Canada

Spray Lakes expands into the Americas

Published

5 years ago

July 20, 2021

Spray Lakes Consultancy, the digital hub that provides hiring companies with access to a rich talent pool of C-Level executives and specialist gambling industry providers, has confirmed that it is expanding its geographical reach to encompass North and Latin America.

The brain child of Nick Harding, who in a 40-year industry career has led corporate transactions with a value of £500m, Spray Lakes has accelerated its expansion plans following demand and feedback from the market. Nick Harding explained: “As awareness of Spray Lakes and the services we are offering the industry spread following our launch in May, we began to get requests from sections of the business looking to expand not only in Europe but also into other international markets where operators and suppliers were struggling to a greater degree in order to get projects off the ground.

“We identified Latin America as a key region in which companies were experiencing significant problems simply because they did not have access to the right calibre of people who knew both the market and the industry. Having one but not the other can lull organisations into a false sense of security and ultimately end-up costing enormous sums of money. Not having access to the right people with the right experience or alternatively thinking that successful expansion programmes can be achieved using existing resource frequently jeopardises the entire project.”

He added: “As well as providing C-Level executives with specialist knowledge of a region, Spray Lakes has the ability to put together a team of vetted experts, who can go into a business wherever it’s based, analyse it, report to stakeholders and if necessary, pick up the reins and run that operation. The website also features a dedicated section for service providers to the industry with links to Law firms, Accountants, Compliance Providers, Security Providers, Designers – in-fact the full gamut of specialisms a business could require. Ultimately, it’s all about delivering one stop shopping for relevant expertise.”

Canada

RESPWNED partners with LOTUS 8 to bring GIRLGAMER festival to Winnipeg in 2026

Published

19 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Wladimir P.

respwned-partners-with-lotus-8-to-bring-girlgamer-festival-to-winnipeg-in-2026

RESPWNED and LOTUS 8 have signed a partnership to launch the GIRLGAMER Winnipeg Festival in 2026, marking the GIRLGAMER Esports Festival brand’s expansion into Canada.

RESPWNED manages the GIRLGAMER Esports Festival brand, while LOTUS 8 is a Canada-based company focused on event development and partnerships. The companies said they will jointly develop and deliver the Winnipeg event, combining global esports IP management, event production, commercial partnerships, and local execution.

“This partnership represents an exciting milestone for GIRLGAMER as we continue to expand globally and bring our platform to new audiences,” said Tiago Fernandes, Managing Partner at RESPWNED. “Canada is a dynamic and fast-growing Esports market, and we are proud to collaborate with LOTUS 8 to deliver a meaningful and impactful event experience.”

Steven Vuong, representing LOTUS 8, added: “We are thrilled to partner with RESPWNED to bring the GIRLGAMER Festival to Canada. This collaboration reflects a shared vision of building inclusive, high-quality esports experiences while creating strong commercial and community value. Together, we are laying the foundation for a standout event in 2026.”

The GIRLGAMER Winnipeg Festival is planned as a family-oriented event with business networking, brand activations, and community programming, and is expected to include international and local talent. Additional details, including dates, venue, and participating partners, will be announced in the coming months.

The post RESPWNED partners with LOTUS 8 to bring GIRLGAMER festival to Winnipeg in 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Canada

RESPWNED and LOTUS 8 to launch GIRLGAMER Winnipeg Festival in 2026

Published

19 hours ago

May 6, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

respwned-and-lotus-8-to-launch-girlgamer-winnipeg-festival-in-2026

RESPWNED, the company that manages the GIRLGAMER Esports Festival brand, and LOTUS 8, a Canada-based company focused on event development and partnerships, today announced their partnership to the launch of the GIRLGAMER Winnipeg Festival.

The strategic partnership marks a significant step in expanding the GIRLGAMER Esports Festival brand into Canada.

This brings its globally recognized platform for competitive gaming, inclusivity, and industry engagement to a new market.

