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
Bede Gaming cleared for Alberta market entry
The Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) board has approved Bede Gaming as suitable to hold a conditional one-year iGaming Goods or Services Supplier licence, ahead of Alberta’s regulated gambling market opening later this year.
As one of the first international platform providers to gain regulatory approval, Bede Gaming is now positioned to offer its platform and services to operators targeting Alberta, unlocking new commercial opportunities as the province launches its regulated iGaming ecosystem.
Fully SOC 2 certified, Bede Gaming provides operators with a streamlined entry into the market. Its comprehensive in-house product suite, combined with over 150 third-party integrations, equips businesses with the tools to scale efficiently and sustainably while navigating a newly regulated environment.
Having opened registrations in January 2026, Alberta’s iGaming market is expected to follow a growth trajectory similar to Ontario’s regulated sector, making it an attractive destination for international operators. Bede is proud to be among the first licensed providers preparing for the province’s official market launch.
Colin Cole-Johnson, CEO of Bede Gaming, commented:
“Bede is thrilled to receive conditional regulatory approval to operate in Alberta, putting us in a strong position to support operators as they expand into the province.
“We have a long-standing commitment to the Canadian iGaming market, and this marks an exciting new chapter. Being one of the first applicants recognised by the regulator allows us to offer a truly localised service, and our SOC 2 certification ensures partners can launch quickly and confidently.”
The post Bede Gaming cleared for Alberta market entry appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
AGLC
Bede Gaming cleared for Alberta market entry
The Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) board has declared Bede Gaming suitable to hold a conditional one-year iGaming Goods or Services Supplier licence when the province opens its regulated gambling market later in the year.
As one of the first international platform providers to be granted approval from the regulator, Bede is now ready to offer its services to operators targeting Alberta when the newly-regulated province officially goes live, creating a range of commercial possibilities for the company moving forward.
Fully SOC 2 certified, the established software provider is well-equipped to help partners secure a quick and hassle-free entry into Alberta, and its suite of in-house products and 150+ third-party integrations provides the perfect toolset for businesses to scale both efficiently and sustainably.
Having begun accepting registrations in January 2026, Alberta is expected to see growth on par with the regulated Ontario iGaming market over the longer term, making it an enticing destination for international operators looking to expand their global outreach; and Bede is honoured to be among the first licensed providers in the run-up to the province officially opening for business.
Colin Cole-Johnson, Chief Executive Officer at Bede Gaming, said: “Bede is delighted to receive conditional regulatory approval to work in Alberta, putting us in a great position to support operators with their upcoming expansions in the province.
“We have a longstanding investment in the Canadian iGaming industry, and I’m eager for the exciting opportunities ahead in this new market. As one of the first applicants to be formally recognised by the regulator, Bede offers a truly localised service to its partners, and the fact that we’re SOC 2 certified will allow them to hit the ground running as soon as they’re ready to launch.”
The post Bede Gaming cleared for Alberta market entry appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
AGCO
TitanPlay Highlights Responsible Gambling Approach in Platform Design
TitanPlay, a regulated iGaming operator in Ontario’s licensed market, announced its commitment to treating responsible gambling not as a compliance checkbox, but as a foundational principle embedded across all aspects of product design, marketing, and operations.
While Ontario’s regulatory framework — established by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and iGaming Ontario (iGO) — sets clear minimum standards for licensed operators, TitanPlay says it views those standards as a starting point for its broader responsible gambling framework.
“For us, responsible gambling is not an afterthought, but the foundation on which TitanPlay is built,” said the Chief Compliance Officer of TitanPlay.
Designing for Player Well-Being from Day One
TitanPlay evaluates every product feature through a player-protection lens at the development stage. The platform offers clear, accessible limit-setting tools for deposits, losses, and time — available at registration and adjustable within prescribed cooling-off periods. Players also benefit from prominent real-time displays of account activity, friction-based interventions such as time reminders and proactive check-ins when play patterns shift, and seamless access to self-exclusion options.
Data-Driven Safeguards
Rather than using behavioral analytics to maximize short-term spending, TitanPlay deploys data to identify potential indicators of risk. When patterns suggest a player may be experiencing harm, trained Responsible Gambling specialists engage proactively in a personalized and supportive way, connecting players with available tools and independent resources such as ConnexOntario. All customer-facing teams undergo ongoing training aligned with AGCO standards.
Marketing with Integrity
TitanPlay applies rigorous internal review processes to all advertising and promotional campaigns, going beyond Ontario’s standards prohibiting targeting of minors, misleading claims, and public advertising of inducements or bonuses. The company prioritizes transparency, age-gating, and responsible messaging to ensure entertainment is never misrepresented as a financial solution.
A Shared Responsibility Across the Organization
Responsible gambling at TitanPlay is owned across product, marketing, compliance, and leadership — influencing roadmap decisions, user interface design, customer communications, and executive strategy.
The post TitanPlay Highlights Responsible Gambling Approach in Platform Design appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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