Canada
New Wave Esports Completes Acquisition of Even Matchup Gaming
NEW WAVE ESPORTS CORP. is pleased to announce it has completed the acquisition of all of the issued and outstanding shares of Even Matchup Gaming Inc. not previously held by New Wave Esports. New Wave Esports previously held an 18% stake in EMG. EMG is an esports events production and broadcast company based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
EMG highlights include:
A Toronto-based leading esports and competitive gaming event organizer, broadcaster, and player management company that produces onsite and online tournaments.
Focused on producing events within the fighting game community (FGC), such as Super Smash Bros., Street Fighter V, Tekken 7, Dragon Ball FighterZ, and more.
Hosts 80+ events per year with two major events, Get On My Level and Let’s Make Moves.
Get On My Level, an annual Super Smash Bros. tournament with an official Nintendo partnership, saw 2,100+ attendees and just under 1M livestream views on twitch.tv during its 2019 event – with projected increased attendance and viewership for its 2020 event.
Let’s Make Big Moves, another annualized FGC event, saw just over 1,000 attendees with 344k+ Twitch impressions for its 2020 event.
An annual growing audience of 7,400+ attendees, 25.8M+ social impressions, 5.5M+ YouTube views, and 1.8M+ Twitch livestream views.
“The EMG team is excited to be another wholly-owned company in the New Wave Esports portfolio,” says Joe Cribari, CEO of Even Matchup Gaming. “We have a great opportunity to build on the momentum of our existing 80+ annual live events as we reimagine esports event experiences in the fighting game community and beyond. By working with New Wave Esports’ other accretive portfolio companies, we are accelerating our business strategy by expanding through North America in 2020. We are looking forward to working closely with Dan Mitre and his team who share our vision and passion to grow the esports industry, starting with our passionate community.”
“We’re honored to welcome Even Matchup Gaming to the New Wave Esports family,” said Daniel Mitre, CEO of New Wave Esports. “The company that Joe Cribari and his team has built has retained its roots with the fighting game community, and has maintained steady year-over-year revenue and audience growth. EMG’s addition to our portfolio positions us as one of the premiere Super Smash Bros. and FGC tournament organizers within the esports industry. As we look further into 2020, we are excited to expand EMG’s presence throughout North America as we bring additional major events to key cities in the United States and Canada.”
Pursuant to the definitive share purchase agreement entered into on November 28, 2019, the consideration payable to the vendors of EMG is an aggregate of $1,230,000, payable in a combination of $550,000 cash (the “Cash Consideration”) and 7,555,555 common shares in the capital of the Company (the “Consideration Shares”) issued on February 7, 2020 at a deemed price per Consideration Share of $0.09. The Cash Consideration is payable in tranches, with $350,000 paid on February 7, 2020 and the remainder to be paid in installments over the six months following February 7, 2020. A portion of the Consideration Shares is subject to a contractual lock-up and will be released to the vendors of EMG in installments over twelve months following the closing of the Acquisition. Additional details on the Acquisition can be found in the CSE Form 9 of the Company posted in connection with the Acquisition.
ABOUT EVEN MATCHUP GAMING INC.
In March 2019, New Wave Esports acquired an 18% equity stake in Even Matchup Gaming, a Toronto-based leading esports and competitive gaming event organizer, broadcaster, and player management company that facilitates online and live tournaments. The company’s tournament operator model is integral to the esports industry ecosystem as it is scalable and rapidly growing. Even Matchup Gaming’s focus on fighting games uniquely positions the company in an important emerging sector of esports. The company produces over 80 events per year with 500 events hosted to date on local, regional, and national levels, including Canada’s large fighting game tournament Get On My Level and Tristate’s largest Super Smash Bros. tournament, Let’s Make Moves. They leverage strategic partnerships and sponsorships with endemic and non-endemic brands such as Nintendo, Red Bull, and BENQ.
Caesars Entertainment Windsor Limited
OLG and Caesars Sign Long-term Operating Agreement for Windsor Casino
The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) and Caesars Entertainment Windsor Limited (Caesars) announced that they have entered into a Casino Operating and Services Agreement (COSA) for the Windsor casino.
