Canada
Global Esports Tour Los Angeles Crowns Champion
Team Kraken battled to victory at the Grand Final of the Global Esports Tour’s first Hearthstone® event, in the game’s first LAN event in two years
Yesterday saw Team Kraken take first place in the initial stop of the Global Esports Federation and FACEIT’s new worldwide esports invitational – the Global Esports Tour. The winning team, led by Jeffrey “TrumpSC” Shih with Jerome “Monsanto” Faucher and Mihai “languagehacker” Dragalin, dominated during the two-day event, beating David “Killinallday” Acosta’s Team Gryphon in the final with a solid performance played on Hearthstone® Classic Mode.
Team Kraken bags the champion’s trophy in the first Global Esports Tour Los Angeles. From left: Mihai “languagehacker” Dragalin, Jerome “Monsanto” Faucher, Jeffrey “TrumpSC” Shih, Dr. Melita N. Moore, GEF Board Member and Chair of Health & Wellness Commission, Paul J. Foster, CEO of GEF, and Christopher ‘MonteCristo’ Mykles.
Team Kraken began the tournament with a shaky start, dropping their first match to Team Gryphon with a 4-1 loss. However, moving down to the lower bracket they began to find their groove, winning their following two matches against Frank “Fr0zen” Zhang’s Team Mammoth 4-3 and Alexandra “Alliestrasza” MacPherson’s Team Phoenix 4-0.
In the Final against Team Gryphon, Team Kraken stormed forward in the first four games, gaining a 3- 1 lead against the tournament favourites. Team Gryphon’s Jeffrey “Tarei” Liu pulled back a victory in Game 5, before Mihai “languagehacker” Dragalin closed the show with a victory against Tarei in Game 6.
The GEF team caught up with Team Kraken after the Grand Final and spoke to the winners. “Thank you GEF. This was a lit tournament. We really love what you are doing for esports. The cities chosen are the hot spots in the world for esports,” said Jeffrey “TrumpSC” Shih, captain of the winning team.
Mihai “languagehacker” Dragalin added, “It’s really cool, honestly. This entire tour that you’ve set up is really incredible. For the first edition to be Hearthstone®, and for us to be a part of it, it’s incredible. We didn’t really expect to win it all, and that’s just speaks for how cool this event is.”
Four teams of North America’s best players were invited to compete in this best of seven, double elimination conquest form, for a US$50,000 prize. Made up of three plyers each, the teams entered with six decks, all from a unique class. Team captains TrumpSC, Fr0zen, Alliestrasza, and Killinallday led their respective squads:
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Team Kraken Jeffrey “TrumpSC” Shih Jerome “Monsanto” Faucher Mihai “Languagehacker” Dragalin |
Team Phoenix Alexandra “Alliestrasza” MacPherson John “Dekkster” Kotrich Andrew “TidesofTime” Biessener |
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Team Mammoth Frank “Fr0zen” Zhang David “Justsaiyan” Shan George “hyped” Maganzini |
Team Gryphon David ‘Killinallday” Acosta Jeffrey “Tarei” Liu Mark “Ant” Trevino |
Pro gamer and game designer turned broadcaster, Brian Kibler, strategy game expert Nathan ‘Admirable’ Zamora, and Cloud9 player Cong “StrifeCro” Shu, provided their expert commentary and analysis during the event.
The GET is the GEF’s Pro-Team tournament staged in key global cities throughout the year. GET 2021 offers a total prize pool of US$500,000. The tournament showcases skills and talent from different game genres from around the world with Hearthstone®, PUBG MOBILE, and CS:GO the chosen games. FACEIT has joined the GET as the GEF’s Strategic Partner, Esports Services and was also the tournament organiser for this Hearthstone® stop.
In October, the GET heads to Riyadh (October 24-26, 2021) with PUBG MOBILE, and on to Dubai (November 26-27, 2021) with CS:GO.
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AGLC
PointsBet Canada Officially Begins Registration Process in Alberta
PointsBet Canada has announced that it has commenced the registration process in Alberta and can now begin marketing activities, positioning the company to enter the province as Alberta prepares to become Canada’s second open and competitive regulated iGaming market.
Eligible Alberta residents can now pre-register at https://www.pointsbet.ca/ to receive notification of PointsBet’s launch, along with an exclusive welcome offer, ahead of the full platform rollout expected in the coming months.
This development follows the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) streamlined process, enabling PointsBet Canada to introduce its premium sports betting and online casino experience while final registration steps continue.
