Canada
Televisa’s Mexico Gambling and Soccer Assets to Form New Business
Mexico’s largest media and entertainment conglomerate, Grupo Televisia, will move ahead with plans to split its core business to create specific entity focused on “gambling and soccer”.
The company received the approval of its shareholders on April 26 at an Extraordinary Meeting. As a result, Televisa’s lottery and soccer units into a new business which aims to be listed on the Mexican Stock Exchange (BMV).
As stands, dealmakers plan to publish Televisa’s “reorganisation process” in the first-half of 2023. According to the board the new business will “maintain the same shareholding structure as the current organisation.”
“Management believes that this plan will allow both the Company and the new entity to focus on their respective business models and growth opportunities, thus enhancing their ability to generate better access to capital, financing sources, and investors aligned with each business,” Televisa’s statement read.
In 2022, Televisa reported group revenues of $4.1bn, of which a significant share of earnings were attributed to its “secondary business” of gambling.
A breakdown saw gambling units achieved a 40.2% increase in revenues, generating $407m compared to the $243m recorded in the previous year.
The decision to separate the businesses comes on the heels of Televisa’s successful merger with Univision in January 2022. The combination resulted in the creation of TelevisaUnivision, a leading global Hispanic media company with a specific focus on the markets of Mexico, the US, and Central America.
As part of the break-up Televisa’s new business will encompass gaming and lottery units alongside the soccer portfolio of the Estadio Azteca, publishing, magazine publications, and media rights distributions.
Televisa has clarified that “the spin-off remains subject to various conditions, including compliance with applicable legislation, as well as obtaining all necessary corporate and regulatory approvals.”
The gambling segment, managed by Televisa, oversees PlayCity Casino with 18 establishments in Mexico, which includes 7000 gaming machines and an online offering. Furthermore, Televisa oversees the daily and weekly draws of the “Sorteos del Trébol” soccer lottery.
The soccer business includes the promotion of sports events and shows for the Club América team, and the management of Estadio Azteca, home to Club América, Cruz Azul, and the Mexican national soccer team matches, as well as international sports events and music concerts.
Mexican news sources were unsurprised by the announcement as Televisa had made significant $20m capital investments in properties and equipment to bolster its gambling portfolio.
A listing on the BMV exchange is necessary for the spin-off business to gain “better access to capital and financing sources, and attract investors with interests aligned with each business”.
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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.
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’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.
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