Canada

GROVER GAMING BETS BIG ON OHIO CHARITIES

Published

4 years ago

February 28, 2022

Grover Gaming announced that it is officially seeking licensure from the Ohio Attorney General’s Office to both manufacture and distribute Electronic Instant Bingo devices to charities, fraternals, and other nonprofit organizations in Ohio.

Grover has made sizable investments already in Ohio. According to Wil Riesgard, Vice President of Operations for Grover Gaming, “We have had a large distribution center here in Columbus for a while and are currently adding another office/warehouse in the northeast part of the state. We will very soon have over fifty employees just in the State of Ohio including a dedicated marketing team.”

“We are already licensed as a Bingo Supply Manufacturer in Ohio, but we have also applied for the separate Distributor license and the Electronic Instant Bingo endorsement to each of those licenses,” said Dorwin “DL” Howard, Compliance and Licensing Specialist at Grover Gaming. “The Ohio Attorney General’s Office, by law, cannot issue any of those licenses until April 1, 2022, but we hope to receive our endorsements on that date or soon after. We do anticipate that they will issue licenses to every manufacturer and distributor entitled to a license at the same time to avoid giving an advantage to one or the other.”

“We cannot offer any proposals to any potential customers in Ohio until we receive those endorsements,” stated Marc Downing, Chief Counsel and Director of Compliance for Grover. “But we do have a plan.”

“We intend to bring the same industry leading software and hardware that has been so successful for our charitable customers in states like Virginia, North Dakota, New Hampshire, and Kentucky,” stated Garrett Blackwelder, President and owner of Grover Gaming. “We are fortunate to be the leader in all those markets by a large margin, and in Virginia and New Hampshire we distribute our products directly to our customers. By distributing our own product, we are able to deal directly with the charities which streamlines our customer service and takes it to an even higher level. This will allow us to further our mission of providing entertaining gaming experiences through a team committed to growth and progress.”

Not only will Grover distribute its own product, but they also intend to place Electronic Instant Bingo equipment and supply Electronic Instant Bingo tickets without requiring any long-term commitments from the charities and fraternals in Ohio. “We will not be requiring contracts of any kind from the charities,” stated Jimmy Forrest, Vice President of Sales for Grover. “We want to earn your business by providing the best performing games and world class service, not because we lock you down with a piece of paper.”

Forrest continued, “another market changing innovation is the integration of our redemption kiosks. With this kiosk a player can just insert their ticket and get cash without having to see an attendant to redeem their winnings. In Virginia, not only has security drastically increased, but we have also seen an increase in net revenue to the charities of over 15% in some locations.” Grover plans to offer those kiosks free of charge along with the biggest selection of custom game terminals.

Grover Gaming develops software, game content, and gaming systems for lotteries and charitable gaming jurisdictions, and is licensed in Ohio, New Hampshire, Kentucky, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Washington, Ontario Canada, and Virginia. Based in Greenville, NC, Grover Gaming has over 360 employees across nine states including a design studio in Wilmington, NC and a Software Development Center in Chicago, IL.

The company is also a 3-year Inc 5000 award recipient, recognizing the fastest-growing privately held companies in the United States and was recently honored with a Glassdoor Employees’ Choice Award. Glassdoor ranked Grover Gaming Number 2 in its Best Places to Work list in 2022 among companies across the US with less than 1,000 employees.

Canada

XSOLLA STRENGTHENS COMMITMENT TO ATLANTIC CANADA’S GROWING GAME INDUSTRY WITH EXPANDED EVENT PRESENCE

Published

7 hours ago

June 3, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

xsolla-strengthens-commitment-to-atlantic-canada’s-growing-game-industry-with-expanded-event-presence

Global Video Game Commerce Company To Support Industry Growth Through Panels, Workshops, And Community Engagement Across Atlantic Canada

Xsolla, a leading global video game commerce company, today announced its participation in two major gaming industry events taking place across Atlantic Canada from June 3-5, 2026, reinforcing the company’s commitment to supporting regional game development ecosystems and fostering industry collaboration.

Xsolla will participate in both Game Invest East and XP Game Connect Atlantic, joining developers, publishers, investors, and industry leaders for discussions centered on the future of game development, investment, and innovation in the local area.

At Game Invest East, held in partnership with Scaffold, Xsolla will contribute to conversations around funding, growth opportunities, and the evolving business landscape for game studios.

Featured on the panel titled “If You Can Make It Here,” Xsolla’s Manny Hachey, Senior Director of Developer Success, joins Kate Edwards, CEO and Principal Consultant of Geogrify, and Amir Satvat, Business Development Director at Tencent Games, founder of Always Supporting the Games Community (ASGC), and a 2026 GamesBeat Visionary Award honoree, to explore how new regions and new entrants can survive and thrive in disruptive times.

Hachey, a native of Atlantic Canada, was personally requested by Scaffold to represent Xsolla at the event — a homecoming that adds a personal dimension to the panel’s central thesis. Having built her career and made her mark in Germany’s games industry, she returns with a firsthand perspective on what it takes to leave, build something meaningful abroad, and come back with proof of concept.

Xsolla will continue its Atlantic Canada engagement at XP Game Connect Atlantic in Halifax on June 5. John Nguyen, Regional Vice President, Canada at Xsolla, and Ted DiNola, Developer Evangelist at Xsolla, will host a workshop titled ‘Full Picture to Fast Lane: Xsolla Ecosystem Overview & Live SDK 3 Integration’, providing practical insights and actionable strategies for developers navigating today’s rapidly evolving gaming market.

