Canada
The Comedy Works announces spring/summer lineup at the Plaza Hotel & Casino

Nationally acclaimed comedians return to entertain in vintage Vegas showroom
The Comedy Works will reopen at the Plaza Hotel & Casino with a star-studded spring/summer lineup of nationally acclaimed headliners beginning April 30. Shows will be at 9 p.m. inside the Plaza’s vintage Vegas showroom featuring red velvet booth seating, an updated sound system, full bars, and table cocktail service. Tickets start at only $25 (plus taxes, fees) and are available online at https://www.plazahotelcasino.com/entertainment/the-comedy-works/. New shows are added regularly.
Friday, April 30 and Saturday, May 1: Kevin Farley – After studying at Second City in Chicago, Farley starred in films such as Black Sheep with his brother Chris Farley and The Waterboy with Adam Sandler. He is a regular comedian at The Laugh Factory in Los Angeles and Chicago and The Improv in Los Angeles and Palm Beach. His many TV guest appearances include Curb Your Enthusiasm, Rules of Engagement, Hot in Cleveland, Just Shoot Me, and Hawaii Five -O.
Friday, May 7 and Saturday, May 8: Jim Florentine – Making audiences laugh for nearly 25 years, Florentine has recorded six stand-up comedy albums, shot four full-length specials, and currently hosts his own program on Sirius XM. On television, he hosted seven seasons of VH1 Classic’s That Metal Show and on radio, he is a regular on The Howard Stern show. He is also a bestselling author, renowned voice over talent and has been in the films Beer League with Artie Lange and Trainwreck with Amy Schumer.
Friday, May 21 and Saturday, May 22: Lavell Crawford – Best known for playing Saul Goodman’s bodyguard “Huell Babineaux” on AMC’s Breaking Bad, Crawford starred alongside Kristen Stewart, Jesse Eisenberg, and Uma Thurman in American Ultra. He has guest hosted the Steve Harvey Radio Show, appeared on Chelsea Lately, Tosh.O and Workaholics and his second one-hour special Lavell Crawford: Can A Brother Get Some Love recently premiered on Comedy Central.
Friday, May 28 and Saturday, May 29: Augie T. – A Hawaiian comic, tv and movie actor, and radio personality, Augie T. has been performing for nearly three decades. Named one of the U.S.’s top undiscovered comedians by Thrillist and funniest comic in Hawaii by the Honolulu Star-Bulletin and MidWeek newspapers, he was awarded best comedy show by Honolulu Magazine and won 2 Na Hoku Hano Hano awards (Hawaii’s equivalent to the Grammy Award). He has also appeared on the Wayne Brady Show, was a regular on Baywatch Hawaii, and had roles on Hawaii Five-O and Magnum P.I.
Friday, June 4 and Saturday, June 5: Luis J. Gomez – A comedian, writer, podcaster, and producer based in New York City, Gomez is most known as one of the hosts of the popular podcast Legion of Skanks. His television appearances include NBC’s Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central’s Roast Battle, and TruTV’s Comedy Knockout. Gomez co-hosted The Countdown on Sirius XM with former UFC champion Michael Bisping. In 2017, they turned the show into the podcast Believe You Me, which debuted at #1 in iTunes Sports.
Friday, June 18 and Saturday, June 19: Chris Kattan – As one of the longest serving cast members on NBC’s Saturday Night Live, Kattan may be best known for the characters “Mango,” “Mr Peepers,” and as one of the “Butabi Brothers” in the “Night at the Roxbury” sketch alongside Will Ferrell. He then starred with Ferrell in a 1998 movie adaption of the sketch. Since SNL, he has worked as a series regular on ABC’s The Middle and in the movies Hotel Transylvania and The Ridiculous 6. He currently tours the country with his extremely popular stand-up act.
Friday, July 23 at 7 and 9:30 p.m. and Saturday, July 24 at 7 p.m., and 9:30 p.m.: T.J. Miller “The Best Medicine Tour: Doing it Right” – Miller has been performing his absurdist observational standup act worldwide for more than 15 years. He has hosted comedy specials on Comedy Central and HBO and appeared on Conan, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Miller has also been in more than 25 major studio films, such as She’s Out of My League, Seeking A Friend for The End of The World, Rock of Ages, and Yogi Bear 3D. He received the Critics’ Choice Award for his work in the HBO comedy series Silicon Valley. His voice stars in many movies, including as Gene in the Emoji Movie, Fred in Disney’s Academy Award-winning animated feature Big Hero 6, and Tuffnut in the Oscar-nominated animated films How to Train Your Dragon and How to Train Your Dragon 2.
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Betty
Thunderkick commits to growth in Ontario with Betty partnership

