Canada
Luckbox team celebrate with TSXV trading set to start today
The team behind leading esports betting brand Luckbox were celebrating as the company was set to begin trading on the TSX Venture Exchange in Toronto.
Luckbox’s parent company Real Luck Group Ltd was due to make its public market debut on Wednesday, December 16, at 2.30pm GMT / 9.30am ET / 6.30am PT under the ticker “LUCK”.
The public listing comes just 20 months after Luckbox accepted its first bet and caps an eventful year for the company as the Covid-19 pandemic pushed esports (and particularly esports betting) closer to the limelight.
With most of the world forced into lockdown and all major sports on hold, esports became one of the few forms of live entertainment to survive as tournaments moved online.
Gaming channel Twitch (owned by Amazon) saw its viewed hours increase to 5 billion in the second quarter of 2020. That was a 50% increase over the first quarter. Facebook, even though its viewed hours are about a fifth of Twitch’s, saw its viewership increase 75% over the same period.
Arguably the biggest beneficiary of the esports’ boom was the betting sector. Luckbox reported a 500% increase in turnover during the spring lockdown, accelerating its path to go public.
Now that day is here, Luckbox CEO Quentin Martin is looking ahead to 2021 with big plans.
He said: “The massive potential of esports is well documented and late last year PwC cited esports as having higher growth potential than any other sport. That was before we knew about Covid, of course, and the events of 2020 have put esports in sharper focus. Many who weren’t paying attention certainly are now.
“We’re at the forefront of the esports betting sector and we’ve seen first hand the impact it’s had on esports betting. It’s been huge – a large part of our reasoning to go public this year was the acceleration we saw during lockdown. “We saw a massive spike in players moving from betting on sports to betting on esports and, encouragingly, we managed to lock up some 75% of the gains we made. We have clear evidence that players who tried esports betting for the first time enjoyed it and stuck with us. “I think another indication of esports’ shift into the mainstream was our EGR Award in November. The EGR Operator Awards are the Oscars of the betting industry and for us, an esports-dedicated platform, to be named Rising Star shows that the egaming world is taking esports seriously and accepts it is very much a vertical to watch.”
So, how does 2021 look for Luckbox? Martin said the company has big plans for the year ahead. He said: “These are exciting times and 2021 will be a very busy year for us. So far, almost all of our growth has been organic and the potential for growth through marketing is huge. “We’ll focus strongly on content marketing, affiliates, partnerships, influencers and direct media and we’ll be strengthening our marketing team with more key hires.
“Luckbox is a bespoke website, built by our team to cater to the unique demands of an esports audience – that is to say, aged 18 to 38, well educated and extremely tech-savvy – and a big part of our efforts this year will be continuing to hone our product. We’ll be launching sports betting, working on a casino offering and many other cool features that will help attract and retain players.
“We also have big plans from a B2B perspective, too. We’re looking to bring odds compilation in-house and the most effective way for us to do that would be via a merger/acquisition. This would also make Luckbox an even more attractive as a B2B solution for one of the gambling industry’s behemoths, who, as I have mentioned, are finally realising the value of having a truly authentic esports betting product.”
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Canada
Playson signs agreement with Light & Wonder in global distribution deal
The award-winning game studio will deliver titles to players in the UK, Canada and Latin America
Playson, the accomplished digital entertainment supplier, has forged a major global content deal with Light & Wonder to significantly enhance the reach of its extensive games portfolio.
This landmark agreement will enable Light & Wonder’s expansive operator network across the UK, Canada, and Latin America to gain access to Playson’s engaging offering.
UK-based operator Dazzletag Entertainment Ltd was the first to go live with the studio’s creative releases last month, with SUPERCHARGED CLOVERS: HOLD AND WIN and 3 POTS RICHES: HOLD AND WIN launched across its online casino brands.
Light & Wonder’s content marketplace is utilised by some of the biggest operator brands from across the globe, providing them with access to more than 3,500 games from a host of third-party studios to allow them to build personalised, mobile-ready player experiences and stay ahead of regulatory changes.
The partnership signifies the strength of Playson’s reputation as a respected and highly sought-after provider to operators globally, as the rising demand for its games looks set to take the studio to new heights for 2025.
Blanka Homor, Sales Director at Playson, said: “Our deal with Light & Wonder is a major milestone in our strategic roadmap, as we embark on the next chapter of our global growth. This agreement expands our reach and allows us to deliver our appealing titles to new operators and players.
“The launch of our titles across Dazzletag’s two brands is a great start, and we are confident this relationship will further elevate our presence in the ever-evolving online casino space.”
