Canada
THE ESPORTS AWARDS UNVEIL THE FIRST WAVE OF FINALISTS
The Esports Awards announces a return to a live event on November 20th with Dr Disrespect, G2 Esports and Hector ‘HECZ’ Rodriguez among the first wave of the finalists in the community award categories
Voting for the community categories is open now at www.esportsawards.com/vote
The Esports Awards, the most prestigious night in the esports calendar, is pleased to present the first set of finalists for this year’s awards with Team Liquid, PUBG MOBILE, Sjokz and Valkyrae all being named. The Esports Awards is also happy to share that it will officially be returning for a physical award ceremony at the Esports Stadium Arlington, Texas on Saturday 20th November.
The first set of finalists were announced in the Esports Awards’ second Spotlight Show of the year which was hosted by Thom ‘F.’ Badinger with co-hosts Soe Gschwind and Mitch ‘Uber’ Leslie. The show was packed full of exciting content and interviews including Nyvi Estephan interview with Brazilian Free Fire player Bruno ‘Nobru’ Goes and FDot talking to streamer sensation and Twitch record-breaker, Ludwig.
The full list of community awards finalists are:
Esports Apparel of The Year
- 100 Thieves
- Team Liquid
- G2 Esports
- Cloud9
- FaZe Clan
- Ateyo
- Fnatic
- Spacestation Gaming
- Fallen Store
- Team Vitality
Esports Content Creator of The Year
- HECZ
- LS
- Ashley Kang
- Thorin
- Macie Jay
- UpUpDownDown
- BananaSlamJamma (BSJ)
- Musty
- Sunless Khan
- iFerg
- Coconut Brah
- NadeKing
Esports Mobile Game of The Year Presented by Verizon
- PUBG Mobile
- Free Fire
- Brawl Stars
- Clash Royale
- LoL Wild Rift
- CoD Mobile
- Arena of Valor
- Mobile Legends
Esports Personality of the Year
- HECZ
- Ocelote
- Sjokz
- Nobru
- Nadeshot
- FalleN
- Interro
- Perkz
- Goldenboy
- Baiano
- JohnnyBoi_i
Streamer of The Year
- Valkyrae
- XQC
- MortaL
- Ludwig
- Nickmercs
- TheGrefg
- LOUD Coringa
- Summit1G
- Dr Disrespect
- Ibai
- Shroud
- CouRage
“I am really excited for us to share the first set of finalists for this year’s awards which I am delighted will be returning to a live event format at the Esports Stadium in Arlington, Texas. We look forward to safely crowning this year’s winners and celebrating 12 months of resilience, growth and innovation. Get ready to witness the biggest night in esports celebration.” said Michael Ashford, Managing Director, Esports Awards
Throughout the year the Esports Awards will be bringing you Spotlight Shows packed with the best content and interviews hosted by the biggest faces from the esports industry. The Esports Awards 2021 key campaign dates are:
- June: Finalists for the Industry Awards
- July: Finalists for Creative Awards
- September: Finalists for the Pro & On-Air Talent Awards
- October: The Go-Home Show building up to the main event
- End of Year: The Esports Awards 2021 Ceremony
The Esports Awards is excited to welcome Matrix Keyboards back as a partner for the 2021 awards. Matrix Keyboards will be sponsoring both Esports PC Player and PC Rookie of the Year awards. Cementing its commitment to supporting mobile esports, Verizon will also be back as the sponsor for Esports Mobile Player of the Year & Esports Mobile Game of the Year. Other sponsors for the Esports Awards 2021 include Koyo Store, Sizzle Creative, Touch of Ginger, SCUF, Arlington CVB and SecretLab.
Nominations for all other categories are still open over at www.esportsawards.com/nominate. The Industry Awards nominations will close in June, Creative Awards nominations close in July and Pro & On-Air Talent Awards nominations conclude in September.
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Canada
Fennica Gaming Expands its Partnership with Loto-Québec by Launching eInstant Games
Building on the momentum of its successful market entry, Fennica Gaming announced the expansion of its partnership with Loto-Québec by launching also its portfolio of eInstant games. This second phase follows the recent successful launch of Fennica Gaming’s online casino games, making its full suite of innovative online games available to players on Loto-Québec’s digital platform, the only legal online gaming offer in the province of Québec.
The launch of the eInstant portfolio completes the initial offering, delivering a diverse and engaging gaming experience designed with Fennica Gaming’s signature player-first approach. The move solidifies Fennica Gaming’s commitment to the Canadian market and its strategy of building long-term, sustainable partnerships with regulated lotteries and operators.
“Launching our casino games was the first step; following it up swiftly with our eInstants is about delivering on our promise. Our partnership with Loto-Québec is built on shared values of responsibility and providing engaging, high-quality entertainment. This isn’t just a content drop; it’s a commitment to our partner’s long-term success and to bringing fresh, reliable gaming experiences to the players in Québec,” said Joni Hovi, SVP of Customers and Marketing at Fennica Gaming.
“Our eInstants are designed with a Nordic innovativeness; they are intuitive, visually engaging, and extremely entertaining – built for sustainable fun. We’ve added the best of mobile gaming expertise, seasoned it with a high-quality, player-centric experience. We are confident that this creative energy offers a distinct flavour that will stand out and connect with players in Québec,” said Kirsi Lagus, SVP of Portfolio and Product Development.