“Alberta’s move toward an open, competitive iGaming framework is a positive step for Canadian players, offering more choice and consumer protections in a safe and regulated environment. We’re excited to introduce our innovative, Canadian-focused sports betting and online casino products to Alberta residents, supported by industry-leading speed, responsible gaming tools, and local expertise,” said Scott Vanderwel, CEO of PointsBet Canada.
The post PointsBet Canada Officially Begins Registration Process in Alberta appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Canada
Kambi Group Becomes the Official Sportsbook Partner of Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation
Kambi Group has formally assumed contractual responsibilities for OLG’s multi-channel sportsbook following the successful completion of the novation agreement with FDJ Gaming Solutions France (FDJ) and Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG), with OLG launched its Kambi-powered sportsbook on 27 January.
Kambi, the home of premium sports betting solutions, confirmed that it has formally assumed contractual responsibilities for the provision of sports betting services to OLG, having successfully met all conditions of the previously agreed novation agreement.
The completion follows the announcement in 2025 that Kambi had been selected by FDJ to take over FDJ’s role as OLG’s long-term sports betting partner with OLG’s consent and pending the satisfaction and completion of specific conditions. With these conditions now met, Kambi has officially assumed responsibility for the provision of sports betting services to OLG across both its retail and digital channels, with OLG gone live with its Kambi-powered sportsbook on 27 January.
OLG offers sports betting through PROLINE (retail) and PROLINE+ (online) with 100% of its profits reinvested into Ontario. Powered by Kambi’s Turnkey Sportsbook, OLG’s sports betting operations will benefit from Kambi’s market-leading technology and services, designed to deliver a scalable, compliant and engaging betting experience for players.
Werner Becher, Kambi Group Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are delighted to have officially completed this transition and to begin this next chapter of our partnership with OLG. Having met the necessary conditions of the novation agreement, Kambi is excited to become the official sportsbook provider and to have launched with one of the world’s most respected lottery operators. We value our partnership with OLG and look forward to leveraging our proven technology to help them drive sustainable growth and provide a safe and entertaining betting product for their customers in Ontario.”
Duncan Hannay, OLG President and CEO, added: “OLG strives to provide a market leading PROLINE sports betting experience for our players. We look forward to working alongside our new partner, Kambi, who offers a proven track record of product excellence and reliability, as we deliver on our commitment to give back to the people and communities of Ontario. This is an exciting step forward for both organizations.”
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Canada
High Roller Technologies Signs Letter of Intent with Kindbridge Behavioral Health to Support Responsible Gambling in Ontario
High Roller Technologies Inc., operator of the award-winning, premium online casino brands High Roller and Fruta, announced it has entered into a non-binding Letter of Intent (LOI) with Kindbridge Behavioral Health (Kindbridge) to support its commitment to responsible gambling in Ontario, subject to licensing and regulatory approval.
Through the planned partnership with Kindbridge, High Roller intends to offer eligible Ontario players who choose to self-exclude a confidential pathway to support that helps individuals understand their options and take next steps at their own pace. The experience begins with education and a guided triage process, followed by the option to connect with no-cost peer support and, when appropriate, licensed Canadian clinicians. Using a stepped-care approach, individuals can start where they feel ready and access additional support over time, based on their needs and goals.
“We believe entertainment should always be enjoyed responsibly. Partnering with Kindbridge reinforces our commitment to player wellbeing by ensuring that anyone who may be experiencing challenges with their gambling activity has access to meaningful, professional support. This collaboration reflects our responsibility not only as an operator, but as a trusted brand that puts people first,” said Seth Young, Chief Executive Officer at High Roller.
Kindbridge works with gaming operators across North America to deliver early-intervention programs designed to identify, assess, and support at-risk individuals, including integration with self-exclusion and responsible gaming workflows.
“Building strong, accessible pathways to support is an essential part of effective responsible gambling programs.nOperators are uniquely positioned to assist individuals who may be experiencing distress by helping connect them to appropriate care. We’re proud to work with High Roller to expand access to specialized clinicians and evidence-based resources, supporting healthier outcomes for players and more effective responsible gambling frameworks,” said Daniel Umfleet, Founder & CEO of Kindbridge Behavioral Health.
Seth Young, who currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of High Roller, is a current shareholder, member of the Board of Advisors, and former member of the Board of Directors at Kindbridge.
The post High Roller Technologies Signs Letter of Intent with Kindbridge Behavioral Health to Support Responsible Gambling in Ontario appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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