Canada
Paysafe appoints Zak Cutler to lead its North America iGaming business
Former Jackpocket and DraftKings executive brings additional iGaming expertise and deep industry relationships to Paysafe
Paysafe, a leading specialized payments platform, today announced it has appointed seasoned iGaming executive, Zak Cutler, as CEO, North America iGaming. The newly created executive role, which reports directly into Group CEO, Philip McHugh, forms part of Paysafe’s ongoing strategic focus in the North American iGaming vertical which continues to show explosive growth as more and more states in the U.S. regulate online gambling, sports betting and iLottery.
Since the rapid legalization of the U.S. sports betting market starting May 2018, Paysafe has consistently stated its ambitions to be the iGaming industry’s payments partner of choice, building on its leadership in Canada and Europe. The company now provides 75% of operators in the country with payments or marketing solutions across 16 states. In Canada, Paysafe also holds a leading position and partners with the majority of regulated iLottery and gaming brands.
Cutler brings extensive industry experience to the role and a proven track record of driving growth in iGaming companies; he has held senior leadership roles at both starts ups as well as large, publicly traded companies. He joins Paysafe from Jackpocket, an innovative app that enables people to buy official state lottery tickets online, where he was VP of Strategy and Product. As one of Jackpocket’s first executive hires, he was responsible for developing the strategy, the product and the approach that enabled Jackpocket to swiftly expand into 10 U.S. jurisdictions, achieving a #7 entertainment app store ranking, and acquiring millions of new lottery customers in the process. While there, he also worked with celebrities, sports teams, and large media brands such as Barstool Sports to successfully grow Jackpocket’s brand presence nationally. Before that, Cutler worked as Director of Product Management for DraftKings, one of the world’s best-known brands in sports entertainment and gaming, where he was responsible for all product initiatives related to payment processing, U.S. compliance, and international expansion.
Philip McHugh, Paysafe’s CEO, commented: “We believe Paysafe has huge potential to win in North American iGaming given our track record as the de facto payments specialist in this sector globally. Now, with the additional leadership bench strength of Zak at the helm of our highly focused team, we are in a better position than ever to help operators seize the opportunities out there through the delivery of best-in-class payments products and services. Zak is very attuned to operator needs and is highly regarded by all who know him in the industry. He will be a real asset.”
Zak Cutler commented: “As a former Paysafe customer for many years, I’m thrilled to now have the opportunity to join the team in this capacity. While at Jackpocket and DraftKings, I was always impressed by Paysafe’s industry-leading products, and their foresight to invest in the North American iGaming industry long before it was in the mainstream. I also admired the team’s ability to develop deep relationships with customers. This approach resonates with my own style and commitment to helping iGaming operators grow rapidly through the delivery of outstanding products and unrivalled partnership. I’m really looking forward to playing my part now as a member of the team – I believe we are in the early innings of a massive opportunity!”
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Stats Perform, the global leader in sports AI, data and technology, has announced an official data partnership with the Northern Super League (NSL). The partnership will allow world-leading Opta data to be collected live from every NSL league game for the next three years.
Beginning this month, the Northern Super League (NSL) establishes a new era in Canadian sport as the country’s first professional domestic women’s soccer league — an ambitious and transformative initiative co-founded by former Canadian international and Olympic medallist Diana Matheson. Its inaugural season kicks off on April 16 and will feature six teams who have assembled multinational player rosters with extensive club and international experience, including 100-cap Canadian internationals Desiree Scott and Quinn.
Once the action begins, detailed data from every on-ball event, including advanced AI-powered Opta Analytics metrics such as Expected Goals (xG) and Expected Assists (xA), will be captured and distributed via feeds and Stats Perform products, including OptaAI Studio. This will enable various broadcasters, publishers and rights holders to generate stories and insights throughout the NSL season and provide them straight to the league’s fans in real time.
As part of the agreement, the NSL’s League Office and every NSL club will also have access to Opta Search, part of OptaAI Studio. This will allow their content creators to leverage all Opta data collected during the NSL season in the creation of data-led stories on the stand-out performers, and will help them generate key talking points for publication on official league and club platforms. Opta Search will also empower the NSL’s media team to create a range of data visualizations, including player shot maps and touch maps, to visually illustrate the impact of different players’ on-field performances.
Christina Litz, NSL President, said: “We are thrilled to have Stats Perform on board as our official data partner. When we talk about detailed performance data in soccer, Opta is the gold standard, so we are delighted to have it powering each of our official digital channels. As the season progresses, we want to put the spotlight on all the on-field heroes who emerge and having access to world-class data will help us tell their stories and inspire a new generation of Canadian soccer fans.”