Nguyen will also host a panel titled, ‘What Does the Future of Game Development Look Like in Atlantic Canada?’ where he will be joined by industry experts, including Ryan Filsinger from Iron Fox; Shawn Woods, CEO at Alpha Dog and VP of Interactive Society of Nova Scotia; George Greer, Founder of Besszong; and Jade Yhap, President of Interactive NB. The panel will explore the region’s growing role in the global games industry and the opportunities ahead for studios, talent, and ecosystem partners.

John Nguyen, Regional Vice President, Canada, at Xsolla

“Atlantic Canada continues to emerge as an exciting hub for game development talent and innovation,” said John Nguyen, Regional Vice President, Canada, at Xsolla. “Xsolla is proud to support these events and contribute to conversations that help empower developers, build ecosystems, strengthen industry connections, and accelerate growth across the region.”

Berkley Egenes, Chief Marketing & Growth Officer at Xsolla

“Events like Game Invest East and XP Game Connect Atlantic are critical for building stronger connections across the games industry,” said Berkley Egenes, Chief Marketing & Growth Officer at Xsolla. “Atlantic Canada has a growing community of talented developers, creators, and industry leaders, and we’re excited to be part of conversations that help to shape the future of gaming in the region while supporting studios at every stage of growth.”

Through its participation in these events, Xsolla aims to deepen relationships within the Atlantic Canadian game development community while supporting knowledge-sharing, collaboration, and long-term ecosystem growth.

For more information about Xsolla’s participation in these events across Atlantic Canada, visit: xsolla.pro/Atlantic-Canada

The post XSOLLA STRENGTHENS COMMITMENT TO ATLANTIC CANADA’S GROWING GAME INDUSTRY WITH EXPANDED EVENT PRESENCE appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Ben Scobie-Trumper Head of Sales at mkodo

GGPoker selects GeoLocs geolocation service for regulated Ontario market

Published

17 hours ago

June 3, 2026

Wladimir P.

ggpoker-selects-geolocs-geolocation-service-for-regulated-ontario-market

mkodo’s GeoLocs will handle in-platform location checks for GGPoker players in Ontario, removing the need for a separate verification app.

GGPoker has selected GeoLocs by mkodo as its geolocation service provider for the operator’s regulated Ontario offering.

Under the partnership, GeoLocs will provide in-platform location verification for GGPoker players across Ontario, with the aim of supporting regulatory compliance without requiring an additional app download or separate approval process.

“Our priority is to ensure players have a seamless experience on GGPoker whilst staying fully compliant with regulations. We chose GeoLocs because of their proven expertise, industry and regulatory knowledge and the fact that players don’t need to verify location through a separate app or download.” – Sarne Lightman, Managing Director of GGPoker.

“The partnership with GGPoker is very exciting. We’re proud to support a globally recognised operator in delivering a seamless, compliant player experience in Ontario. With Alberta opening in July, the partnership with GGPoker in Ontario further reinforces GeoLocs’ expansion across the Canadian gaming market.” – Ben Scobie-Trumper, Head of Sales at mkodo.

GeoLocs is a geolocation product built by mkodo for regulated markets, supporting web and mobile location checks for gaming, sports betting, poker and lottery operators, according to the company.

The post GGPoker selects GeoLocs geolocation service for regulated Ontario market appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Business Development

Xsolla expands Atlantic Canada event push with Game Invest East and XP Game Connect

Published

17 hours ago

June 3, 2026

Wladimir P.

xsolla-expands-atlantic-canada-event-push-with-game-invest-east-and-xp-game-connect

Xsolla will take part in two Atlantic Canada industry events—Game Invest East and XP Game Connect Atlantic—running June 3-5, 2026, as it increases its presence in the region’s game development ecosystem.

The company said it will join discussions with developers, publishers, investors, and other stakeholders focused on game development, investment, and innovation. At Game Invest East, held in partnership with Scaffold, Xsolla will participate in a panel titled “If You Can Make It Here.” Xsolla’s Manny Hachey, Senior Director of Developer Success, will appear alongside Kate Edwards, CEO and Principal Consultant of Geogrify, and Amir Satvat, Business Development Director at Tencent Games, founder of Always Supporting the Games Community (ASGC), and a 2026 GamesBeat Visionary Award honoree.

Xsolla’s Halifax stop comes on June 5 at XP Game Connect Atlantic. John Nguyen, Regional Vice President, Canada at Xsolla, and Ted DiNola, Developer Evangelist at Xsolla, will host a workshop titled “Full Picture to Fast Lane: Xsolla Ecosystem Overview & Live SDK 3 Integration.”

Nguyen will also host a panel, “What Does the Future of Game Development Look Like in Atlantic Canada?”, joined by Ryan Filsinger from Iron Fox; Shawn Woods, CEO at Alpha Dog and VP of Interactive Society of Nova Scotia; George Greer, Founder of Besszong; and Jade Yhap, President of Interactive NB.

“Atlantic Canada continues to emerge as an exciting hub for game development talent and innovation,” said John Nguyen, Regional Vice President, Canada, at Xsolla. “Xsolla is proud to support these events and contribute to conversations that help empower developers, build ecosystems, strengthen industry connections, and accelerate growth across the region.”

The post Xsolla expands Atlantic Canada event push with Game Invest East and XP Game Connect appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.