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Leading Esports Sportsbook and Media Company Rivalry Announces Stephen Rigby to Join Its Board of Directors
Stephen Rigby, the most recent President and CEO of Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, has extensive experience that will assist the Company’s international and Canadian growth ambitions
TORONTO, April 28, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — PMML Corp. (the “Company” or “Rivalry”), the parent company of Rivalry, an internationally-regulated sports betting and media property, announced today that Stephen Rigby has accepted a nomination to join its board of directors (the “Board”). Mr. Rigby’s directorship, which is slated for approval at the Company’s next shareholder meeting, represents a critical step in Rivalry’s journey to becoming a global player in regulated online sports betting and is a signal of confidence toward its business model and positioning.
Serving in one of the most senior leadership roles in the gaming industry in Canada, Mr. Rigby was most recently President and CEO of the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation for five years. He was responsible for the operation and transformation of Canada’s largest provincial gaming company. Prior to that, he held the Deputy Ministerial position of National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister of Canada in charge of the provision of strategic policy and operational advice to the Prime Minister and the Cabinet. Mr. Rigby was also previously President of the Canada Border Services Agency, leading the trade and security management of all Canada’s international borders.
“I’m thrilled that Stephen Rigby has agreed to join our board of directors. He has remarkable experience leading the largest regulated gaming business in Canada and will be an invaluable member of our organization as gaming regulations continue to evolve here in Canada and around the world,” said Steven Salz, Co-Founder and CEO of Rivalry. “His decision to join Rivalry at this time marks an important inflection point in our business. Stephen brings significant strategic and operational experience that we are confident will help further execute on our vision to provide the safest and most engaging sports betting and sports media experience in the world for a new demographic coming into the fold of sports betting.”
“I’m very excited to be joining the board of such a dynamic homegrown international player in the sports betting industry. Rivalry’s integrated media and betting strategy is forward looking, and gets me inspired about the opportunity ahead not just for Rivalry, but the industry as a whole. I am thrilled to collaborate with such a motivated and hands-on team,” said Stephen Rigby.
It is expected that Mr. Rigby will be nominated for election to the Board at the Company’s next meeting of shareholders and his appointment to the Board remains subject to the approval of the Company’s shareholders and receipt of all required regulatory approvals.
About PMML Corp. and Rivalry
Rivalry Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of PMML Corp., is a leading sport betting and sports media property offering fully regulated online wagering on esports, traditional sports, and casinos for the next generation of bettors. The Company currently holds an Isle of Man license, considered one of the premier online gambling jurisdictions. Based in Toronto, Rivalry operates a global team of nearly 65 employees and growing. The Company earned its Isle of Man license in early 2018, officially launching in August of that year, and is currently completing multiple country licenses in parallel. The Company also has a variety of originally developed products, including Quest, a gamified on-site betting experience, and shortly a suite of original casino games that offers both B2C and B2B opportunities.
Company Contact:
Steven Salz, CEO
[email protected]
Media Contact:
BRANDSTYLE COMMUNICATIONS
Zoe Weisberg Coady | [email protected]
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information and Statements
This news release contains certain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws (“forward-looking statements”). All statements other than statements of present or historical fact are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as “anticipate”, “achieve”, “could”, “believe”, “plan”, “intend”, “objective”, “continuous”, “ongoing”, “estimate”, “outlook”, “expect”, “project” and similar words, including negatives thereof, suggesting future outcomes or that certain events or conditions “may” or “will” occur. These statements are only predictions.
Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management of the Company at the date the statements are made based on information then available to the Company. Various factors and assumptions are applied in drawing conclusions or making the forecasts or projections set out in forward-looking statements, including with respect to the election of Stephen Rigby to the Board and the Company’s expansion prospects. Forward-looking statements are subject to and involve a number of known and unknown, variables, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, which may cause the Company’s actual performance and results to differ materially from any projections of future performance or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors, among other things, include regulatory or political change such as changes in applicable laws and regulations; the ability to obtain and maintain required licenses; the e-sports and sports betting industry being a heavily regulated industry; the complex and evolving regulatory environment for the online gaming and online gambling industry; the success of e-sports and other betting products are not guaranteed; changes in public perception of the e-sports and online gambling industry; failure to retain or add customers; the Company having a limited operating history; negative cash flow from operations; operational risks; cybersecurity risks; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic; reliance on management; reliance on third parties and third-party networks; exchange rate risks; risks related to cryptocurrency transactions; risk of intellectual property infringement or invalid claims; the effect of capital market conditions and other factors on capital availability; competition, including from more established or better financed competitors; and general economic, market and business conditions.