Independent slots studio Thunderkick has agreed a deal with Ontario-based operator Betty to supply the rapidly growing online casino with a diverse collection of globally popular titles.
Betty, an official partner of sporting franchises Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors, has risen to prominence since its 2022 establishment, when it was built following the consultation of 300 casino players to create the optimal iGaming environment.
Distinguishing itself from North American competitors by catering specifically to slot enthusiasts rather than sports bettors, the operator has curated a portfolio of 2,800 games, hand-picked to deliver customers maximum entertainment value.
Thunderkick’s content is the latest to be integrated into Betty’s online casino, and the agreement will see a selection of its most popular titles, including The Wildos 2, Midas Golden Touch 3, and Esqueleto Explosivo 3, made available to a greater number of Ontarian players.
Thunderkick marked its debut in the Canadian province in Q2 of 2024, and has since partnered with a network of leading operators to improve its market position. The collaboration with Betty will further amplify its visibility in a key jurisdiction as the provider looks to reinforce its reputation as a global slot developer.
Svante Sahlström, CCO at Thunderkick, said: “It’s our mission at Thunderkick to go deeper, not wider, in 2025. That means forging meaningful, lasting relationships in target markets as opposed to securing as many commercial deals as possible.
“Since entering Ontario over 12 months ago, we have worked tirelessly to enhance our presence in the province, and working with leading brands such as Betty allows us to bring our unique games to a deeper pool of Canadian players.”
Paraskeva Smirnova, Casino Operations Manager at Betty, added: “Betty’s USP has always been our drive to build a slot portfolio with the very best titles from the industry’s most creative suppliers.
“Thunderkick’s passion for slot development is there for all to see, and the introduction of its games to our casino further elevates the consumer experience.”
The post Thunderkick commits to growth in Ontario with Betty partnership appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
BCLC
Save the Date: BCLC’s New Horizons in Safer Gambling Conference Returns November 2026

BCLC is pleased to announce the return of the New Horizons in Safer Gambling Conference, taking place November 2–4, 2026, at the JW Marriott Parq Vancouver.
This global event brings leading voices in research, policy and industry together to explore innovative approaches to safer gambling. Attendees can expect two days of forward-thinking dialogue, evidence-based insights and collaborative solutions to help shape the future of player health.
Sponsorship Opportunities Now Available
New to the 2026 conference, BCLC is excited to offer sponsorship opportunities to organizations that share BCLC’s passion for safer gambling. Benefits of sponsoring New Horizons 2026 include industry visibility, leadership recognition and meaningful engagement with a global audience. To learn more about sponsorship, please e-mail [email protected].
Registration and program details will be released later this fall.
The post Save the Date: BCLC’s New Horizons in Safer Gambling Conference Returns November 2026 appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Canada
absolutebet Secures AGCO Registration as an Internet Gaming Operator in Ontario

Internet Gaming Operator by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).
This significant milestone authorizes absolutebet to offer regulated iGaming services in Ontario’s legal market under the oversight of AGCO and iGaming Ontario (iGO).
The registration marks a key step in absolutebet’s mission to bring a trusted, responsible, and innovative online casino experience to Ontario players. absolutebet is committed to operating with integrity and transparency, meeting all provincial standards for player protection, responsible gambling, anti-money laundering, and game integrity.
“Securing AGCO registration is more than a milestone—it’s the start of absolutebet’s journey in one of the most exciting regulated markets in the world,” said Chen Truman, Founder of absolutebet. “We are building a brand that will grow with the Ontario community and set the stage for future expansion.”
On the regulatory milestone, Krisztina Kalla, Legal & Regulatory Compliance Advisor of absolutebet, commented: “I’m incredibly proud to see all the hard work behind this license pay off. Securing AGCO registration has taken months of preparation and close collaboration with regulators and partners. I am very happy to see the result of that work, and even more excited as we move into the launch phase and open up the absolutebet community to Ontario players in a fun and responsible way.”
Ontario is recognized as one of the most competitive and fast-growing regulated iGaming markets in North America. With AGCO registration secured, absolutebet will move forward with the final stages of its iGO onboarding process in preparation for launch.
The post absolutebet Secures AGCO Registration as an Internet Gaming Operator in Ontario appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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