Under the new, close to 20-year agreement, Caesars continues day-to-day operations of the Windsor casino, ensuring its exciting brand of gaming entertainment remains part of the Windsor skyline.
“This is a great day for OLG, our partners at Caesars and the City of Windsor. The agreement we’ve signed will see our partnership with Caesars continue for many years to come. It’s a partnership that has benefitted the community and local economy in countless ways and we’re thrilled to continue our contribution together,” said OLG’s President and CEO, Duncan Hannay.
The Windsor casino is the final gaming site in Ontario to transition to OLG’s Land-based Gaming modernization model.
In May 2025, Stan Cho, Ontario’s Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming and OLG announced that Caesars had been selected as the operator through a competitive procurement process, with the expected transition to the new agreement with Caesars in early 2026.
“We are proud to continue bringing the iconic Caesars brand to life here in Windsor. For more than three decades, this Resort has been a cornerstone of the region’s tourism economy, and for the past 18 years it has proudly carried the Caesars name. We look forward to building on that legacy by delivering the world‑class hospitality, entertainment, and service our guests expect from Caesars,” said Anthony Carano, President and Chief Operating Officer of Caesars Entertainment.
Under the new agreement, OLG will continue to make Municipality Contribution Agreement (MCA) payments to the City of Windsor. Since 1994, OLG has provided more than $138 million in MCA payments to the city as a gaming host community. Additionally, Caesars must maintain current casino employment levels for a period of no less than 18 months. Unionized employees will be governed by the terms of their collective agreement.
Through its Land-based Gaming modernization, OLG has been transferring day-to-day operations of casinos to private sector service providers who are investing in Ontario communities. To date, OLG’s land-based gaming service providers have invested more than $2.9 billion in communities across the province, which both encourages local economic growth and helps OLG increase its contribution to the Province of Ontario.
OLG promotes safer gambling and empowers players to make informed decisions at every step of their play. PlaySmart provides tools and information that help players stay in control and enjoy games on their terms.
The post OLG and Caesars Sign Long-term Operating Agreement for Windsor Casino appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Bragg Gaming Group
Bragg Strengthens Executive Team for Enhanced Content Strategy, North American Growth, and AI-First Transformation
Bragg Gaming Group has announced the appointment of Morten Tonnesen as its new Chief Operating Officer and the promotion of Garrick Morris to the position of Executive Vice President of Global Content, US and Canada.
These immediate management changes emphasize Bragg’s strategic focus on aggressively scaling and expanding the high-margin content business globally, especially throughout the US and Canada. This global content business demonstrated significant growth, increasing by 76% in Q4-2025 compared to Q4-2024 and achieving 69% growth for the full year 2025 compared to 2024. This growth is supported by the acceleration of the “Bragg AI Brain” initiative and the company’s future presence in key emerging markets, such as Historical and Live Racing and Prediction markets. The organizational realignment represents the necessary final steps following the structural cost changes announced in January 2026.
Matevž Mazij, CEO of Bragg Gaming Group, said: “I’m thrilled to welcome Morten to Bragg and congratulate Garrick on his promotion. Both leaders are highly qualified, bringing extensive iGaming expertise that will be vital as we embark on our next chapter: becoming a global B2B leader in Content, Engagement, and Infrastructure and what we believe will be iGaming’s ‘AI-First’ company. Our cutting-edge tech stack has moved beyond the investment phase and is now a proven cash generator engineered for horizontal scaling.
“We believe their contributions will strengthen our ability to deliver operational leverage, meet our goals to streamline internal processes, enhance overall efficiency across our organization, and advance us further along the path toward EBITDA growth and net profitability. Importantly, with Morten streamlining operations and Garrick focused on U.S. and Global content expansion, we also believe that we are uniquely positioned to provide the robust iGaming ecosystems required by leading players in the evolving Historical and Live Racing and Prediction markets. We believe Bragg will stand out as the sole B2B provider operating at the convergence of iGaming, Sports, and Predictions.”
As Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Tonnesen’s mandate includes driving operational leverage and implementing Bragg’s ambitious artificial intelligence (AI) transformation. The goal of this transformation is to establish Bragg as an AI-First company by 2027. This transition is supported by specific 2027 objectives: ensuring AI-Enhanced Products are standard in over 90% of new launches and integrating AI into more than three-quarters of Bragg’s operational workflows.