The post Fennica Gaming Expands its Partnership with Loto-Québec by Launching eInstant Games appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Canada
CGA Announces Leadership Evolution and 2026 Board of Directors
Amanda Brewer becomes Senior Vice President of Policy & Communications and Brandon Aboultaif becomes Vice President of Western Canada; Salim Adatia (GLI) and Mike Maodus (Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP) join the CGA Board as Scott Vanderwel (PointsBet Canada) is appointed Chair.
Amanda Brewer has joined the Canadian Gaming Association (CGA) as Senior Vice President of Policy and Communications, and Brandon Aboultaif has assumed the position of Vice President for Western Canada.
Amanda has served as a consultant to the Association for over 15 years, playing a pivotal role in achieving numerous CGA milestones. “I am confident she will apply her enthusiasm and expertise to this new position, which more precisely aligns with her ongoing contributions on behalf of our members,” said Paul Burns, President and CEO, CGA. Amanda remains actively engaged in AML and advertising bill initiatives in Ottawa, along with the Alberta consultation process, where the Association is collaborating with the Government of Alberta and AGLC to prepare the province for its iGaming market launch.
Brandon is the former Press Secretary to Dale Nally, Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction and will be a great addition to the CGA. “With the Alberta market soon opening, it has been an important goal to expand our presence into the western part of the country,” added Mr. Burns. His key responsibilities include advancing industry research and education initiatives, supporting member engagement across Western Canada, and fostering collaboration on responsible gaming, innovation, and market development initiatives that strengthen Canada’s gaming ecosystem.
In addition, Salim Adatia, Managing Director, Canada for Gaming Laboratories International, LLC, and Mike Maodus, Partner, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, have joined the CGA’s Board of Directors, and Scott Vanderwel, CEO for PointsBet Canada, becomes the Association’s new Chair.
The full 2026 board is as follows:
- Salim Adatia, Gaming Laboratories International, LLC
- Bruce Caughill, Rush Street Interactive
- Peter Czegeldy, Aird & Berlis LLP
- Neil Erlick, Nuvei
- Kurt Gissane, Aristocrat
- Charmaine Hogan, Playtech
- Dale Hooper, FanDuel
- Chuck Keeling, Great Canadian Entertainment
- Mike Maodus, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
- Terry McInally, Gateway Entertainment
- Niaz Nejad, Non-Member Director
- Derek Ramm, Kinectify
- Lindsay Slader, GeoComply
- Richard Taylor, Niagara Casinos
- Shane Thompson, Konami
- Scott Vanderwel, PointsBet Canada (Chair)
- Scott Woodgate, BetMGM
We are also pleased to welcome three past chairs as Emeritus members of the board:
- Ilkim Hincer, IC360
- Carrie Kormos, CK Consulting Inc
- Bob Parente, Light & Wonder
“Amanda and Brandon have joined the CGA as full-time members to oversee several important national campaigns,” stated Scott Vanderwel, Chair of the Board. “We are also pleased to welcome Salim and Mike to the Board. The Board has worked closely with Paul over recent years to advance the Association’s leadership and board structure. We have full confidence in Amanda and Brandon as they step into these key roles, as well as in the valuable contributions that Salim and Mike are expected to bring as we prepare for an active 2026 workload.”
Mr. Burns stated that the newly announced executive and Board appointments will strengthen CGA’s position and support its expansion into Western Canada. “Amanda brings extensive CGA experience, while Brandon contributes knowledge of government policy at both federal and provincial levels. Coupled with our enhanced Board, I am confident they will help drive CGA’s objectives and ongoing growth.”
Source: canadiangaming.ca
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Adam Pentecost Chief Revenue Officer at Gaming Corps
Gaming Corps partners with BetMGM for exclusive Ontario launch
Gaming Corps – a publicly-listed game development company based in Sweden, has announced a landmark content partnership with BetMGM, a leading iGaming and sports betting operator, marking BetMGM as the first partner to bring Gaming Corps’ full portfolio to players in Ontario. The exclusivity will run for an initial period before the portfolio is rolled out more widely in the market.
The agreement brings BetMGM players in Ontario the full force of Gaming Corps’ premium line-up, from blockbuster titles like 3 Pigs of Olympus and Gates of Hellfire to signature mechanics including the adrenaline-fuelled A-MAZE-CADES
and instant-win Smash4Cash
series.
Available at BetMGM Casino, the portfolio also features the innovative X-MY-WAY
challenge, as seen in Hoop Champion and Golf Champion, which introduces new layers of interactivity and personalised gameplay experiences.
Adam Pentecost, Chief Revenue Officer at Gaming Corps, said: “Ontario has quickly become one of the most exciting regulated markets in North America, and we’re thrilled to be making our debut with BetMGM as our first operator partner in the province. The opportunity to launch with such a high-profile brand, on an exclusive basis, allows us to showcase our content to an engaged player base and demonstrate the unique experiences we can deliver. This is an important milestone in our North American expansion strategy, and we look forward to seeing how Ontario players respond to our portfolio.”
Oliver Bartlett, Vice President of Gaming at BetMGM, said: “Exclusivity matters because it gives our players something they can’t find anywhere else and sets us apart in a competitive market. Gaming Corps’ engaging and interactive content portfolio is a fantastic addition to BetMGM Casino.”
The post Gaming Corps partners with BetMGM for exclusive Ontario launch appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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