Canada

Lenovo Launches End-to-End Esports Solutions for Education

Published

4 years ago

October 16, 2020

Schools now have expert consultants available from one of the world’s largest PC makers to plan, build and manage esports programs, helping drive student engagement and learning outcomes

Lenovo announced the launch of the Lenovo Esports Solutions for Education, advisory services to bring custom, end-to-end solutions for K-12 and university esports programs. Committed to building smarter technology to empower students and teachers through transformative education solutions, Lenovo is helping esports level up the intersections of learning and gaming.

The Lenovo Esports Solutions for Education features a comprehensive offering of advisory and support services combined with equipment, software and hardware, including products from the Lenovo Legion and Workstation lines, all backed by education warranty and leasing options. From consultation on schools’ program objectives, planning and installing dedicated esports arenas to helping setup and manage varsity teams for league competition, Lenovo is a trusted resource to advance gaming within educational environments.

Today, students at all levels in the United States are spread across a range of options and activities from in-school to distance learning and hybrid scenarios. The Lenovo Esports Solutions for Education includes the ability for students to join a school gaming network and play from home with matchups and leaderboards to spur competition, as well as network and league management capabilities to maintain and optimize the experience for esports student athletes.

Increasing student engagement, promoting activity and interaction among a diversity of students, and advancing STEM-learning are among the many reasons secondary schools and universities are building and expanding esports programs. For example, a study showed that girls who play video games are three times more likely to pursue careers in STEMⁱ.

The National Association of Collegiate Esports has more than 170 U.S. colleges with varsity esports programs and approximately $16 million per year in scholarships is being offeredⁱⁱ. Tespa, a network of college gamers, notes over 1,350 schools and 40,000 student e-athletes competed in its tournaments for $3.3 million in prizes and scholarshipsⁱⁱⁱ.

“The response from schools and universities we’ve been working with has been extraordinary,” says Rich Henderson, Director of Global Education Solutions at Lenovo. “For many reasons, education institutions are ready to begin or expand esports programs but need assistance with IT, stakeholders, and scholastic connections to get started. From in-school esports arena design and game management, to helping protect student safety and managing varsity teams, Lenovo has the solutions for educators to adopt or accelerate this growing opportunity for students.”

“Deciding to work with Lenovo has been one of our best decisions from the start,” says Lee Hyde, Director for ResNET, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “There have been countless times when having the expertise of its teams has saved us time and money while helping us to provide a professional experience for our students and viewers; and pushed us further to our goal of having successful, competitive varsity teams. We look forward to learning more through our relationship as we continue to build our program and impact on our campus.”

The Lenovo Esports Solutions for Education is now available in the United States and Canada, the solution will be introduced to select markets worldwide in 2021. For more information, please go to Lenovo’s website.

About Lenovo:

Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) is a US $50 billion Fortune Global 500 company, with 63,000 employees and operating in 180 markets around the world. Focused on a bold vision to deliver smarter technology for all, we are developing world-changing technologies that create a more inclusive, trustworthy and sustainable digital society. By designing, engineering and building the world’s most complete portfolio of smart devices and infrastructure, we are also leading an Intelligent Transformation – to create better experiences and opportunities for millions of customers around the world. To find out more visit https://www.lenovo.com.

LENOVO and LEGION are trademarks of Lenovo.

AGCO

AGCO Requires Ontario Gaming Operators to Stop Offering WBA Bets Due to Integrity Concerns

Published

5 days ago

April 22, 2024

GamingAmericas.com

agco-requires-ontario-gaming-operators-to-stop-offering-wba-bets-due-to-integrity-concerns

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has mandated all Ontario-registered sportsbook operators to halt offering and accepting wagers on World Boxing Association (WBA) events immediately. This measure is being taken to protect the Ontario betting public following concerns that WBA-sanctioned boxing matches are not adequately being safeguarded against match-fixing and insider betting.

Since December 2023, the AGCO has been conducting a comprehensive review of suspicious wagering activity on a WBA-sanctioned title fight between Yoenis Tellez and Livan Navarro that was held in Orlando, Florida. Suspicious betting patterns on the bout lasting over 5.5 rounds were reported to the AGCO by two registered independent integrity monitors and detected in Ontario by a registered igaming operator. Media reports also alleged that Tellez’s Manager placed $110,000 on the match lasting longer than 5.5 rounds at a Florida casino. The bout ended with Tellez knocking out Navarro in the 10th round.

Following an intensive review that included outreach to the WBA, Ontario-registered gaming operators, independent integrity monitors, and regulators in other jurisdictions, the AGCO has concluded that bets related to WBA events do not currently meet the Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming.

The AGCO requires all Ontario-registered gaming operators to ensure the sport betting products they offer are on events that are effectively supervised by a sport governing body. At a minimum, the sport governing body must have and enforce codes of conduct that prohibit betting by insiders.

Registered gaming operators were unable to demonstrate to the AGCO that the WBA prohibits betting from insiders, which could include an athlete’s coaches, managers, handlers, athletic trainers, medical professionals, or others with access to non-public information. Further, registered gaming operators were unable to demonstrate that the WBA took any action to investigate or enforce the allegations of potential match-fixing and insider wagering.

The AGCO has indicated to registered operators that in order for WBA betting products to be reinstated in Ontario, operators must demonstrate that the WBA effectively supervises its events, thus bringing them into compliance with the Registrar’s Standards. In December 2022, the AGCO required gaming operators to stop offering bets on UFC events for similar issues related to insider betting safeguards. Within a month, UFC amended its policies and implemented new protocols that allowed the AGCO to reinstate betting on UFC events in the province.