Mr. Tonnesen brings over 17 years of progressive leadership experience in the iGaming, sports betting and technology sectors. He is recognized for his expertise in scaling complex businesses, driving cost efficiencies and operational excellence, and successfully executing high-impact initiatives to expand into new markets and achieve profitable growth. Before joining Bragg, Mr. Tonnesen served as Chief Growth Officer at Xtremepush, a leading provider of AI-powered CRM and loyalty marketing. Prior to his role at Xtremepush, which he joined in 2024, he was Chief Commercial Officer at Shape Games, an award-winning digital B2B platform and service provider for the iGaming industry, which was subsequently sold to Kambi. Earlier in his career, he co-founded and successfully exited the sports betting operator BetWarrior, now a major player in LatAm. He also spent six years in various roles at PokerStars. Mr. Tonnesen holds a Bachelor of Science in General Economics and a Master of Science in Strategy, Management, and Organisation from Copenhagen Business School.
Mr. Tonnesen said: “It has been captivating to watch the scale, scope and speed with which Bragg is already building the Bragg AI Brain and, thereby, transforming itself into an AI-first company. With Bragg navigating a combination of increasingly complex regulatory compliance requirements and recent tax headwinds in the Netherlands and other regions, exciting new emerging market opportunities in the U.S. and elsewhere, and potential consolidation in the overall global iGaming and Prediction markets, my near-term focus will be squarely on helping steer the Bragg AI Brain toward protecting the Company’s cash runway and driving its EBITDA growth.”
Mr. Morris first joined Bragg as Senior Vice President Commercial for the U.S. & Canada in 2024. In an iGaming management career spanning more than 15 years, before joining Bragg, he served as Chief Operating Officer at Digital Gaming Corporation, Operations Manager at Microgaming, and IT Platforms Manager at Derivco. Mr. Morris has a Bachelor of Economics from Stellenbosch University.
Mr. Morris said: “Since I first joined Bragg in May 2024, we have significantly expanded our U.S. content footprint through the launch of our newest games, Remote Gaming Server technology, and Player Account Management platform. I look forward to working with the team to help further accelerate growth, including via our planned strategic entrance into the Historical and Live Racing, and Prediction markets segments, with the aim of enhancing value for our shareholders.”
The post Bragg Strengthens Executive Team for Enhanced Content Strategy, North American Growth, and AI-First Transformation appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Canada
Wazdan’s North American Growth Accelerates Following FanDuel Alliance
Wazdan, the player-centric developer, has further strengthened its notable North American presence by forming a partnership with FanDuel, a top iGaming company in the area.
The deal represents a crucial milestone in Wazdan’s continuous global growth, as FanDuel introduces two feature-packed games at the same time in Ontario and Michigan, enabled by Light & Wonder’s aggregation platform.
In Ontario, gamers can experience Mighty Fish: Blue Marlin and 36 Coins, two games that highlight Wazdan’s distinctive blend of familiar themes and performance-focused mechanics. In Michigan, 12 Bells and Hot Slot: 777 Crown will offer players captivating gameplay designs centered on clarity, rhythm, and extensive features.
After the initial launch, FanDuel’s famous iGaming platform, FanDuel Casino, will have its collection expanded by a wide array of new slot games, each meticulously selected to include various Wazdan features that enhance player engagement like Cash Infinity
, Hold the Jackpot, and Sticky to Infinity
, all aimed at increasing entertainment and providing tangible growth for operators.
The newest expansion capitalizes on Wazdan’s progress in North America, succeeding in Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and previous entries into West Virginia.
Radka Bacheva, Head of Sales at Wazdan, said: “Partnering with FanDuel represents a major milestone in Wazdan’s North American growth strategy and underlines the strong demand for our engagement-driven portfolio across regulated markets.
“FanDuel’s reach and reputation make them an ideal partner, and launching simultaneously in Ontario and Michigan is a powerful way to introduce our games to new audiences. We are confident that our feature-rich titles and proven mechanics will resonate strongly with players and deliver tangible value for FanDuel as we continue to scale our presence across the region.”
The post Wazdan’s North American Growth Accelerates Following FanDuel Alliance appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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