Canada
Vanta Announces $2.5MM Oversubscribed Seed Round to Create a Safer, More Development Focused Scholastic Esports Environment
Vanta, the premiere K-12 esports organization in the US, raised over $2.5 million in an oversubscribed funding round, bringing their total amount raised to over $3.3 million. The funds will be used to expand access to Vanta’s free K-12 leagues in the US, further develop their COPPA compliant esports platform, and expand their esports coaching offerings.
Led by Scout Ventures, the seed round saw participation from J Ventures, Veteran Ventures Capital, and Trajectory Capital, with additional contributions from Blue Ventures, GTM Fund, Paul Lasiuk, the Hart Family, the Rifkin Family, and several angels.
Vanta launched in 2020 with four co-founders; Patrick Cronin, James Roche, Zack Fabi, and Ed Lallier. The founders set out to eliminate the rampant cyberbullying problem in gaming. They identified this issue as a symptom of larger systemic issues in the gaming space. Since then, Vanta has evolved its offerings to providing scholastic esports teams with the infrastructure and tools they need to start, grow, and develop their programs into successful and transformational experiences for K-12 esports student-athletes. Vanta’s business took off in 2022 after launching free-to-compete leagues, securing several deals with state and national associations, including becoming the official esports sponsor of the University Interscholastic League of Texas (UIL), as well as partnerships with the Georgia Association of Private and Parochial Schools (GAPPS), Miami-Dade County Public Schools, and the Association of Middle Level Educators (AMLE), among others.
Vanta continues to set itself apart from other organizations in the way it has built its business, products, and customer base through its principles-first, mission based approach.
“We see gaming and esports as one of the main digital battlegrounds for youth mental health, cyberbullying, and behavior normalization in kids. As an industry and as a society, we have reached an important crossroads; either esports will become the largest contributor to these problems if current industry practices continue, or we can get the esports train back on track and turn it into one of the most important and powerful tools for positive social-emotional development in kids,” says Patrick Cronin, CEO and co-founder of Vanta, “The reality is, venture backed companies have made a bad name for themselves in this space, and we are here to show schools that it’s not the source of your funding that matters, but rather, the presence of a greater purpose beyond profit.”
Vanta offers one of the safest platforms in the market that allows schools to compete in free leagues and access coaching services from their scores of professionally trained esports coaches.
Coaching services offered include team-based coaching and a new private coaching offering for one-on-one sessions.
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Bally Bet Sportsbook & Casino app
Bally’s Interactive Launches the New Bally Bet Sportsbook & Casino App in Ontario
Bally’s Interactive, the digital and sports betting division of Bally’s Corporation, has launched the all-new Bally Bet Sportsbook & Casino app in Ontario, Canada. This latest release marks another significant milestone for the company, following the recent app update in New Jersey and a series of successful app launches in the past year, including the introduction of Bally Bet Sportsbook across multiple states and Bally Casino in Rhode Island.
The updated Bally Bet Sportsbook & Casino app represents a major step forward, as it combines the functionalities of the existing Bally Casino app and Bally Bet Sportsbook app into one comprehensive platform. Powered by White Hat Gaming, this new app allows players residing in or traveling to Ontario to conveniently place wagers on both sports and casino games using a single app, account, and universal wallet.
“We are thrilled to introduce the new Bally Bet Sportsbook & Casino app, marking a significant milestone for Bally’s. This integrated platform merges the features of our previous apps, providing players in Ontario with a seamless experience for both sports and casino betting. Our commitment to enhancing the player experience remains at the forefront as we strive to personalize the enjoyment of playing Bally Bet,” said Robeson Reeves, CEO of Bally’s Corporation.
BCLC
Be #GiftSmart: Scratch the Idea of Gifting Scratch & Win Tickets to Kids
BCLC reminds adults to gift responsibly this holiday season
With the holiday season in full swing, BCLC is reminding British Columbians to gift responsibly and scratch lottery products from their shopping lists for kids.
“Scratch & Win tickets can make great stocking stuffers for the adults in your life, but they’re not for kids,” said Ryan McCarthy, BCLC’s Director of Player Health. “The research shows that children who have early encounters with gambling are four times more likely to develop riskier gambling behaviour as they grow up. While people are out shopping for those last-minute gifts, BCLC wants adults to be aware of the potential risks associated with gifting lottery products to children and to consider safer alternatives.”
While Scratch & Win tickets are among the most common ways kids can be introduced to gambling, children are increasingly exposed to various online forms, such as gambling streams.
“With the convergence of gaming and gambling, youth are becoming more exposed to gambling content in online spaces like streaming sites, where creators are able to live-stream their own gambling, usually while playing online slots and instant games,” said Dr. Luke Clark, Director for Gambling Research at UBC. “Our research at the UBC Centre for Gambling shows that a higher frequency of watching online gambling streams is associated with a more positive attitude towards gambling and a high intention to gamble in the future.”
In B.C., it is illegal to sell lottery products to anyone under the age of 19 and BCLC encourages adults to have conversations with the kids in their lives about the risks associated with gambling.
“Open and honest conversations are crucial when it comes to navigating childhood exposure to gambling,” said McCarthy, who shared the following tips to adults:
- Monitor for gambling-related lifestyle changes. For example, developing a positive attitude towards gambling or a preoccupation with video games or streaming sites.
- Be a positive role model. Exhibit safer gambling behaviour and talk about the risks.
- Limit exposure. Monitor kids’ online activities and discourage engagement with gambling content. Explain how gambling is based on chance.
AGCO
Jackpot Digital Receives Approval from AGCO as a Registered Gaming Supplier
Jackpot Digital Inc., a leading provider of innovative dealerless electronic poker gaming solutions, has announced that the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has approved the Company to be licensed as a registered Gaming Related-Supplier (the “Supplier License”) under the Gaming Control Act in the Province of Ontario.
This significant achievement allows Jackpot Digital to enter one of the most dynamic and rapidly growing regulated gaming markets in North America. The Supplier License authorizes Jackpot Digital to supply its electronic table games to Ontario’s gaming venues, including casinos and other regulated gaming facilities.
Jackpot Digital’s flagship product, the Jackpot Blitz electronic table game system, offers a modern, dealerless, player-friendly solution that integrates traditional multiplayer poker games with cutting-edge digital technology. The Supplier License will enable the Company to offer its innovative gaming solutions to operators throughout Ontario, driving new revenue opportunities and enhancing player experiences.
“Receiving AGCO’s approval is a major milestone. This approval provides us with the opportunity to offer our top-tier electronic gaming systems to operators throughout all of Ontario, positioning us for further growth in one of the world’s most robust gaming markets. We are excited to bring our innovative products to Ontario’s gaming community and continue our commitment to providing exciting, technology-driven entertainment experiences,” said Jake Kalpakian, CEO of Jackpot Digital.
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