No assurance can be given that the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements will prove to be correct. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of the Company believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure shareholders that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking statements, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information and/or forward-looking statements that are contained or referenced herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein.
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The German Games Industry Association Congratulates Winners of the German Computer Game Awards 2025
Outstanding games from Germany and a great show with many well-known personalities: the year’s best games made in Germany were honoured at the German Computer Game Awards 2025 (DCP) in Berlin. In the Palais am Funkturm, guests from the areas of culture, society, media, politics and the game industry celebrated the creative teams behind the high-quality games. The hosts Katrin Bauerfeind and Uke Bosse led the audience through the entertaining evening, which numerous viewers also followed via live stream.
The winner in the highest-profile category, “Best German Game,” was “Enshrouded” from the studio Keen Games. The coveted award was presented by Federal Minister for Research, Technology and Aerospace Dorothee Bär, who is responsible for computer and video games in the new Federal Government. The survival RPG game also won in the category “Best Innovation and Technology”. The award for “Studio of the Year” went to Megagon Industries from Berlin, the studio behind the successful “Lonely Mountains” games. The games community and DCP jury chose the streamer Stephan Bliemel, known as Steinwallen, “Player of the Year”. For over a decade, Steinwallen has impressively demonstrated in his video streams how history can be successfully imparted through games. Prize money totalling 800,000 euros was awarded in the framework of the DCP 2025.
The German Computer Game Awards were hosted by the German Federal Government and game – The German Games Industry Association.
“We congratulate all the award winners. Impressive variety, captivating stories and first-rate technologies: once again, on the grand stage of the German Computer Game Awards 2025, the enormous strength of German games studios was clear to see. Germany produces exciting games with world-market potential. These successes send a strong signal and show what Germany has to offer as a game production location. Together with the new Federal Government, we want to enable this creative and technological excellence to shine even more brightly on the international stage in the future,” said Felix Falk, Managing Director of game – The German Games Industry Association.
Overview of all the winners of the German Computer Game Awards 2025:
Best International Game (not endowed)
• Split Fiction (Hazelight Studios / Electronic Arts)
Best German Game (endowed with 100,000 euros)
• Enshrouded (Keen Games)
The other nominees each receive 30,000:
• Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders (Megagon Industries)
• Thronefall (Grizzly Games)
Best Family Game (endowed with 40,000 euros)
• PRIM (Common Colors / Application Systems Heidelberg)
Newcomer Award – Best Debut (endowed with 60,000 euros)
• Nordhold (Stunforge / Stunforge & HypeTrain Digital)
The other nominees each receive 25,000 euros:
• Footgun: Underground (Turtle Knight Games / CobraTekku Games)
• Mindlock – The Apartment (Roof Cut Media / United Soft Media)
Newcomer Award – Best Prototype (endowed with 50,000 euros)
• Blob the Klex (Melena Dressel, Alejandro Rebolledo, Laura Octavianus / Hochschule Darmstadt)
The other nominees each receive 25,000 euros:
• MapMap – A game about Maps (HAW Hamburg / Pipapo Games)
• Stuntboost (Julian Höltge, Tobias Kozel)
• Echoes of Mora (HTW Berlin / Meike Strippel et al.)
• Exhibit A (MDH München / Olivia Falke et al.)
Best Innovation and Technology (endowed with 40,000 euros)
• Enshrouded (Keen Games)
Best Audio Design (endowed with 40,000 euros)
• ODDADA (Sven Ahlgrimm et al.)
Best Game Design (endowed with 40,000 euros)
• Thronefall (Grizzly Games)
Best Graphic Design (endowed with 40,000 euros)
• Harold Halibut (Slow Bros.)
