Canada
Make-A-Wish® Southern Nevada Grants Former Competitive Cheerleader Wish to Be a Celebrity VIP, in Partnership with Resorts World Las Vegas and Venafi
Marissa, a 12-year-old former competitive cheerleader, received her wish to be a celebrity VIP thanks to Make-A-Wish® Southern Nevada. In partnership with Resorts World Las Vegas and Venafi, Marissa was surprised with a true red-carpet experience hosted at the newest resort to be built on the Las Vegas Strip in over a decade.
A natural born leader, Marissa dedicated her life to competitive cheerleading and staying active whenever she could. Since being diagnosed with Gorham-Stout disease, or “vanishing bone disease,” last year, Marissa’s days at the gym were reduced to zero as she immediately entered treatment for her illness. Because her condition forces her to be homebound, Marissa has wanted nothing more than to disconnect from reality and feel on top of the world again.
Marissa eagerly looked forward to stepping into the glamorous life of a celebrity. Her wish began with a send-off by Make-A-Wish® Southern Nevada employees at The Wishing Place, where she was surprised with private car service in one of the signature “Resorts World Red” Rolls-Royce Phantoms. Accompanied by her mom and best friend, Marissa was whisked away to the luxurious resort and greeted with a red-carpet arrival, complete with a welcome message shown on the resort’s 100,000-square-foot LED screen.
After settling into her luxe hotel suite located in the renowned Crockfords Las Vegas, Marissa set off on a four-day VIP guest experience. Her itinerary included a full day of pampering at AWANA Spa & Wellness, private shopping experience at Twila True Fine Jewelry & Watches, and an exclusive celebrity model photo shoot on property.
“Getting to witness a child receive his or her wish is always heartwarming, and Marissa’s wish was no exception,” said Scott Rosenzweig, President and CEO of Make-A-Wish® Southern Nevada. “We are so thankful for our partners at Resorts World Las Vegas and Venafi for their efforts in making Marissa’s wish to be a celebrity VIP possible.”
“As we planned Marissa’s wish, it was important that we put our heart into every action and interaction,” said Lori Calderon, Executive Director of Community Engagement at Resorts World Las Vegas. “We feel honored to have been a small part of Marissa’s story, and she will always be part of the Resorts World Las Vegas family.”
“We’re so appreciative of Make-A-Wish, Resorts World Las Vegas and Venafi for making this all happen for Marissa—it means the world to us,” said Marissa’s mom, Tonia. “This experience was just amazing. I never thought any of this could happen.”
Marissa’s wish experience gave her the strength she needed to heal and hope for a brighter future. For more information about Make-A-Wish® Southern Nevada, please visit wish.org/snv.
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Berkley Egenes
Xsolla Brings Creator Strategy and Game Commerce Expertise to Toronto’s Leading Industry Events
Xsolla, a global video game commerce company, is participating in two leading co-located industry events, XP Game Summit Toronto and Xsolla Connect Toronto, on May 21-22, in Toronto. Xsolla will engage with partners, creators, and industry leaders across both events, focusing on the evolving gaming ecosystem.
At XP Game Summit Toronto, Xsolla will showcase its Web Shop solution, a direct-to-consumer (D2C) platform that helps developers build and scale their own storefronts outside traditional app stores. The Web Shop ecosystem integrates storefronts, LiveOps tools, and player engagement features, enabling studios to strengthen player relationships while increasing revenue and operational control.
Xsolla will also highlight its global payments infrastructure, which supports more than 1000+ payment methods across 200+ geographies. Designed to optimize conversion and deliver localized checkout experiences, Xsolla Payments enables developers to reach players worldwide while adapting to regional preferences and regulatory environments.
Additionally, Xsolla will showcase how they are connecting developers with premium entertainment-based intellectual property (IP). By simplifying licensing and partnership opportunities, Xsolla Agency helps studios enhance player acquisition, drive engagement through LiveOps, and unlock new monetization pathways.
In addition to showcasing its product offerings and solutions, Xsolla will also present a featured panel session titled “Building the Creator Pipeline: How Smart Partnerships Are Scaling Influencer Marketing”. The panel will include John Nguyen, Regional Vice President, Canada, at Xsolla; Scott Christian, Studio Director & Founder of Hilltop Games; Gem Johnson, CEO at Corvian Marketing; and Corina (Newby) Diaz, Marketing and Social Media Director at Mighty Yell. They will share practical insights on building sustainable creator ecosystems, leveraging strategic partnerships, and driving measurable impact through influencer marketing initiatives.
