Canada
Smarkets announces new US General Manager hire from Nike
Leading sports betting operator Smarkets has announced the hire of a US General Manager to run its growing business in the United States.
Sheldon Hanai joins Smarkets from Nike where he spent nearly six years, rising to Senior Director level as the Head of Global Innovation Finance. He started his career with the United States Department of Defense, before working at Google and BP, and then moving to the sportswear giant.
Smarkets operates its sportsbook app SBK in the US, where it is live in Colorado, with an official launch in Indiana imminent and move into Iowa to come later in the year. SBK takes its odds from the Smarkets exchange, combining market-leading betting exchange odds with a sleek sportsbook interface.
Hanai said: “I’m delighted to be joining Smarkets, a company that I have followed since the very beginning of its journey and seen blossom into one of the world’s leading sports betting companies. I can’t wait to get stuck into realizing SBK’s potential in the US where our industry-leading odds can make a huge impact.”
Hanai will begin in the newly created role on 13 June, and whilst Smarkets currently has offices in London, Malta, and Los Angeles, Hanai will work out of a new office in a soon-to-be-revealed East Coast location. He will join the Smarkets Executive Leadership Team and report to Smarkets CEO/Founder Jason Trost, who added: “I’m super excited about Sheldon joining us to head up our push into the US. We have looked far and wide for the right candidate for what is an absolutely crucial role as we expand our footprint in the States. Sheldon was the outstanding choice and I couldn’t be more pleased that he’s joining us.”
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Canada
St8 launches in Ontario through partnership with Tonybet
Casino games aggregator and full-service technology provider, St8 has officially gone live in Ontario’s regulated market through a new partnership with international brand Tonybet.
Through the partnership, Tonybet gains access to St8’s casino games aggregation platform, offering a wide range of premium titles from leading providers through a single API, alongside bonusing and promotional tools, compliance and licensing solutions, advanced reporting and data capabilities.
Built as a single scalable platform, St8’s products are designed to help operators launch and grow across regulated markets with fast, flexible technology solutions while maintaining full compliance.
The agreement marks a further step in St8’s global growth strategy as the company continues to expand its presence across regulated jurisdictions.
Vladimir Negine, CEO at St8, said: “Going live in Ontario is an important milestone for St8 and reflects our continued commitment to growth in regulated markets. Since receiving our Ontario licence, we have focused on building strong local partnerships and delivering a platform that combines scalability, speed and compliance.
“As a respected international brand, Tonybet shares our commitment to building reliable solutions for regulated markets, and we look forward to working closely together as we continue to expand our presence in regulated jurisdictions worldwide.”
Kiryl Liudvikevich, Head of Product at Tonybet, added: “As we expand our presence in Ontario, it is important for us to work with technology partners that support continued growth while meeting the highest regulatory standards.
“St8’s platform gives us the flexibility to integrate a wide range of content and tools through a single connection, helping us scale smoothly while maintaining a strong focus on player experience.”
St8 continues to lead the way as a partner of choice for regulated markets. In addition to its Ontario licence, the company holds licences in key regulated jurisdictions like the United Kingdom, Sweden and Romania, among others.
The post St8 launches in Ontario through partnership with Tonybet appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Canada
Rivalry Corp. Announces Significant Reduction in Operations and Evaluation of Strategic Alternatives
Rivalry Corp. announced that its Board of Directors has approved a significant reduction in operating activity as the Company evaluates strategic alternatives in respect of its assets and operations.
The Company is engaged in discussions with third parties regarding potential transactions. However, in light of recent performance volatility, the Board has determined to materially reduce the scale of operations while assessing whether a strategic transaction or other alternative can be advanced.
Effective immediately, the Company is implementing substantial cost reductions, including a significant workforce reduction and reduced operating expenditures. The Company has paused player activity on its platform and is facilitating player withdrawals in the ordinary course.
The Company is assessing a range of potential alternatives, which may include asset-level transactions, corporate transactions, restructuring initiatives or other strategic outcomes.
Given the Company’s reduced operating scale and the ongoing evaluation process, there can be no assurance that any strategic alternative will be completed or that operations will continue in their current form.
The post Rivalry Corp. Announces Significant Reduction in Operations and Evaluation of Strategic Alternatives appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Alex Malchenko
Evoplay Strengthens Canadian Presence with BetMGM Partnership
Evoplay is celebrating another milestone in its regulated-market journey with a new launch in Ontario, teaming up with BetMGM to bring its games to one of Canada’s most dynamic and competitive jurisdictions.
The rollout introduces 18 Evoplay titles to BetMGM Casino in Ontario, carefully selected to deliver long-term engagement and appeal to a wide range of player preferences. The first wave includes proven performers such as:
• Hot Triple Sevens
• Hot Volcano
• Gold of Sirens Bonus Buy
• Inner Fire Bonus Buy.
These are games that have already demonstrated strong results across multiple regulated markets.
This launch marks another confident step in Evoplay’s Canadian expansion, reinforcing the company’s commitment to aligning its content with local market requirements, player expectations, and regulatory standards.
Alex Malchenko, Head of Sales at Evoplay, said: Ontario continues to set a high standard for regulated online casinos, making it a market where the right partnerships truly matter. Collaborating with BetMGM allows us to expand our reach with a portfolio that has already performed strongly across multiple areas and territories.
Oliver Bartlett, VP of Gaming at BetMGM, said: “Partnering with Evoplay adds a strong selection of proven, high-performing titles to our growing portfolio in Ontario.”
The post Evoplay Strengthens Canadian Presence with BetMGM Partnership appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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