Canada
2021 World Series of Poker In Review: Week One Highlights And What To Look Forward To
The 52nd annual World Series of Poker® (WSOP®) wrapped up its first week of play at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino this week, exceeding participation expectations as the series returns to in-person play this year. With record participation over the weekend, including nearly 13,000 players participating The Reunion No-Limit Hold’em, with 6,000 participants in the event on Sunday alone, and nearly 4,300 players participating in Monday’s No-Limit Hold’em Deepstack, the WSOP opening week delivered some heart-warming wins and exciting starts to the tournament.
Poker fans and interested media can tune into the weekly WSOP virtual press conference on Friday, Oct. 8 at 12 p.m. PST where host Tiffany Michelle will dive deeper into this week’s milestone events with special guests, bracelet winners and more. This week’s virtual press conference can be viewed on the WSOP YouTube channel. Be sure to check out last week’s press conference, with special guests WSOP Vice President, Jack Effel; Senior Vice President, General Manager of CLEAR Sports & Entertainment, Jerome Pickett; and world-renown professional poker players Maria Ho and Daniel Negreanu here.
Week 1 Highlights
George McBride cries tears of joy cashing the $500 The Reunion No-Limit Hold’em
Having only ever played $20 home games with friends, George McBride tried his hand at the WSOP Reunion event on Friday, Oct. 1. After narrowly surviving the money bubble burst, an emotional McBride cashed his winnings for the first-time ever. View the moving video that has already garnered 216.1k views on Twitter, here.
Newcomer Jesse Klein beats out poker veterans, winning $552,182 in the $25k H.O.R.S.E. event
Philadelphia local Jesse Klein took home a gold bracelet during the $25,000 H.O.R.S.E. event, claiming victory against vicious final table representing a combined 22 gold bracelets. Klein specifically came out to Las Vegas for the H.O.R.S.E event and will return home with $552,182 in earnings.
Caesars Palace dealer Jimmy Barnett wins gold bracelet, crowned $500 Casino Employees No-Limit Hold’em champion
Jimmy Barnett, a 36-year-old dealer at Caesars, earned his first WSOP gold bracelet and $39,013 during the very first event of the 2021 WSOP. Originally from California, Barnett moved to Vegas in 2018 to become a dealer at the Golden Nugget and has worked in the industry ever since.
Poker legend Phil Hellmuth makes run for 16th career gold bracelet
Playing 10 hours a day, for three days straight, poker royalty Phil Hellmuth makes his run for his 16th career gold bracelet. Don’t miss live coverage on PokerGo on Friday, Oct. 8 at 4:15 p.m.
What To Look Forward To
Friday, Oct. 8 – Event #17A: MILLIONAIRE MAKER No-Limit Hold’em
Players will face off for a chance at a guaranteed $1,000,000 first place prize in one of WSOP’s most popular events.
Sunday, Oct. 10 – Event #20A: Flip & Go No Limit Hold’em Presented by GGPoker
The popular online format will make its live poker debut at WSOP, offering players a chance to skip the beginning stages of the tournament and get right into the heat of the action.
Wednesday, Oct. 13 – Event #26: Freezeout No-Limit Holdem
One buy-in only. Players will be able to play in the same as the Main Event format at every popular buy-in level from $500 to $5,000.
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Alberta
Play’n GO granted Alberta iGaming licence, expanding Canadian market footprint
The Swedish gaming giant confirms its entry into another regulated market, with its industry-leading portfolio of games set to launch in Alberta.
Play’n GO, one of the world’s leading casino entertainment providers, has been granted a licence to supply online gaming content in the Canadian province of Alberta, marking another milestone in the company’s expansion across regulated North American markets.
The licence, awarded by the Alberta Gaming, Liquor & Cannabis Commission (AGLC), allows the company to offer its portfolio of premium online casino titles to licensed operators in the province ahead of Alberta’s planned market launch later this year.
Alberta represents an important new regulated opportunity within Canada, complementing Play’n GO’s established presence in Ontario and Quebec, while reinforcing the company’s commitment to operating exclusively in regulated jurisdictions.
Magnus Olsson said: “Being granted a licence in Alberta is another important step in our North American growth journey and further strengthens our presence in Canada.
“Regulated markets are the foundation of our business, and Alberta represents an exciting opportunity to expand our footprint in a jurisdiction that shares our commitment to high standards, player protection and long-term sustainability.”
