Canada

An Industry First, William Hill Sportsbook Officially Opens at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.

Published

3 years ago

June 4, 2021

Marking a major milestone in American sports history, the William Hill Sportsbook at Monumental Sports & Entertainment’s Capital One Arena officially opened today, becoming the first ever sports betting venue to open within a U.S. professional sports facility.

William Hill, a part of Caesars Entertainment, and Monumental Sports & Entertainment announced a groundbreaking partnership deal in October 2019 to open the first-of-its-kind, marquee destination for local, regional and global visitors. With the addition of Michelin-starred Chef and Maryland native Nicholas Stefanelli, the talents of three leading purveyors in the hospitality and entertainment industries will offer guests a truly unique and extraordinary experience.

“Monumental Sports & Entertainment is proud to have worked with William Hill and Caesars Entertainment, a proven leader and innovator in sports betting, to provide the preeminent fan experience and serve as exemplars to the industry as first-in-class and best-in-class,” said Monumental Sports & Entertainment Founder & CEO Ted Leonsis. “Providing a data-driven, technologically-advanced environment in a beautiful, approachable space with fine dining options provided by Chef Stefanelli will further enhance the indelible memories we create nightly at Capital One Arena, and draw even more visitors to our historic downtown D.C. neighborhood.”

The two-story, 18,000 square-foot venue features 17 betting windows and 12 self-service betting kiosks, as well as Verizon 5G Wi-Fi capability so fans can place wagers on mobile devices through the William Hill app from the comfort of their seats as they enjoy a meal or beverage. Visitors will enjoy a premium game-day experience whether they’re attending a Capitals or Wizards game or watching out-of-town games in the sportsbook, thanks to an inspired sports-bar menu crafted by Stefanelli.

More than 100 television screens adorn the Sportsbook, including four positioned on all sides of a jumbotron that hangs from the ceiling in the center of the venue that is a replica of the one inside Capital One Arena at center ice/center court. A custom, 1,500 square-foot LED screen wraps the entire facility and offers visitors the best viewing experience for enjoying multiple games across various sports simultaneously.

There is also a broadcast studio that will be used to host live television and radio shows, as well as two VIP areas and a private dining and entertainment space. Design elements pay homage to the history of sports and local professional teams, including baseball stitching incorporated into the staircase railing, vintage lockers featured in the main bar, local sports memorabilia throughout the space and sketches of local arenas printed on the ceiling.

The sportsbook and restaurant will be open daily, year-round, and are accessible to the public from F Street while offering direct access to and from Capital One Arena during select ticketed events, which currently number 230 events a year and welcomes 3 million visitors.

“With more than 100 televisions, nearly 20 betting windows and a dozen kiosks in the space as well as access to the William Hill mobile app, our guests will enjoy a great gameday watching the Capitals or Wizards at home or wagering on their favorite teams during any game,” said Tom Reeg, CEO of Caesars Entertainment, parent company of William Hill. “Adding Chef Nicholas to our roster has elevated our partnership with Monumental Sports & Entertainment to an elite level, providing the ultimate sportsbook experience for fans throughout the region.”

The premier full-service food and beverage offerings created by Stefanelli complement the premium sports betting facilities that are synonymous with the William Hill experience. With its location within the spirited and energetic atmosphere of Capital One Arena, the William Hill Sportsbook and Restaurant Concept offers a revolutionary and fundamental fan experience for sports fans in Washington, D.C.

Stefanelli is known for his traditionally inspired Italian dishes mixed with equal parts finesse, flavor and whimsy style at his flagship Michelin-starred restaurant Masseria, as well as Officina at the Wharf and Georgetown.

“Having the opportunity to partner with industry leaders William Hill and Monumental Sports & Entertainment to present this Sportsbook and Restaurant Concept in D.C. is very exciting,” said Stefanelli. “Bringing my brand of hospitality to sports and gaming is a winning combination for me.”

Paying homage to cuisine influenced by both his Maryland roots and traditional sports-bar fare, the menu features appetizers, soups, salads, a raw bar, sandwiches, entrees, side dishes and desserts available daily. A few featured items for sports and food fans alike include Double Dipped Chicken Wings, Potato Skin ‘Nachos,’ Classic Meatballs, Roast Pork Sandwich, DC Half Smoke, Eastern Shore Rockfish Imperial and Chicken Parmesan.

The William Hill Sportsbook at Monumental Sports & Entertainment’s Capital One Arena is the first-of-its-kind and is operated by Caesars Entertainment. Caesars Entertainment recently completed its acquisition of William Hill, PLC and currently offers sports betting options in 18 U.S. states and territories, including over 170 retail sportsbooks.

