Canada
USA Basketball Set to Hold Trials for USA National Gaming Team
Thirty of the top basketball 2K gamers have accepted invitations to the first trials for a USA Basketball E-National Team, set to be held virtually Nov. 7-8, 2020. The trials will be used to select a national team that will represent the United States at the FIBA Esports Open II in the North and Central American Conference on Dec. 19-20. The seven-member, mixed-gender USA squad will tip-off virtually against gaming teams from Canada, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras and Puerto Rico for the right to be crowned conference champions.
“USA Basketball is excited to take this first step in becoming a part of the gaming community and the FIBA Esports Open,” said Jim Tooley, USA Basketball CEO. “The gaming world has seen rapid growth, evidenced by the large number of gamers and fans involved, and the timing and opportunities makes sense for USA Basketball to add an e-national team to compete in future international FIBA competitions. Just as USA Basketball does with its five-on-five and 3×3 national teams, we look forward to selecting high-character and gold medal competitive national teams for this and future FIBA esport competitions.”
In order to be eligible to compete, gamers must be a U.S. citizen who is at least 16 and have a minimum My Career Character rating of 95.
The 30 gamers who have accepted invitations include 23 men and seven women from across the country.
The invitees include ABPureblood20 (Amber Sammons/HeartCrushers); ALittleLady87 (Wendi Fleming/BallHerAlert); Arooks (Aaron Rookwood/Bucks Gaming); BearDaBeast (Michael Key/T-Wolves Gaming); CB13 (Charles Bostwick/Warriors Gaming Squad); Chiquitae126 (Chiquita Evans/BallHerAlert); Crush (Rafel Davis/Kings Guard Gaming); Dayfri (Ryan Conger/Wizards District Gaming); Dimez (Artreyo Boyd/Mavs Gaming); DjLayyy (Alaina Haney/HeartCrushers); FEAST (Mihad Feratovic/T-Wolves Gaming); G O O F Y 7 5 7 (Dayvon Curry/Grizz Gaming); Gradient (Samuel Salyers/Warriors Gaming Squad); HazelChildress4 (Hazel Childress/BallHerAlert); Hotshot (Juan Gonzalez/Heat Check Gaming); icygrl (Brianna Novin/BallHerAlert); iKilledZiah (Ziah Minor/HeartCrushers); JBM (John Mascone/Wizards District Gaming); Kenny Got Work (Kenneth Hailey/Raptors Uprising GC); Legit 973 (Jake Knapp/Raptors Uprising GC); Mama Im Dat Man (Nidal Nasser/Kings Guard Gaming); OneWildWalnut (Dayne Downey/Blazer5 Gaming); OriginalMalik (Malik Hobson/Knicks Gaming); Radiant (Ethan White/76ers GC); Ramo (Ramo Radoncic/Pistons GT); Regg (Reginald Nash Jr./Bucks Gaming); Ria (Spencer Wyman/Jazz Gaming); Sick One (Gerald Knapp/Raptors Uprising GC); Timelycook513 (Eric Donald/Raptors Uprising GC); and Zae (Zaeya Ishak/Hornets Venom GT).
Team selections will be made by the USA Basketball E-National Team Selection Panelists, featuring NBA 2K League community ambassador Graham Borden; Wizards District Gaming team manager Patrick Crossan; Utah Jazz Gaming coach Jelani Mitchell; Aerial Powers, a 2015 World University Games gold medalist and a forward with the WNBA Washington Mystics; and USA Basketball Youth & Sport Development assistant director Andrea Travelstead.
While this will be USA Basketball’s first foray into esports, the tournament will mark the second edition of the FIBA Esports Open, the first of which took place in June and included five conferences featuring 114 gamers from 17 national federations. The FIBA Esports Open II field has been expanded to 38 national teams in seven regional conference.
Each national team will consist of up to seven players, five on the court and two reserves. Games will be played remotely on NBA 2K21 using the Pro-AM mode and allowing for customization of gamer avatars and uniforms.
The North & Central Americas Conference games will stream live on FIBA’s YouTube, Twitch and Facebook channels.
The USA Basketball E-National Team trials will feature the 30 gamers split into six different teams for the first trials session, which will feature round-robin play. As is the case with all USA Basketball team trials, the USA Basketball E-National Team Selection Panelists will have the ability to make changes to teams in order to allow players to compete with and against a variety of other players in order to allow the panelists to select a competitive team to represent USA Basketball at the FIBA Esports Open.
Africa, Middle East and Southeast Asia conferences will be played Nov. 14-15, the Europe Conference is scheduled for Dec. 12-13 and the South America Conference will be held Dec. 19-20.
As was the case for the inaugural FIBA Esports Open, this entire series will be produced from the FIBA Esports Studio in Riga, Latvia, with 54 hours of live content being streamed on FIBA’s Facebook, Twitch and YouTube channels. Each game will be available online with live commentary in English, as well as a daily show featuring up to 12 games.
Ben Clemes
High Roller Submits Gaming License Application in Ontario