The Alberta licence forms part of Play’n GO’s broader strategy of expanding through regulated markets, working closely with licensed operators to deliver compliant, high-quality gaming content focused on innovation, responsibility, and long-term commercial value.
As part of its market entry preparations, the company has aligned its technology and game portfolio with Alberta’s regulatory standards and requirements, with an initial batch of titles already undergoing certification to ensure launch readiness.
About Play’n GO
With more than 20 years of experience in mobile-first gaming, Play’n GO is a global leader in casino entertainment and the creator of some of the industry’s most iconic online titles, including Rich Wilde and the Book of Dead, Reactoonz, and Moon Princess.
A pioneer in the sector, Play’n GO was among the first to recognize the potential of mobile gaming, developing casino content for mobile devices as early as 2005, before the smartphone era.
Today, the company offers a portfolio of more than 450 premium titles, available to regulated operators across over 35 jurisdictions.
Play’n GO is strongly committed to a fully regulated, sustainable gaming industry built around entertainment, safety, and long-term collaboration.
The company works closely with operators, regulators, and research institutions to promote responsible gaming standards across all markets in which it operates.
With a deep understanding of both operators’ and players’ needs, Play’n GO focuses on creating high-quality, enduring content designed for long-term engagement.
In addition to game development, the company also provides backend services and solutions that support operators in delivering a seamless gaming experience.
Beyond gaming, Play’n GO has expanded into complementary entertainment verticals with Play’n GO Music and Play’n GO Shop, and is also a proud partner of the TGR Haas F1 Team.
For more information, please visit www.playngo.com
The post Play’n GO granted Alberta iGaming licence, expanding Canadian market footprint appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Alberta
Play’n GO secures Alberta iGaming supplier licence from AGLC
Play’n GO has been granted a licence to supply online gaming content in Alberta, as the province prepares to launch its regulated online market later this year.
The licence was awarded by the Alberta Gaming, Liquor & Cannabis Commission (AGLC). Play’n GO said the approval allows it to provide its online casino games to licensed operators in the province.
Magnus Olsson, Chief Commercial Officer at Play’n GO, said:
“Being granted a licence in Alberta is another important step in our North American growth journey and further strengthens our presence in Canada.
“Regulated markets are the foundation of our business, and Alberta represents an exciting opportunity to expand our footprint in a jurisdiction that shares our commitment to high standards, player protection and long‑term sustainability.”
Play’n GO said it has aligned its technology and game portfolio with Alberta’s regulatory requirements, with an initial batch of titles undergoing certification ahead of launch. The supplier is already active in Canada, with an established presence in Ontario and Quebec, according to the company.
The post Play’n GO secures Alberta iGaming supplier licence from AGLC appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
AGLC
Alberta iGaming Corporation Appoints Dan Keene as its CEO
Dan Keene, who served as the interim CEO of the Alberta iGaming Corporation (AiGC), has been appointed to the role permanently, effective April 21, 2026. Under his leadership, AiGC will launch Alberta’s regulated iGaming market on July 13. Keene has played a pivotal role in shaping the province’s gaming landscape, both through his work standing up AiGC and in his previous roles at the Alberta Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis Commission (AGLC).
“Dan brings deep operational experience and a strong track record in gaming and market development. His leadership will be essential as the Alberta iGaming Corporation prepares for launch and delivers a regulated market built on social responsibility and player protection,” said Sanjeev Kad, Board Chair, Alberta iGaming Corporation.
About Dan Keene
Serving as Vice-President, Gaming at AGLC since July 2022, Keene overseen a broad portfolio, including gaming retail services, technical operations, compliance, online gambling, player loyalty, supply chain, electronic gaming, and product development across Alberta. He has been instrumental in advancing consumer-focused initiatives. He co-led the creation of Winner’s Edge, Alberta’s first province-wide casino loyalty program, and guided the operations of PlayAlberta.ca, currently, the province’s only regulated online gambling platform. Previously, Keene worked at AGLC as Manager, Casino Products. In this role, he led a team of specialists responsible for selecting slot games and terminals for Alberta’s 30 casinos and 750 VLT locations. Before joining AGLC, he completed successful tenures with Molson Breweries and Century Casinos Inc.
The post Alberta iGaming Corporation Appoints Dan Keene as its CEO appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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