Steve Mayes, Senior Director of Partnerships at Light & Wonder, said: “We are delighted to be working with such a highly respected digital entertainment provider and deliver their portfolio to our network. This strengthens our commitment to offering operators the best game releases available.
“We look forward to other successful launches in 2025, as we continue to support our operators with diverse content.”
The post Playson signs agreement with Light & Wonder in global distribution deal appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Canada
NorthStar Gaming Announces $43.4 Million Long-Term Debt Financing
NorthStar Gaming Holdings Inc. announced that the company has, subject to final approval of the TSX Venture Exchange, entered into a credit agreement (the “Credit Agreement”) in respect of a senior secured first lien term loan facility providing for loans in an aggregate principal amount of up to $43.4 million CAD (being the approximate equivalent of $30,000,000 USD) (the “Credit Facility”) to be made available by Beach Point Capital Management LP (“Beach Point”). Playtech plc (“Playtech”) and certain Playtech subsidiaries have agreed to provide credit support for certain obligations under the Credit Facility. The Credit Facility represents a significant milestone for NorthStar, strengthening its balance sheet and enabling the Company to continue to accelerate its growth initiatives.
“This is a pivotal moment for NorthStar, marking the largest financing in our history. This Credit Facility strengthens our balance sheet and directly supports our ability to scale operations and drive the business towards profitability with a single-minded focus. We are grateful to Beach Point Capital Management for their trust in our strategy and vision. We are also thankful for Playtech’s steadfast partnership which was instrumental in securing this funding, reinforcing their value both strategically and as a technology provider,” said Michael Moskowitz, Chair and CEO of NorthStar.
“Beach Point has deep experience investing across the gaming sector and is excited to partner with NorthStar to support their strategic initiatives. The online gaming sector has been growing rapidly, and this investment reflects our confidence in the Company’s leadership, market potential, and ability to deliver long-term sustainable growth. Likewise, we value the partnership with Playtech, who are contributing their leading technology, global reach, and strategic vision towards NorthStar’s continued success,” said Gabriel Fineberg, Managing Director at Beach Point.
The purpose of the Credit Facility is to support NorthStar’s continued growth by significantly strengthening the Company’s balance sheet. The Company will use the proceeds of loans made pursuant to the Credit Facility: (i) to repay the aggregate $9.5 million CAD principal amount (plus accrued interest) loaned to the Company by Playtech pursuant to unsecured, interest-bearing promissory notes dated April 25, 2024, September 13, 2024 and December 16, 2024; (ii) to fund an interest reserve account in respect of the Credit Facility in an amount equal to $7,000,000 CAD; (iii) for working capital and general corporate purposes; and (iv) to pay transaction costs in connection with the Credit Facility.
The post NorthStar Gaming Announces $43.4 Million Long-Term Debt Financing appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Blanka Homor Sales Director at Playson
Playson strengthens Canadian footprint with Titanplay partnership
Playson, the established digital entertainment supplier, has secured its latest partnership in Canada after launching its games portfolio with rising iGaming operator Titanplay.
After obtaining its Ontario licence and going live in June earlier last year, Titanplay has made impressive strides in a short space of time with its online casino offering resonating with players across the province.
The agreement sees Playson support Titanplay’s ongoing expansion across Ontario with the supplier’s industry-renowned Hold and Win portfolio now available on the operator’s website, integrated via Relax Gaming’s aggregation platform.
Titles including Coin Strike: Hold and Win, Diamonds Power: Hold and Win and Pink Joker: Hold and Win will enable players to enjoy a feature-led, captivating gameplay experience and expand Titanplay’s rapidly expanding portfolio.
Playson’s latest tie-up underlines its intent of further establishing its brand within Ontario after successfully entering the Canadian province back in 2022. The provider’s industry-renowned portfolio continues to drive long-term value for operators worldwide.
Blanka Homor, Sales Director at Playson, said: “We are proud of the footprint we have established in Ontario with local players truly appreciating the Playson experience. Partnering with an exciting name in the region like Titanplay allows us to accelerate our progress and bring our premium offering to an increased pool of players.
“We look forward to gauging the response from Titanplay enthusiasts and watching this partnership grow from strength to strength.”
Titanplay management commented: “At Titanplay, we pride ourselves with working with industry-renowned names and partnering with Playson seamlessly fits into our plans of becoming a household name in Ontario and across Canada.
“Our portfolio will undoubtedly be elevated by Playson’s Hold and Win collection, offering players a dynamic offering of feature-filled, graphically advanced titles.”
The post Playson strengthens Canadian footprint with Titanplay partnership appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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