“Ontarians who wish to bet on sporting events need to be confident that those events are fairly run, and that clear integrity safeguards are in place and enforced by an effective sport governing body. Knowing the popularity of boxing in Ontario, we look forward to reinstating betting on WBA events once appropriate safeguards against possible match-fixing and insider betting have been confirmed,” Dr. Karin Schnarr, Registrar and CEO of AGCO, said.

Andrew Cochrane Chief Business Officer of GiG

GiG increases Ontario market presence, powering the launch of Casino Time

Published

1 week ago

April 18, 2024

GamingAmericas.com

gig-increases-ontario-market-presence,-powering-the-launch-of-casino-time

Gaming Innovation Group Inc. (GiG), has announced the launch of Casino Time, powered by its award winning iGaming platform and pioneering real-time rules engine LogicX, with revolutionary sportsbook, SportX soon to follow, to further extend its footprint in the regulated Canadian province of Ontario.

The launch of Casino Time carries extra significance, marking only the second time that on-demand, regulated online Bingo has been made available in Ontario. The new Bingo product vertical, launched alongside a strong Casino offering, will be boosted by GiG’s new sportsbook, SportX, as part of a planned release later this year.

GiG has focused its solutions on driving exponential growth in revenue for operators with its highly scalable iGaming platform, offering localised third party content and leading suppliers for the Ontarian market. GiGs peerless gamification layer creates an optimised and immersive casino experience tailored to regional preferences, swelling client retention and player engagement.

Canadian owned and operated, Casino Time is a joint venture amongst leading retail operators in Ontario’s Charitable Gaming sector, delivering Bingo, Slots and Live Dealer Casino Games. Promising a personalised service and community experience, Casino Time is continuing its long-standing partnership with local charities, introducing its joint fundraising model into the iGaming space for the first time.

Now coming towards the end of its second year of licensed operations, Ontario has emerged as one of the largest iGaming markets in North America, second only to New Jersey according to data supplied by Vixio. The first and as yet only Canadian province to launch a regulated market, Ontario boasts more than 1.6 million active player accounts spread over 40 plus operators, generating €1.3 billion in Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) in its first year of trading, with this data supplied by iGaming Ontario.

Andrew Cochrane, Chief Business Officer of GiG, said: “GiG continues to set the pace with a strong cadence of brand launches in 2024, and I’m pleased that when operators are seeking platform solutions in regulated markets, GiG is leading the pack. Our partnership with Casino Time, will help deliver something new and exciting to the Ontarian market, and further helps to demonstrate the flexibility of our solutions, adapting to match the regional aspirations of our partners to deliver growth.”

D’Arcy Stuart, CEO of Casino Time, said: “We are thrilled to partner with GiG as the core technology provider of our iGaming platform. Their powerful suite of player engagement tools, as well as diverse content and regulatory integrations, underpin our ability to serve and delight our player community. Our hybrid online and offline customer network, as well as unique bingo offerings, will drive exciting opportunities as the platform and the marketplace continues to grow.”

Canada

Glitnor Group expands IBIA’s betting integrity presence in Ontario

Published

2 weeks ago

April 10, 2024

Adrienn Sarkany

glitnor-group-expands-ibia’s-betting-integrity-presence-in-ontario

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Glitnor Group, operating under the LCKY Group in Ontario, has joined the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA). Glitnor Group’s luckycasino.ca brand sportsbook will feed into IBIA’s world leading betting integrity monitoring platform. The operator joins over 50 companies and 125 leading sports betting brands in IBIA and further cements the association’s position as the leading sports betting integrity monitoring body in Ontario and globally.

David Schwieler LCKY Group CEO, said: “At Glitnor Group, we’re dead serious about keeping our betting games fair and square. That’s why teaming up with IBIA is a big deal for us. We know how crucial it is to protect the spirit of sports, and we’re ready to roll up our sleeves and work closely with the IBIA to make sure sports betting stays exciting, speedy, and above all, fair.”

Khalid Ali, CEO of IBIA, said: “I am delighted to welcome Glitnor Group as IBIA’s latest member in Ontario. Glitnor and IBIA share a common goal to maintain the integrity of the sports betting marketplace and to protecting consumers and sports from match-fixing. Ensuring product integrity is paramount to our approach and we look forward to integrating Glitnor within our leading global sports betting integrity monitoring system.”

IBIA is a not-for-profit body that has no competing conflicts with the delivery of commercial services to other sectors and is run by operators for operators to protect regulated sports betting markets from match-fixing. IBIA’s global monitoring network is a highly effective anti-corruption tool, detecting and reporting suspicious activity in regulated betting markets.

Through the IBIA global monitoring network it is possible to track transactional activities linked to individual customer accounts. IBIA members have over $300bn per annum in betting turnover (handle), accounting for approximately 50% of the global commercial regulated land-based and online sports betting sector, and in excess of 50% for online alone.

IBIA recently released a report on the Availability of Sports Betting Products which highlighted Ontario as a leading regulated gambling jurisdiction, with an expected onshore channelisation for sports betting of 92% in 2024 forecast to rise to 97% in 2028. IBIA currently represents over 60% of the private sports betting operators licensed in the province. All online sports betting operators licensed in Ontario are required to be part of a betting integrity monitoring body.

IBIA’s 2023 annual integrity report detailed 184 alerts reported in the year, which represents a decrease of 101 (or 35%) on the revised 2022 figure of 285 alerts. IBIA alerts contributed to the investigations and subsequent successful sanctioning of 21 clubs, players and officials in 2023, an increase on the 15 sanctioned in 2022.

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