Canada
NHL Announces Expanded Calendar, New Brand Identity for Esports Champions
The National Hockey League (NHL) has announced an extensive format change to the programming calendar for its annual esports initiatives played on the EA SPORTS NHL game title. The tournament, now in its sixth season, has been rebranded as the EA SPORTS NHL 23 World Championship. The annual global tournament showcases a new creative vision and an expanded calendar of events that aligns with the NHL season.
Players and fans will have the opportunity to engage with more NHL esports content than ever before under the tournament umbrella – including live Twitch streams, Club tournaments, in-person events, and NHL player content, with an official World Championship making its triumphant return in June coinciding with the 2023 NHL Awards and 2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft.
“Expanded programming in NHL markets and participation from all 32 Clubs has always been our ultimate objective as we continue to grow the NHL gaming ecosystem. As we head into the EA SPORTS NHL 23 World Championship season, we are excited to provide more global opportunities for players to compete at the highest level, more consistent social engagement across NHL platforms and the culmination of funnel tournaments at NHL signature events to showcase the skills of our players to our enthusiastic CHEL community,” Chris Golier, NHL Group Vice President of Business Development and Technology Partnerships, said.
Registration for the EA SPORTS NHL 23 World Championship and ancillary events begin on Thursday, December 8. Players and fans can stay up-to-date and follow all the action on the official tournament website, www.nhl.com/NHL23, and on social platforms using the #NHL23WC hashtag.
The Club Championship component of the tournament will add 32 prominent events to the calendar and allow NHL Clubs to expand their gaming presence, engage a younger audience, and crown an EA SPORTS NHL 23 Club Champion. All NHL Clubs will host an esports tournament where the winner will receive prize money and an automatic bid into the EA SPORTS NHL 23 North American Championship knockout round.
EA SPORTS’ new cross-platform matchmaking ability will enable players to square off against opponents on the same console generation, creating larger player pools and shortening queue times to ensure players have more options to face off and spend less time waiting to take the ice. Each ancillary event will produce two winners – one from each respective console generation (one from PlayStation 4 / Xbox One and one from PlayStation 5 / Xbox Series X|S) – who will then continue play in the EA SPORTS NHL 23 World Championship draw. This will give players more chances to play, qualify and win, and fans more touchpoints to the CHEL community.
The new tournament structure will see the NHL also host a new slate of online open tournaments in North America and Europe with finalists having the chance to attend an in-person final event during NHL North American signature events, including the 2023 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend and 2023 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series.
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Alberta
EveryMatrix gets conditional AGLC approval ahead of Alberta iGaming launch
EveryMatrix has received conditional licensing approval from the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC) to offer its iGaming technology in Alberta.
The approval allows the supplier to provide casino and sports platform technologies to licensed operators in the province, which is expected to launch a regulated iGaming market in July. Alberta would become Canada’s second regulated iGaming territory after Ontario.
At launch, EveryMatrix said it will offer titles from its in-house studio Fantasma Games and aggregated content, with plans to expand its portfolio over time.
The company said the Alberta approval adds to its North American licensing footprint, which includes Ontario (since 2022) and US states New Jersey, Michigan, West Virginia, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. EveryMatrix also said it has signed agreements to deliver platform and in-house gaming content in Alberta.
Rani Axon, Market Manager, North America, EveryMatrix, said: “Entering Alberta marks an exciting step for the Group as we expand further into one of North America’s most attractive regulated markets. This approval shows the strength of our compliance team and our readiness to meet regulatory requirements in any market.”
The post EveryMatrix gets conditional AGLC approval ahead of Alberta iGaming launch appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
AGLC
EveryMatrix secures licensing approval in Alberta Canada
EveryMatrix has received conditional licensing approval from the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC) to offer its iGaming technology in the Canadian province, marking another step in the company’s expansion across North America.
The approval enables the Group to provide its award-winning casino and sports platform technologies to licensed operators in Alberta, soon to become Canada’s second regulated iGaming territory following Ontario.
Alberta’s regulated iGaming market is expected to launch in July this year, opening the door for licensed operators to enter the province under its new framework.
At launch EveryMatrix will offer premium titles from its in-house studio, Fantasma Games, as well as aggregated content with further opportunities to expand its portfolio.
The approval further strengthens EveryMatrix’s position as a tier-1 provider in North America, where it already holds licences in multiple North American jurisdictions, including Ontario since 2022, New Jersey, Michigan, West Virginia, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania.
With a population of approximately five million, high digital adoption, and one of the strongest GDP per capita profiles in North America, Alberta is a high-potential iGaming jurisdiction.
EveryMatrix has already secured commercial opportunities in the province, with agreements in place to deliver both platform and in-house gaming content.
Rani Axon, Market Manager, North America, EveryMatrix, said: “Entering Alberta marks an exciting step for the Group as we expand further into one of North America’s most attractive regulated markets. This approval shows the strength of our compliance team and our readiness to meet regulatory requirements in any market.”
The post EveryMatrix secures licensing approval in Alberta Canada appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
BetGuard
iGaming Ontario Launches BetGuard Self-exclusion Tool
iGaming Ontario has launched BetGuard, a tool that enables individuals aged 19 and older to voluntarily opt out of all Ontario regulated online gaming platforms through one online portal. By opting out through BetGuard.ca, players are prevented from accessing their existing accounts, creating new accounts, or receive marketing communications from any regulated igaming site in Ontario. This launch supports the government’s commitment to protecting players through strong and responsible gaming safeguards.
“BetGuard is designed with one simple principle in mind: if you need take a break from the entire regulated igaming market, you can. Player choice is key to the sustainability of our market, and that includes the choice to opt out,” said iGaming Ontario President and Chief Executive Officer Joseph Hillier.
BetGuard benefits:
• Offers a dedicated website where anyone 19 years of age and older can opt out of online gaming in a few minutes without the need to visit individual igaming websites.
• Incorporates all igaming websites in Ontario’s regulated market, including OLG’s.
• Allows Ontarians to choose to opt out of online gambling for a term of 6 months, 1 year, 5 years or a custom term.
• Informs operators not to send direct marketing to individuals who have opted out.
• Offers a dedicated customer care line.
The launch of BetGuard reflects a shared commitment across government, industry and the responsible gaming community to provide Ontarians with an igaming market that has robust safeguards the unregulated market does not.
Ontario’s open and competitive igaming market has generated $262 million in 2025-26 in revenue that has been re-invested back into the province. The Government of Ontario has also invested over $421 million since 2018 in initiatives such as gambling-related public education and awareness programs, responsible gaming support, campaigns, and research.
The post iGaming Ontario Launches BetGuard Self-exclusion Tool appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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