Canada

Riot Games Reveals Multi-City Tour across North America for 2022 League of Legends World Championship

Published

4 years ago

November 24, 2021

Riot Games announced that its premier esports event, the League of Legends World Championship, returns to North America for the first time since 2016 with a continental tour.

The Worlds 2022 event will feature:

Play-Ins in Mexico City, Mexico;
Groups and Quarterfinals in New York City;
Semifinals in Toronto, Canada;
Finals in San Francisco, California.

This will be the first time Riot Games has hosted a multinational North American Worlds, making first-time stops in both Mexico and Canada.

The announcement was made at a press conference at Chase Center prior to the Golden State Warriors vs. Toronto Raptors NBA game featuring teams from the semifinal city (Toronto) and final city (San Francisco). Participants outlined Riot’s plan to “canvas North America,” with the final two stops being Scotiabank Arena, home of the Toronto Raptors, and Chase Center, home of the six-time NBA Champion Golden State Warriors.

The Worlds 2022 venue lineup also includes Play-Ins from LoL Esports’ Liga Latinoamerica (LLA) competition arena before contesting both Groups and the Quarterfinals at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden.

“The momentum behind League of Legends Esports has only continued to grow since the last time we hosted Worlds in the U.S. in 2016. We’re thrilled to bring the full scale of our global sport back to North America, and, COVID permitting, welcome fans into the stands across three countries and four different cities,” said Naz Aletaha, Global Head of LoL Esports.

“Worlds is the showcase of the greatest of our sport, and we look forward to celebrating that with our fans in North America and across the world.”

Chase Center, also home of the Golden Guardians, a team in LoL Esports’ North American league (LCS), opened its doors in 2019. It is an award-winning sports and entertainment arena that boasts a seating capacity of 18,064. In addition to Warriors’ home games, the venue also hosts a variety of concerts, conventions, and other large-scale events.

Chase Center will be the 10th unique arena to host a Worlds Final. The most recent Worlds Finals venues and locations include the Laugardalshöll Sport Center in Reykjavík, Iceland (2021); SAIC Motor Pudong Arena in China (2020); AccorHotels Arena in Paris, France (2019); Incheon Munhak Stadium in Incheon, South Korea (2018); Beijing National Stadium in Beijing, China (2017); and the Staples Center in Los Angeles (2016).

Scotiabank Arena, also home to the Toronto Maple Leafs, opened its doors in 1999 and is often ranked the #1 Canadian arena. The venue has been recognized with more than 50 industry awards highlighting the venue’s security, accessibility, fan service, environmental commitment, food and beverage, marketing, design, partnerships, live entertainment, sales and box office service.

Sunday’s announcement prior to the Warriors vs. Raptors game featured Riot’s senior most esports executives alongside top casters and LoL Esports players:

John Needham, President, Esports at Riot Games
Naz Aletaha, Global Head of LoL Esports
Chris Greeley, Head of Esports, North America and Oceania Pacific
Martin Blaquier, Head of Esports, Latin America
Eric “Licorice” Ritchie, top laner for Golden Guardians, LCS
Choi “huhi” Jae-hyun, support for 100 Thieves, LCS
Isaac “Azael” Cummings-Bentley, commentator and analyst
Sam “Kobe” Hartman-Kenzler, commentator and analyst

Worlds is the pinnacle of LoL Esports competition in which the top teams from 12 diverse regions compete for the world champion title. Held at the end of the regular season in a different host region each year, 24 teams from Riot’s 12 professional leagues participate in the month-long tournament to crown one team as the best in the world. The 2020 World Championship shattered previous viewership records with more than 45.95 million peak concurrent viewers worldwide and an average minute audience (AMA) of more than 23.04 million.

In November 2021, the 2021 Worlds Final came down to Worlds defending champions and heavy favorites DWG KIA from Riot Games’ South Korean league, LCK, facing EDward Gaming, the top-seeded team from Riot’s China league, LPL. EDG raised the Summoner’s Cup trophy and earned Mercedes-Benz championship rings after a thrilling best-of-five series. Worlds 2021 set new viewership records for esports that surpassed Worlds 2020’s numbers, with a report detailing official numbers to be released in December.

Alberta

Play’n GO granted Alberta iGaming licence, expanding Canadian market footprint

Published

2 days ago

May 22, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

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

Published

2 days ago

May 22, 2026

Wladimir P.

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.

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

Published

2 days ago

May 22, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

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.

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