In addition to the company’s participation in XP Game Summit Toronto, Xsolla will host Xsolla Connect Toronto, further expanding opportunities for meaningful engagement between developers and publishers through curated programming and networking experiences. Xsolla Connects are designed to give local communities the opportunity to engage, collaborate, and integrate with Xsolla’s industry leaders in an open and transparent environment and through conversations.
“Toronto continues to emerge as a key hub for gaming innovation and collaboration in North America. We’re excited to participate in XP Game Summit and host the Xsolla Connect to connect with the community while sharing insights on how creators and partnerships are helping to build the future of game growth,” said Berkley Egenes, Chief Marketing & Growth Officer at Xsolla.
“Toronto has built itself into a major Canadian video game hub. We are glad to contribute to the continued growth of the local industry as well as Ontario’s Game Industry as a whole. What makes it special is the combination of deep technical talent, global creative diversity, and a production ecosystem that truly scales. That’s why gatherings like XP Game Summit and Xsolla Connect matter so much: they bring that energy together, and we’re excited to be part of it and help showcase what this community can do,” said John Nguyen, Regional Vice President, Canada at Xsolla.
The post Xsolla Brings Creator Strategy and Game Commerce Expertise to Toronto’s Leading Industry Events appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Canada
St8 extends Wazdan content distribution into Ontario
St8 has extended its partnership with slot supplier Wazdan into Ontario, adding the supplier’s content to St8’s aggregation platform for operators in the Canadian province.
Under the agreement, St8 has integrated a selection of Wazdan slot titles for Ontario operators, including Mighty Fish
: Blue Marlin, 36 Coins
, Mighty Wild
: Panther Grand Diamond Edition and Mighty Wild
: Gorilla. The roll-out also includes Wazdan mechanics such as Cash to Infinity
, Sticky to Infinity
and Hold the Jackpot
.
David Fall, Business Development Manager at St8, said: “Our partnership with Wazdan has already delivered impressive results, and extending the collaboration into Ontario is an exciting next step for both companies.
“Wazdan consistently develops high-performing content backed by innovative engagement features, and we are pleased to further strengthen our offering for operators in one of North America’s most important regulated regions.”
Andrzej Hyla, Chief Commercial Officer at Wazdan, said: “This collaboration into Ontario with St8 is another milestone for Wazdan as we continue to build our presence across regulated North American markets.
“Wazdan goes above and beyond for our partners by delivering intuitive products that focus on the quality of the user’s experience, and St8’s platform provides an excellent route for our content to reach more operators and players. It has been a very rewarding process so far, and we look forward to building on this momentum together.”
The post St8 extends Wazdan content distribution into Ontario appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Andrzej Hyla Chief Commercial Officer at Wazdan
St8 extends Wazdan partnership into Ontario
Casino games aggregator and full-service technology provider St8 has expanded its partnership with Wazdan into Ontario, further strengthening its premium content offering in one of North America’s leading regulated markets.
Through the extended agreement, St8 has integrated a selection of Wazdan’s top-performing slot titles for operators in Ontario, including Mighty Fish
: Blue Marlin, 36 Coins
, Mighty Wild
: Panther Grand Diamond Edition and Mighty Wild
: Gorilla. The partnership also brings Wazdan’s renowned engagement-driven mechanics to the market, including Cash to Infinity
, Sticky to Infinity
and Hold the Jackpot
.
Wazdan has built a strong reputation through its combination of high-performing games, innovative mechanics and player engagement features. Its focus on creating memorable gameplay experiences aligns closely with St8’s approach to delivering premium content through a seamless aggregation platform.
The Ontario expansion marks the latest step in the ongoing collaboration between the two companies as St8 continues to evolve its content portfolio and support operators with games that deliver strong performance across competitive markets.
David Fall, Business Development Manager at St8, said: “Our partnership with Wazdan has already delivered impressive results, and extending the collaboration into Ontario is an exciting next step for both companies.
“Wazdan consistently develops high-performing content backed by innovative engagement features, and we are pleased to further strengthen our offering for operators in one of North America’s most important regulated regions.”
Andrzej Hyla, Chief Commercial Officer at Wazdan, said: “This collaboration into Ontario with St8 is another milestone for Wazdan as we continue to build our presence across regulated North American markets.
“Wazdan goes above and beyond for our partners by delivering intuitive products that focus on the quality of the user’s experience, and St8’s platform provides an excellent route for our content to reach more operators and players. It has been a very rewarding process so far, and we look forward to building on this momentum together.”
The post St8 extends Wazdan partnership into Ontario appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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