High Roller Technologies, operator of the premium online casino brands High Roller and Fruta, announced the submission of its Internet Gaming Operator license application in Ontario, Canada, targeting the launch of its flagship brand HighRoller.com in the second half of 2025.
“The submission of our licensing application to access Ontario’s regulated online gambling market is an important milestone in our Company’s journey. Once our application is approved, we anticipate that we will have the opportunity to launch our online casino product into the market later this year,” said Ben Clemes, Chief Executive Officer at High Roller.
Ontario is one of the largest regulated online gambling markets in the world as measured by gross gaming revenue. In 2024, regulated online gambling operators within the province generated approximately $2.3B in gross gaming revenue, and growth continues to be recorded in the first half of 2025. Recently, the province of Alberta passed enabling legislation to establish a regulatory framework for online gambling. Once available, the Company also intends to pursue licensure in Alberta to expand its regulated market footprint in Canada.
“Ontario is missing an elegant brand like High Roller. We’re excited to roll out the red carpet for our new customers, and we’re looking forward to showcasing our tremendous product,” said Clemes.
The post High Roller Submits Gaming License Application in Ontario appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Canada
IAGR announces program for IAGR2025 conference in Toronto

The International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR) has released the program for its upcoming annual conference, to be held in Toronto from 20-23 October.
With the theme ‘Resilient regulation: Exploring what works, why and what’s next’, the event brings together global regulators and thought leaders to examine how regulatory frameworks can evolve to meet today’s challenges.
The four-day program explores timely issues, including the rise of AI and behavioural analytics, the impact of converging technologies, cross-border collaboration and the continued push to strengthen responsible gambling policies.
IAGR President Ben Haden said the program offers a strong preview of the content and conversations delegates can expect in Toronto.
‘This year’s program showcases the breadth and complexity of the challenges facing gambling regulators worldwide, from protecting player wellbeing to tackling illegal markets and understanding new technologies,’ Haden said.
‘I encourage regulators, researchers and policy professionals from around the world to join us in Toronto. The conference is a space to learn, share experience, challenge assumptions and shape the future of effective, collaborative regulation.’
Confirmed speakers and panellists include:
- Andrew Rhodes, CEO, Gambling Commission, Great Britain
- Anders Dorph, Director, Danish Gambling Authority, Denmark
- Dr Karin Schnarr, CEO and Registrar, Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, Canada
- Mark Vander Linden, Director of Research and Responsible Gaming and Carrie Torrisi, Chief of Sports Wagering Division, Massachusetts Gaming Commission, United States
- Bashir Are, CEO, Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority, Nigeria
- Teo Chun Ching, Chief Executive, Gambling Regulatory Authority, Singapore
- Ladipo Abiose Akolade, Founder, GamblePause Initiative Africa, Nigeria
- Rasmus Kjaergaard, CEO, Mindway AI, Denmark
- Tracy Parker, Senior Vice President, Accreditation, Advisory and Insights, Responsible Gambling Council, Canada
- Pedro Romero, Chief of Safer Gambling Partnerships, BetBlocker, Gibraltar
- Sonia Wasowska, Head of Supervision, General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority, United Arab Emirates
- Steven Blackburn, Partner, Ashurst Risk Advisory, Australia
The event will be held at The Westin Harbour Castle on Toronto’s waterfront.
The post IAGR announces program for IAGR2025 conference in Toronto appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Alberta Gaming
Edmonton Elks, Play Alberta Connect on New Partnership

Home field advantage has a new name, as the Edmonton Elks announced that Play Alberta Field at Commonwealth Stadium is now the home of the Elks.
The field naming rights are part of a broader multi-year agreement between Play Alberta and the EE, making Play Alberta the official sports betting partner of the Club.
“We couldn’t be more excited to expand our partnership with Play Alberta. This partnership is about more than just putting a name on the field – it’s about building something meaningful for our fans and our community. Play Alberta is an Alberta-based organization that shares our values and our commitment to giving back. Together, we’re creating new ways for fans to connect with our team and experience the game day atmosphere in a whole new way,” said Elks President and CEO Chris Morris.
The expanded relationship between the Elks and Play Alberta will allow the game day experience to continue to grow. Fans can look forward to unique activations and promotions around the stadium, including the chance to win game tickets and memorabilia.
“Since Play Alberta’s launch five years ago, our team has made it a priority to connect with the communities where our players live and work. We are very excited to join the Edmonton Elks on the field on game days during upcoming CFL seasons. Play Alberta Field at Commonwealth Stadium allows us to partner with the Elks and showcase two brands built for Albertans in a historic Edmonton location,” said Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Chief Executive Officer Kandice Machado.
The Elks open their 76th season on Saturday, June 7 in Vancouver when they take on the B.C. Lions. Edmonton’s home opener at Play Alberta Field at Commonwealth Stadium is slated for Thursday, June 19 against the Montreal Alouettes.
The post Edmonton Elks, Play Alberta Connect on New Partnership appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
-
Esportes da Sorte4 weeks ago
Esportes Gaming Brasil, the group behind Esportes da Sorte and Onabet, announces Hugo Baungartner as Executive Director for Institutional Relations and Partnerships
-
Africa4 weeks ago
Cross Switch Bolsters African Footprint with Strategic Partnership with Pesawise
-
Australia4 weeks ago
ACMA Imposes Fine of $500,800 on PointsBet
-
Asia3 weeks ago
PAGCOR CHAIRMAN, ENTIRE BOARD TENDER COURTESY RESIGNATION
-
Africa4 weeks ago
QTech Games wins Leader in Online Casino at the 2025 SBEA+ Eventus Awards
-
Baltics4 weeks ago
Modern Oracles & Smart Payments: Finrax’s Vision for Blockchain, AI & Beyond
-
Australia4 weeks ago
ACMA Imposes $1 Million Fine on Unibet
-
Balkans4 weeks ago
EGT Digital at Belgrade Future Gaming 2025: Get ready to be fascinated