Best Mobile Game (endowed with 40,000 euros)
• Duck Detective: The Secret Salami (Happy Broccoli Games)
Best Story (endowed with 40,000 euros)
• Vampire Therapist (Little Bat Games)
Best Serious Game (endowed with 40,000 euros)
• Deine Stimme (Sebastian Grünwald & Reality Twist / Bavarian State Centre for Political Education)
Studio of the Year (endowed with 50,000 euros)
• Megagon Industries (Berlin)
Player of the Year (not endowed)
• Steinwallen
Special Jury Award (endowed with a total of 10,000 euros; the two winners each receive 5000 euros)
• Flipper und Arcade Museum Seeligenstadt
• GAME:IN
The post The German Games Industry Association Congratulates Winners of the German Computer Game Awards 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Slotozilla is an industry-leading online casino and slot review platform. Since its inception, the company has published refreshed analyses covering iGaming operators and software – with the intent to provide accurate, informative data for all users.
Throughout 2024, Slotozilla collected relevant data pertaining to player usage of the platform. These insights unveiled clear illustrations of player preferences, gender distribution, age-related data and other appropriate gaming behaviour. The report outlines significant findings laid bare by Slotozilla’s year-long study.
Explosive Global Favourites: The Demo Slots That Dominated 2024
Clear regional preferences were brought to light during Slotozilla’s 2024 analysis, as Book of Ra dominated the European industry. Where’s the Gold represented Australia’s favourite slot, while Plinko, Wolf Run and Sizzling Hot garnered significant attention from a worldwide player base.
Sizzling Hot Deluxe earned plaudits within the French gaming arena – attaining nearly one-quarter of the nation’s demo playtime. Industry developers and operators should expect these slots to influence the iGaming scene in 2025 and beyond.
Beyond the Numbers: Surprising Engagement and Demographic Shifts Revealed
The previous year detailed a clear shift towards all-encompassing domination by particular titles and demographics. For example, Columbus proved a major hit among USA bettors – racking up an average playtime of 194.8 minutes. That figure sits far ahead of the next game in line, King of Atlantis, which garnered 72.5 minutes per average session from French users.
Similar lob-sided statistics exist when comparing gender-based play, as male German players form 73.91% of the nation’s users—potentially guiding marketing efforts.
Modern Industry Impact
Data collected by SlotoZilla evidences various marked industry shifts spanning several key demographics. The report’s holistic view of the modern iGaming industry highlights the increasing necessity for targeted marketing campaigns, relevant themes and boundary-pushing features.
Users located in Australia, Poland and Canada are notable in this regard – as players from all three vital nations tend to access online slots from the age of 25 onward. Strategies around this data are central to maintaining a robust industry.
The post Slotozilla Data Report: Unveiling 2024’s Gaming Statistics appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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BGC Raises Concerns About Potential Negative Impact of Further Tax Hike on the Gambling Industry
The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has warned against further new tax rises on members, as it was confirmed Levy payments to the Horseracing Betting Levy Board are expected to increase for the fourth year in a row.
BGC members are expected to contribute a record £108m in Levy payments to the HBLB for last year, new figures reveal.
The figure, provided by the independent HBLB, is an increase of £3m on the previous year.
It is the fourth year in a row that Levy contributions have increased, from £97m in 2021/22, to £100m in 2022/2023, £105m in 2023/2024 and £108m in 2024/2025.
This increased contribution came despite a concerning fall in betting turnover, and amid threats of a further new tax hike on online sports betting.
The independent HBLB said average turnover per race was down by about 8% on 2023/24, representing a 15% fall on 2022/23 and 19% drop on 2021/22.
Meanwhile, earlier this month the Treasury announced a new tax consultation, proposing replacing the three current online betting and gaming tax rates, with a single new one, sparking fears for sports like racing.
Betting and Gaming Council CEO Grainne Hurst said: “For the fourth year running Levy contributions have increased to record levels, demonstrating the growing, long-term investment regulated betting provides British horseracing.
“But it is concerning to see once more that despite record Levy contributions, racing continues to struggle, both as a sport and as a betting product, with betting turnover down again year on year.
“BGC members remain committed fans of racing and recognise better than most the huge economic impact it makes in communities across the country.
“It’s now more important than ever this vital contribution is not undermined by further new tax rises through the creation of a single tax for online betting, which risks driving punters away from the sport, or into the arms of the growing, unsafe gambling black market.
“These parasite operators don’t pay tax, don’t care about safer gambling, and do not contribute a penny to the Levy. The BGC wants sustainable growth, for our members and for racing, but any new taxes would halt investment, hurt punters and harm racing.”
This fourth annual increase is a new record since the Levy collection reforms of 2017/18.
The post BGC Raises Concerns About Potential Negative Impact of Further Tax Hike on the Gambling Industry appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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