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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Alberta iGaming Corporation
Alberta iGaming Corporation Partners with Responsible Gambling Council
The Alberta iGaming Corporation (AiGC) has announced a partnership with the Responsible Gambling Council (RGC) that will make RG Check accreditation a mandatory requirement for all internet gaming (iGaming) sites entering Alberta’s regulated market.
This collaboration demonstrates Alberta’s commitment to player protection by ensuring every regulated operator meets the highest evidence-based standards for responsible gambling.
“Alberta is committed to building a safer, regulated iGaming environment where player protection comes first. By requiring RG Check accreditation, we’re ensuring that every iGaming operator in our market has demonstrated their commitment to player safety through independent verification of their responsible gambling programs,” said Dan Keene, Interim AiGC CEO.
RG Check is a Canadian-made, globally trusted, independent responsible gambling accreditation program. Developed by RGC more than a decade ago, RG Check evaluates sites against rigorous, evidence-based standards, covering governance, player safeguards, staff training, and marketing practices. The accreditation provides clear, measurable accountability and has become the gold standard for responsible gambling across multiple jurisdictions.
“This partnership with AiGC demonstrates the power of regulators and responsible gambling experts working together to protect players from day one. Alberta is building on a strong foundation established in Ontario, where RG Check has proven its value in creating safer gambling environments. This proactive approach ensures that player protection isn’t an afterthought; it’s built into the market from the ground up,” said Sarah McCarthy, CEO of RGC.
Alberta’s requirement will ensure that:
• All iGaming sites must achieve RG Check accreditation
• Operators must maintain their accreditation in good standing while operating in Alberta
• RGC will conduct assessments based on internationally recognized responsible gambling standards
• AiGC will work closely with RGC to ensure ongoing compliance and continuous improvement.
Requiring accreditation in Alberta’s market reflects AiGC’s commitment to promoting responsible gambling, and will create a level playing field where protecting players is a competitive advantage, not just a compliance checkbox.
For operators who currently hold RG Check accreditation in another jurisdiction, the transition to Alberta will be streamlined. While a distinct Alberta accreditation is still required, existing accreditations will be recognized to simplify the process and reduce costs. Operators will benefit from an efficient onboarding process that reduces administrative burden while maintaining the same rigorous standards for player protection.
The post Alberta iGaming Corporation Partners with Responsible Gambling Council appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Canada
St8 launches in Ontario through partnership with Tonybet
Casino games aggregator and full-service technology provider, St8 has officially gone live in Ontario’s regulated market through a new partnership with international brand Tonybet.
Through the partnership, Tonybet gains access to St8’s casino games aggregation platform, offering a wide range of premium titles from leading providers through a single API, alongside bonusing and promotional tools, compliance and licensing solutions, advanced reporting and data capabilities.
Built as a single scalable platform, St8’s products are designed to help operators launch and grow across regulated markets with fast, flexible technology solutions while maintaining full compliance.
The agreement marks a further step in St8’s global growth strategy as the company continues to expand its presence across regulated jurisdictions.
Vladimir Negine, CEO at St8, said: “Going live in Ontario is an important milestone for St8 and reflects our continued commitment to growth in regulated markets. Since receiving our Ontario licence, we have focused on building strong local partnerships and delivering a platform that combines scalability, speed and compliance.
“As a respected international brand, Tonybet shares our commitment to building reliable solutions for regulated markets, and we look forward to working closely together as we continue to expand our presence in regulated jurisdictions worldwide.”
Kiryl Liudvikevich, Head of Product at Tonybet, added: “As we expand our presence in Ontario, it is important for us to work with technology partners that support continued growth while meeting the highest regulatory standards.
“St8’s platform gives us the flexibility to integrate a wide range of content and tools through a single connection, helping us scale smoothly while maintaining a strong focus on player experience.”
St8 continues to lead the way as a partner of choice for regulated markets. In addition to its Ontario licence, the company holds licences in key regulated jurisdictions like the United Kingdom, Sweden and Romania, among others.
The post St8 launches in Ontario through partnership with Tonybet appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Canada
Rivalry Corp. Announces Significant Reduction in Operations and Evaluation of Strategic Alternatives
Rivalry Corp. announced that its Board of Directors has approved a significant reduction in operating activity as the Company evaluates strategic alternatives in respect of its assets and operations.
The Company is engaged in discussions with third parties regarding potential transactions. However, in light of recent performance volatility, the Board has determined to materially reduce the scale of operations while assessing whether a strategic transaction or other alternative can be advanced.
Effective immediately, the Company is implementing substantial cost reductions, including a significant workforce reduction and reduced operating expenditures. The Company has paused player activity on its platform and is facilitating player withdrawals in the ordinary course.
The Company is assessing a range of potential alternatives, which may include asset-level transactions, corporate transactions, restructuring initiatives or other strategic outcomes.
Given the Company’s reduced operating scale and the ongoing evaluation process, there can be no assurance that any strategic alternative will be completed or that operations will continue in their current form.
The post Rivalry Corp. Announces Significant Reduction in Operations and Evaluation of Strategic Alternatives appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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