Canada
Genius Sports Appoints Former NFL Network and ESPN CEO as President, North America
Genius Sports Limited, the official data, technology and commercial partner that powers the global ecosystem connecting sports, betting and media, announced that Steve Bornstein will join the company in a newly created executive role of President, North America. Mr. Bornstein will lead the Company’s U.S. and Canadian activities, building on the existing team’s capabilities and relationships. He will assume the position with immediate effect.
Mr. Bornstein has held a range of prominent positions across the sports, media and advisory sectors. In particular, he brings extensive broadcast experience to Genius Sports, drawing on his over 20 years at ESPN and ABC, where in 1990 he became ESPN’s youngest president and CEO at age 38. At ESPN he oversaw the launch of ESPN2, ESPN News, ESPN Radio, ESPN Classic, ESPN International, ESPN The Magazine, the ESPYs and the X-Games. He also created the network’s popular programming staples including: College GameDay, NFL PrimeTime, and Baseball Tonight.
Mr. Bornstein is also well-known for his time as President, CEO, and Founder of the NFL Network and Executive Vice President of Media where he oversaw the league’s media division and led negotiations on TV deals and sponsorships. He is a former Chairman of Activision Blizzard’s eSports division where he created professional leagues, and new ways to deliver best-in-class fan experiences across games, platforms, and geographies. He continues to act as a senior adviser to The Raine Group, a merchant bank advising and investing in technology, media and telecom.
As the head of the North American operations, Mr. Bornstein will optimize Genius Sports’ regional business infrastructure to position the Company for accelerated growth in existing and new areas, including streaming. This will include the sourcing and unlocking of value with new and existing sports partners, including the NFL, NCAA, NASCAR, NBA, and MLB. Additionally, Mr. Bornstein will work closely with the executive team to identify innovative and revenue accretive acquisition targets. He will also support the integration of recently acquired businesses, including Second Spectrum, which is the official data tracking and analytics provider of the EPL, NBA, and MLS.
“Steve is an accomplished, forward-thinking executive who brings more than 30 years of sports media experience,” said CEO Mark Locke. “As we continue to execute on our growth strategy North America, we look forward to benefitting from a visionary like Steve who played a major role in shaping the growth and success of iconic brands like ESPN and the NFL. As a leader, he exemplifies the values set out at Genius and will help us progress our culture of collaboration and innovation.”
“I am excited to join Genius Sports at this time in the company’s growth,” said Mr. Bornstein. “And I’m delighted to partner with Mark and his outstanding team as Genius demonstrates and deepens its commitment to drive real value for its partners in the U.S. and Canada. I can’t wait to get started.”
Earlier in his career, Steve also served as Corporate Vice President of Capital Cities/ABC, Inc. (1993), President of ABC Sports (1996), Chairman & CEO of ESPN (1998), and President of ABC, Inc. (1999), where he was responsible for all media assets at ABC/Disney.
Mr. Bornstein holds a degree from the University of Wisconsin. An active philanthropist, he is the founder & Chairman of The V Foundation which has raised more than $335 million for cancer research in the name of late college basketball coach and ESPN analyst Jim Valvano. A lifelong believer in sports as a force for good, he has served on the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports and the California Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness.
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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.
Alex Malchenko
Evoplay Strengthens Canadian Presence with BetMGM Partnership
Evoplay is celebrating another milestone in its regulated-market journey with a new launch in Ontario, teaming up with BetMGM to bring its games to one of Canada’s most dynamic and competitive jurisdictions.
The rollout introduces 18 Evoplay titles to BetMGM Casino in Ontario, carefully selected to deliver long-term engagement and appeal to a wide range of player preferences. The first wave includes proven performers such as:
• Hot Triple Sevens
• Hot Volcano
• Gold of Sirens Bonus Buy
• Inner Fire Bonus Buy.
These are games that have already demonstrated strong results across multiple regulated markets.
This launch marks another confident step in Evoplay’s Canadian expansion, reinforcing the company’s commitment to aligning its content with local market requirements, player expectations, and regulatory standards.
Alex Malchenko, Head of Sales at Evoplay, said: Ontario continues to set a high standard for regulated online casinos, making it a market where the right partnerships truly matter. Collaborating with BetMGM allows us to expand our reach with a portfolio that has already performed strongly across multiple areas and territories.
Oliver Bartlett, VP of Gaming at BetMGM, said: “Partnering with Evoplay adds a strong selection of proven, high-performing titles to our growing portfolio in Ontario.”
The post Evoplay Strengthens Canadian Presence with BetMGM Partnership appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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