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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Alberta
Play’n GO granted Alberta iGaming licence, expanding Canadian market footprint
The Swedish gaming giant confirms its entry into another regulated market, with its industry-leading portfolio of games set to launch in Alberta.
Play’n GO, one of the world’s leading casino entertainment providers, has been granted a licence to supply online gaming content in the Canadian province of Alberta, marking another milestone in the company’s expansion across regulated North American markets.
The licence, awarded by the Alberta Gaming, Liquor & Cannabis Commission (AGLC), allows the company to offer its portfolio of premium online casino titles to licensed operators in the province ahead of Alberta’s planned market launch later this year.
Alberta represents an important new regulated opportunity within Canada, complementing Play’n GO’s established presence in Ontario and Quebec, while reinforcing the company’s commitment to operating exclusively in regulated jurisdictions.
Magnus Olsson said: “Being granted a licence in Alberta is another important step in our North American growth journey and further strengthens our presence in Canada.
“Regulated markets are the foundation of our business, and Alberta represents an exciting opportunity to expand our footprint in a jurisdiction that shares our commitment to high standards, player protection and long-term sustainability.”
The Alberta licence forms part of Play’n GO’s broader strategy of expanding through regulated markets, working closely with licensed operators to deliver compliant, high-quality gaming content focused on innovation, responsibility, and long-term commercial value.
As part of its market entry preparations, the company has aligned its technology and game portfolio with Alberta’s regulatory standards and requirements, with an initial batch of titles already undergoing certification to ensure launch readiness.
About Play’n GO
With more than 20 years of experience in mobile-first gaming, Play’n GO is a global leader in casino entertainment and the creator of some of the industry’s most iconic online titles, including Rich Wilde and the Book of Dead, Reactoonz, and Moon Princess.
A pioneer in the sector, Play’n GO was among the first to recognize the potential of mobile gaming, developing casino content for mobile devices as early as 2005, before the smartphone era.
Today, the company offers a portfolio of more than 450 premium titles, available to regulated operators across over 35 jurisdictions.
Play’n GO is strongly committed to a fully regulated, sustainable gaming industry built around entertainment, safety, and long-term collaboration.
The company works closely with operators, regulators, and research institutions to promote responsible gaming standards across all markets in which it operates.
With a deep understanding of both operators’ and players’ needs, Play’n GO focuses on creating high-quality, enduring content designed for long-term engagement.
In addition to game development, the company also provides backend services and solutions that support operators in delivering a seamless gaming experience.
Beyond gaming, Play’n GO has expanded into complementary entertainment verticals with Play’n GO Music and Play’n GO Shop, and is also a proud partner of the TGR Haas F1 Team.
For more information, please visit www.playngo.com
The post Play’n GO granted Alberta iGaming licence, expanding Canadian market footprint appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Alberta
Play’n GO secures Alberta iGaming supplier licence from AGLC
Play’n GO has been granted a licence to supply online gaming content in Alberta, as the province prepares to launch its regulated online market later this year.
The licence was awarded by the Alberta Gaming, Liquor & Cannabis Commission (AGLC). Play’n GO said the approval allows it to provide its online casino games to licensed operators in the province.
Magnus Olsson, Chief Commercial Officer at Play’n GO, said:
“Being granted a licence in Alberta is another important step in our North American growth journey and further strengthens our presence in Canada.
“Regulated markets are the foundation of our business, and Alberta represents an exciting opportunity to expand our footprint in a jurisdiction that shares our commitment to high standards, player protection and long‑term sustainability.”
Play’n GO said it has aligned its technology and game portfolio with Alberta’s regulatory requirements, with an initial batch of titles undergoing certification ahead of launch. The supplier is already active in Canada, with an established presence in Ontario and Quebec, according to the company.
The post Play’n GO secures Alberta iGaming supplier licence from AGLC appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
AGLC
Alberta iGaming Corporation Appoints Dan Keene as its CEO
Dan Keene, who served as the interim CEO of the Alberta iGaming Corporation (AiGC), has been appointed to the role permanently, effective April 21, 2026. Under his leadership, AiGC will launch Alberta’s regulated iGaming market on July 13. Keene has played a pivotal role in shaping the province’s gaming landscape, both through his work standing up AiGC and in his previous roles at the Alberta Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis Commission (AGLC).
“Dan brings deep operational experience and a strong track record in gaming and market development. His leadership will be essential as the Alberta iGaming Corporation prepares for launch and delivers a regulated market built on social responsibility and player protection,” said Sanjeev Kad, Board Chair, Alberta iGaming Corporation.
About Dan Keene
Serving as Vice-President, Gaming at AGLC since July 2022, Keene overseen a broad portfolio, including gaming retail services, technical operations, compliance, online gambling, player loyalty, supply chain, electronic gaming, and product development across Alberta. He has been instrumental in advancing consumer-focused initiatives. He co-led the creation of Winner’s Edge, Alberta’s first province-wide casino loyalty program, and guided the operations of PlayAlberta.ca, currently, the province’s only regulated online gambling platform. Previously, Keene worked at AGLC as Manager, Casino Products. In this role, he led a team of specialists responsible for selecting slot games and terminals for Alberta’s 30 casinos and 750 VLT locations. Before joining AGLC, he completed successful tenures with Molson Breweries and Century Casinos Inc.
The post Alberta iGaming Corporation Appoints Dan Keene as its CEO appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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