The GIRLGAMER Winnipeg Festival is envisioned as a family-oriented event, with business networking, brand activations, and community-driven experiences.

Under the terms of the agreement, RESPWNED and LOTUS 8 will work collaboratively to develop and deliver the event, combining their respective expertise in global esports IP management, event production, commercial partnerships, and local market execution.

“This partnership represents an exciting milestone for GIRLGAMER as we continue to expand globally and bring our platform to new audiences,” said Tiago Fernandes, Managing Partner at RESPWNED.

“Canada is a dynamic and fast-growing Esports market, and we are proud to collaborate with LOTUS 8 to deliver a meaningful and impactful event experience.”

Steven Vuong, representing LOTUS 8, added: “We are thrilled to partner with RESPWNED to bring the GIRLGAMER Festival to Canada.

This collaboration reflects a shared vision of building inclusive, high-quality esports experiences while creating strong commercial and community value.

Together, we are laying the foundation for a standout event in 2026.”

The GIRLGAMER Winnipeg Festival will feature a combination of international and local talent, brand partnerships, and programming designed to foster diversity, inclusion, and innovation within the gaming and esports ecosystem.

Further details, including dates, venue, and participating partners, will be announced in the coming months.

RESPWNED LTD

RESPWNED is a United Kingdom-based company specializing in esports IP management, event production, and industry consultancy.

The company manages the GIRLGAMER Esports Festival brand, a global platform dedicated to creating opportunities and visibility for women in gaming and esports.

LOTUS 8

LOTUS 8 is a Canada-based premier esports organization based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Dedicated to building championship-calibre teams across North America, they are at the forefront of innovation in competitive gaming.

As pioneers in the industry, they have developed the Performance Mindset Mindfulness, a system designed to support mental health in esports.

This holistic approach blends mental wellness practices, meditation, nutrition, fitness, and proper sleep hygiene into their competitive strategy.

The post RESPWNED and LOTUS 8 to launch GIRLGAMER Winnipeg Festival in 2026 appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Canada

Analysis flags World Cup 2026 stress test for Canada’s patchwork betting rules

Published

22 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Wladimir P.

analysis-flags-world-cup-2026-stress-test-for-canada’s-patchwork-betting-rules

Canada’s provincial gambling model is likely to face a major stress test during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, according to new research published by CasinoCanada.com. The analysis argues the tournament will highlight uneven betting access and channelisation across provinces as Canada co-hosts the event.

The research draws on provincial regulatory reporting, iGaming Ontario’s annual figures and data from Blask’s 2025 iGaming Landscape Report. It says Ontario’s open market—described as having nearly 50 licensed operators—has reached an 83.7% channelisation rate, meaning most online bettors are using regulated platforms.

Outside Ontario, CasinoCanada.com estimates significantly higher offshore leakage, including 93% in Saskatchewan, 88% in Alberta and Manitoba, and about 49% retention in British Columbia despite the long-running PlayNow provincial platform. The report frames those gaps as a competitiveness issue for regulated offerings.

CasinoCanada.com also highlights timing risk in Alberta’s transition to a competitive market. The Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) registration deadline for operators is 13 July 2026—after the World Cup reaches the quarter-final stage—raising the likelihood that peak tournament betting volume continues to flow through unregulated operators, the report says.

Eugene Ravdin, Head of PR for CasinoCanada, said: “The 2026 World Cup is not just a commercial opportunity for the Canadian market – it’s a live stress test for how the country regulates gambling. Ontario has built something that works, and the numbers show it. However, for most Canadians outside that market, the tournament is going to arrive at a system that was never designed for this level of demand.

“The offshore leakage figures are not abstract. They represent real bettors choosing unregulated platforms because the regulated alternative isn’t competitive enough. The World Cup will make that gap very visible, very quickly.”

The post Analysis flags World Cup 2026 stress test for Canada’s patchwork betting rules appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.