Canada

Play’n GO announces partnership with Canadian operator Loto-Québec

Published

2 days ago

May 16, 2024

GamingAmericas.com

play’n-go-announces-partnership-with-canadian-operator-loto-quebec

Play’n GO, the world’s leading casino entertainment provider, has today announced a partnership with Canadian operator Loto-Québec, launching the Swedish gaming giant’s games into another Canadian province.

Already active in another Canadian province , this partnership sees Play’n GO’s content available in the province of Québec exclusively with Loto-Québec, a state-owned corporation, where online players now have access to titles such as Tome of Madness.

Magnus Olsson, Chief Commercial Officer, Play’n GO said: “At Play’n GO, we have always been clear in our vision to be active in every regulated market in the world, and this partnership with Loto-Québec is the next step on that journey.

“Our past success in Canada gives us confidence that players in Québec will enjoy the best Play’n GO content, and we look forward to many years of success with Loto-Québec in the province.”

Stéphane Martel, Head of Product and Innovation at Loto-Québec added: “As the sole iGaming operator in Québec, we pride ourselves on offering titles that truly add value to our platform, lotoquebec.com. We are happy to bring Play’n GO games to our players.”

Canada

Court Decision Upholds iGaming Ontario’s Model

Published

3 days ago

May 15, 2024

GamingAmericas.com

court-decision-upholds-igaming-ontario’s-model

iGaming Ontario has welcomed the decision of the Ontario Superior Court, which found that iGaming Ontario’s model is consistent with the Criminal Code and that iGaming Ontario is conducting and managing igaming in the province.

“We have always been confident in our model and are pleased that the court has ruled in our favour, and that Ontarians can continue to play with confidence in our regulated igaming market,” said Martha Otton, Executive Director of iGaming Ontario.

“Ontario’s model meets the requirements and contributes to the public good by protecting players, their data and their funds, while helping to fund priority public services in Ontario, and bringing well-paid, high-tech jobs and economic development to Ontario,” Otton added.

In dismissing the application brought forward by the Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke (MCK), the Superior Court found that iGaming Ontario is the “operating mind” behind Ontario’s competitive igaming market in accordance with the conduct and manage requirements of the Criminal Code.

iGaming Ontario will continue to conduct and manage igaming as it has since the launch of the regulated market on April 4, 2022.

Bragg Gaming Group

Bragg Gaming Appoints Renowned iGaming Executive Neill Whyte as Chief Commercial Officer

Published

1 week ago

May 10, 2024

GamingAmericas.com

bragg-gaming-appoints-renowned-igaming-executive-neill-whyte-as-chief-commercial-officer

Bragg Gaming Group, a global iGaming technology and content provider, announced that Neill Whyte has been appointed as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), effective 1st May 2024, establishing a new global commercial structure at the Company and bolstering its leadership team.

Whyte brings over 18 years of experience in the iGaming sector, most recently in the role of Chief Commercial Officer at Digital Gaming Corporation’s (DGC), B2B iGaming Division. After joining DGC in early 2020, he was responsible for the commercially successful launch and growth of its content distribution business in the US.

Prior to joining DGC, Whyte held multiple positions in the gaming industry including as Head of Business Development at Isle of Man-based iGaming specialist Apricot Investments, as Board Member at Swedish iGaming product and Lottery content distributor Genera Networks, and in various senior roles over eleven years at leading iGaming content supplier Microgaming, including as Head of Product Channels.

In his new role with Bragg, Whyte will be tasked with leading the Company’s global commercial teams to drive growth across all of the Company’s product verticals which include proprietary online casino content from its Atomic Slot Lab, Indigo Magic and Wild Streak Gaming studios, exclusive content from content partners, HUB a leading casino content aggregation platform, Fuze player engagement, as well as its award-winning player account management (PAM) platform and turnkey solutions.

Matevž Mazij, Chief Executive Officer at Bragg, said: “I am very pleased to be announcing today the appointment of Neill Whyte as Chief Commercial Officer at Bragg. His iGaming product and market knowledge, together with his record in driving growth from developing successful and mutually beneficial commercial partnerships are exceptional.

“As we leverage our broad content and product portfolio to grow in existing and new markets, including in the United States, Canada, Latin America and Europe, Neill’s unique combination of knowledge, skills and experience in this sector are a perfect fit for our ambitions at Bragg.”

Neill Whyte, Chief Commercial Officer at Bragg, said: “It’s an honor to join Matevž and the wider teams at Bragg already in place across North America, Europe and in India. I have been impressed with the depth and quality of the content, product and technology offerings at Bragg, and its ability to rapidly adapt, certify and deploy this content and technology in newly regulated markets is a distinct advantage.

“We also have a huge opportunity to grow our footprint with our existing customers in markets in which we are already established. Our content and product roadmaps are second to none, and I’m planning to get on the road in the coming weeks and months to meet the team and our customers and to start building for the next stage of mutual growth. I can’t wait to get going.”