong online gaming foothold in the Ontario market and are primed to deliver an even better casino experience with our proven stand-alone app. Our customer-friendly platform features more than 1200 games, dozens of original titles and intuitive game play that distinguishes our product and positions us for even greater success,” said Aaron LaBerge, Chief Technology Officer and Head of Interactive at PENN Entertainment.
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Canada
ELK Studios Expands Partnership with SkillOnNet to Ontario Market

PlayOJO, SlotsMagic and SpinGenie to carry ELK Studios’ games in Ontario
Global entertainment brand SkillOnNet and innovative Swedish game creator Elk Studios have cemented their longstanding partnership with the launch of ELK’s groundbreaking portfolio in the Ontario market.
ELK Studios is responsible for some of the industry’s most innovative and engaging online casino games. Now, players at SkillOnNet’s Ontario-licensed casinos, PlayOJO, SlotsMagic and SpinGenie, will be able to experience the feature-packed delights of hit titles like Nitropolis, Tinkerbot and Pirot, as well as new release Orbitfall, and the studio’s signature X-iter and CollectR mechanics.
The expansion marks a milestone for ELK Studios as it continues to grow its footprint in regulated markets worldwide. SkillOnNet recently successfully launched the studio’s portfolio in the Spanish and Mexican markets through its Spanish-language brands and expects the studio’s games to make a similarly immediate impact with Ontario players.
Ontario has become a hugely important growth market since the province launched regulated online gaming in 2022. It was worth $2.4 billion in 2024, with $63 billion in wagering, the lion’s share coming from online casinos.
Jani Kontturi, Head of Games at SkillOnNet said: “ELK Studios is known for its high-quality games that blend unique storytelling and humour with high levels of engagement and playability, which is why we’re delighted to introduce them to Ontario. We believe they will perform successfully, as they have in other markets around the world.”
Vaida Cirtautaite, CCO at ELK Studios said: “SkillOnNet has been an invaluable partner in our growth journey, and we are thrilled to expand our collaboration into Ontario. We’re excited to bring our innovative games to a new wave of players in this dynamic market.”
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AGCO
Playnetic granted Ontario supplier license

Global B2B iGaming content provider secures first Canadian market entry following the successful submission and approval of its gaming-related supplier application
Playnetic, the in-demand global B2B iGaming content provider known for its quality games, reliable delivery and outstanding customer service, has announced the approval of its gaming-related supplier application by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).
With the AGCO licensing process being recognised in the industry for its rigorous standards and thorough due diligence, the new certification confirms Playnetic was able to meet the high levels of integrity and regulatory compliance needed to legally distribute its content within the province.
As a result of the approval, Playnetic has now secured its first Canadian market entry and will be able to provide its library of innovative games to licensed operators in the Ontario region – with this starting point paving the way for further expansion into other regulated provinces in future.
Given signs of change emerging within the Canadian market and Alberta making progress toward a regulated online model – likely drawing from Ontario’s framework – this license positions Playnetic strongly to expand its footprint in the country and further solidifies the company’s ambitious growth plans.
In the meantime, Playnetic has already begun making groundwork with key operators in the Ontario region and is looking forward to going live with some exciting brands over the coming months. The company will also be attending SBC’s Canadian Gaming Summit from June 17-19, where both existing and new potential partners alike are welcome to stop by and meet the team.
Dan Phillips, Chief Executive Officer at Playnetic, said: “Acquiring AGCO approval for our gaming-related supplier application is undoubtedly a big step for Playnetic. The new license not only secures our first Canadian market entry, but also reaffirms Playnetic’s position as a trusted provider in iGaming and underlines our commitment to compliance and operational excellence.”
Julian Borg-Barthet, Chief Commercial Officer at Playnetic, said: “We’re very excited to now be in a position to offer our library of innovative gaming content in Ontario, and the groundwork to do that with some of the region’s biggest licensed operators is already underway. Over time, we’re confident this license will also help us expand further into current markets and emerging regulated provinces, such as Alberta.”
The post Playnetic granted Ontario supplier license appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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