Canada
Playmaker Taps Taz Patel, Kristine Bill for C-Suite Positions to Accelerate Growth in 2023
Playmaker, a leading social media sports and entertainment content platform, announced two C-Suite appointments, bringing nearly three decades of experience across sports media, strategic marketing and business development to its team. Taz Patel joins the company to assume the role of Chief Business Officer, and Kristine Bill has been promoted to Chief Operations Officer. The position of Chief Business Officer is a role new to Playmaker, while Bill is succeeding former COO Rob Elder.
“The appointments of both Taz and Kristine clearly articulate the strategic vision and aggressive growth goals we have set for ourselves in 2023,” said Brandon Harris, CEO of Playmaker. “In the coming months, Playmaker is keenly focused on expanding our roster of creative talent, bringing to life more public-facing events and developing and redefining strategic brand partnerships, all while continuing to publish the first-rate sports and entertainment content Playmaker has become so well known for. Taz and Kristine will be instrumental in leaning into the momentum Playmaker created in 2022, and springboarding our brand to new levels of creativity, influence and notoriety.”
Patel’s responsibilities as Chief Business Officer include scaling the brand’s revenue, expanding platform integrations and securing strategic partnerships to further enhance the company’s progression. Patel is a renowned early-stage startup operator with multiple exits over the past decade and previously founded Captiv8, a leading venture backed AI Influencer Marketing platform. His most notable exits included BlueLithium and Interclick, both acquired by Yahoo!, where Patel contributed to meaningful revenue growth via agency and brand partnerships.
“The early-stage companies that successfully scale talent, resources and profit have many of the characteristics Playmaker currently exhibits, most notably a lean operation, correctly leveraging technology and partnerships to maximize its output,” said Patel. “The sports industry is currently in a renaissance period, moving from its traditional state to the true intersection of entertainment, media and technology. I’m looking forward to utilizing my experience to broaden Playmaker’s sphere of influence and industry market share.”
Bill has been with Playmaker since July 2022, where she most recently served as Senior Vice President of Marketing & Events. In this new position, she will be tasked with leading all initiatives related to marketing, public relations, social media, creator content and e-commerce. Prior to joining Playmaker, she held roles with STN Digital, Blast Motion Inc. and GMR Marketing.
“The needs of today’s sports fans are rapidly changing and, as a company, Playmaker is constantly seeking to identify the next great experience, digitally or in-person,” said Bill. “This year we’ll be expanding Playmaker’s influencer program and developing engaging newsletters focused on specific areas within sports, entertainment and culture, as well as expanding our brand footprint with sponsorships and creative content activations at key tentpole sporting events. I’m excited to work with our world-class team of creatives and partners to provide our engaged audience with the exceptional experiences they demand.”
Playmaker experienced exponential growth throughout 2022 despite a series of market challenges brought on throughout the year. The rising platform saw a 300% jump in year-over-year revenue anchored by significant growth across its 30 social media channels, reaching more than 20 million followers and gaining new strategic partnerships with companies such as Pepsi, PointsBet and No House Advantage. Playmaker supported its financial growth by investing in people — specifically operational, marketing and financial employees — as well as new popular and emerging content creators such as Adam Garfield, Cam Smith and Nyrie Iskandarian. This expansion of talent brought Playmaker’s headcount from 12 to 60 in 2022, a 400% increase. In December 2022, Playmaker was named one of the Best Employers in Sports by notable sports business outlet Front Office Sports.
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Canada
ComeOn Group adds sportsbook to its offering in Ontario
ComeOn Group announced a significant milestone in its sportsbook expansion journey with the addition of sportsbook to their offering in Ontario following the successful acquisition of the required permits. This addition represents a strategic advancement in the Groups sportsbook growth trajectory where they are set to double its sportsbook business in the coming years.
ComeOn Group is one of 51 active operators in Ontario. The Ontario market has experienced robust growth since its launch, reaching C$6.7 billion in revenue in 2023.* By 2029, the market is forecasted to grow by a total of 29%, with 2024 expected to close with a 20% increase.
ComeOn keeps investing in its sportsbook business acceleration that is powered by its proprietary sportsbook platform and in-house risk management and trading team. As a multi product vertical operator, ComeOn is striving to give its customer base a safe and exciting entertainment destination and this approach is now expanded to their Ontario audience.
Juergen Reutter, Chief Executive Officer at ComeOn Group, said: “We are very excited about the opportunities this new milestone opens up for us. As a casino-led operator it represents a key part of our sportsbook strategy to double our business in the coming years. Like in any of our other markets, we are striving for a differentiated sportsbook entertainment experience that is powered by our in-house technology. Our goal is to deliver top-tier entertainment to our players while fostering safe and innovative gaming experiences.”
*Source – H2GC H2 Ontario Data 25.10.2024 (excl. Lottery)
BCLC
INTRALOT Announces New Project with the British Columbia Lottery Corporation for Online Lottery Platform
INTRALOT S.A. has announced the undertaking of a new project between the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC), the sole lottery operator for the Government of British Columbia in Canada, and INTRALOT Inc., its US subsidiary, for the provision of an online lottery platform. The project also includes the digitalization of the existing land-based network.
The solution will be based on the Player X platform, part of the Lotos X ecosystem, and adds to the company’s overall partnership with BCLC, which has been extended until 2028.
INTRALOT is a leading player in a changing world of gaming. With significant experience in looking forward and anticipating emerging trends, the company provides future-proof solutions to regulated lottery and gaming operators around the world.
Canada
IAGR announces Toronto as host city for 2025 conference
Hot on the heels of its most attended conference in history, the International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR) is excited to announce that its 2025 conference will take place in Toronto, Canada, from October 20 to 23, 2025.
The event will be held in partnership with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) at the Westin Harbour Castle, offering stunning waterfront views and a premier, downtown Toronto location.
‘Fresh off the success of our Rome conference, we’re thrilled to continue the momentum with next year’s event in Toronto,’ said Ben Haden, IAGR President.
‘The IAGR 2025 conference promises to be another unparalleled opportunity for our global community to come together, collaborate and shape the future of gaming regulation. We’re looking forward to working with AGCO to bring it all together.’
AGCO CEO and Registrar Dr. Karin Schnarr, added, ‘We’re excited to welcome IAGR and its members to Toronto. This partnership provides a great opportunity to share Ontario’s innovative regulatory practices and foster meaningful discussions that drive positive change in the industry.’
Stay tuned for registration details early next year.
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