Steve Xeller, Chief Revenue Officer at Stats Perform, said: “Stats Perform has been a huge supporter of expansion leagues around the world, so we are very pleased to be partnering with NSL in the lead-up to their first domestic campaign. Seeing a fully professional women’s soccer league launch in Canada is an incredibly exciting development for the sport in North America and we see considerable potential in working proactively with the League’s Head Office to help the competition grow, using the power of AI and data-led storytelling to build fan communities across the continent.”
The post Northern Super League Partners with Stats Perform appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Africa
INCENTIVE GAMES SIGNS EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTION DEAL FOR NORTH AMERICA, EUROPE, SOUTH AFRICA AND UK WITH LIGHT & WONDER
Leading B2B games provider, Incentive Games, today announced its new agreement with premium gaming company and content provider Light & Wonder, Inc.
Through this agreement, Incentive Games will distribute its premium pay-to-play games – including new arcade-style titles – to key global regulated markets including the USA, Canada, South Africa, UK, and within Europe via Light & Wonder’s extensive operator network. Additionally, Incentive Games’ popular free-to-play content will be made available to a wider audience through Light & Wonder’s content marketplace.
The agreement brings together two industry leaders in iGaming and the strengths of both companies to deliver exceptional player experiences and elevate customer engagement.
Ahmed Baker, Chief Commercial Officer at Incentive Games said, “This agreement is a landmark moment in our company’s history. Previously, we’ve worked directly with major operators such as bet365, FanDuel, and Sky Bet. Now, we can distribute our games via Light & Wonder, an exceptional aggregator that we trust will handle our games with care.”
Steve Mayes, Senior Director of Partners at Light & Wonder, said: “We are excited to work with Incentive Games, a leader in gamification solutions. We look forward to leveraging their innovative platform and bringing their customisable crash and fast game content to all major regulated markets.”
The post INCENTIVE GAMES SIGNS EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTION DEAL FOR NORTH AMERICA, EUROPE, SOUTH AFRICA AND UK WITH LIGHT & WONDER appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
With the Ottawa Senators securing a playoff spot in the NHL, ToonieBet will be there every step of the way, engaging fans with exclusive giveaways, premium entertainment, and a casino experience that mirrors the team’s energy and excitement.
The Ottawa Senators and Tooniebet, an online casino for players across Ontario, announced a partnership that will make Tooniebet the NHL team’s Official Online Casino Partner.
Tooniebet, which launched in 2024 is part of Soft2Bet – one of the world’s fastest growing iGaming turnkey solutions providers with iGaming brands around the world with a portfolio of 19 global licenses, including Ontario.
Additional highlights of the Ottawa Senators and TonnieBet partnership will include:
- In-Arena & Broadcast Branding: Digitally enhanced dashboards for home and away games
- In-rink board signage for home games
- Virtual slot signage for various games
- Digital inventory throughout the Ottawa Senators site on NHL.com
- Direct Fan Engagement: Social contests and promotions hosted on Senators’ digital platforms
- Television Broadcast Branding: Digitally enhanced rink boards for home and away games
- In-arena rink board signage for home games
Martin Ballard, VP Corporate Partnerships, Ottawa Senators stated: “We are thrilled to welcome ToonieBet as an official partner of the Ottawa Senators. Cooperating with a brand that shares our commitment to providing fans with an exceptional and trusted experience is incredibly exciting. Together, we look forward to delivering memorable moments and engaging our passionate fanbase in new and innovative ways.”
Oksana Tsyhankova, Chief Marketing Officer at Soft2Bet, commented: “Partnering Soft2Bet’s ToonieBet brand with the Ottawa Senators is a significant milestone that reinforces our strong brand presence in Ontario. In a short period, we have achieved impressive performance and retention results, with a primary focus on localised, engaging experiences for Canadian players, which makes ToonieBet truly set itself apart.”
By tapping into the Senators’ digital platforms and in-arena presence, ToonieBet will stay close to the action and connect with fans in real, engaging ways while continuing to offer a top-quality online casino experience.
ToonieBet offers a fast, localised online casino experience for players in Ottawa and across Ontario. Through this partnership, fans will have the chance to win Senators merchandise and tickets while ToonieBet grows its presence in a competitive Ontario market. With in-arena branding, regional broadcast coverage, and digital promotions, ToonieBet will be highly visible to the team’s loyal supporters.
The post Soft2Bet’s ToonieBet Partners with the Ottawa Senators as Official Online Casino Partner appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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