Canada
ESPORTS AWARDS UNVEILS PRO, ON-AIR AND COLLEGIATE FINALISTS
The Esports Awards, the most prestigious night in the esports calendar, is excited to reveal the finalists for this year’s Pro and On-Air and Collegiate awards. As some of the most highly anticipated categories, this year’s finalists include the likes of Trevor “Quickshot” Henry, G2 Esports and Heo “ShowMaker” Su.
This year’s Esports Awards will officially be returning to a physical event taking place on November 20th at the Esports Stadium Arlington. The Esports Stadium will provide the perfect backdrop for an evening of celebration and prestige which will be attended by some of the biggest brands, organisations and personalities from esports and beyond.
The finalists for the Pro, On-Air and Collegiate were announced as part of Esports Awards 6th Spotlight Show of the year which was hosted by Thom ‘F.’ Badinger with guest hosts Parker ‘Interro’ Mackay and Jess ‘JessGOAT’ Bolden. The show played host to the Creative Corner segment where George Nowack interviewed Rich Lock, Jess and Parker went head to head in the ultimate quiz challenge and FaZe Crowder was interviewed by Fdot.
The full list of Pro, On-Air & Collegiate finalists are:
Esports Coach of the Year in partnership with Expedia
- James “Crowder” Crowder
- James “Mac” MacCormack
- Bok “Reapered” Han-gyu
- Andrii “B1ad3” Gorodenskyi
- Dyjair “Mity” Soares
- Kim “kkOma” Jeong-gyun
- Arthur “TchubZ” Martins
- Emiliano “Sizz” Benny
- Andrey “Engh” Sholokhov
- Byung-chul “Moon” Moon
- Mark “MarkyB” Bryceland
Esports Controller Player of the Year in partnership with SCUF
- Chris “Simp” Lehr
- Justin “jstn.” Morales
- Eric “Snip3down” Wrona
- Tyler “aBeZy” Pharris
- Joseph “Mang0” Marquez
- Evan “M0nkey M00n” Rogez
- Jack “JBM” Mascone
- Dominique “SonicFox” McLean
- Gavin “Tweek” Dempsey
- Victor “Fairy Peak!” Locquet
Esports Controller Rookie of the Year in partnership with SCUF
- Jamie “Insight” Craven
- Evan “M0nkey M00n” Rogez
- Raúl “DmentZa” Palazuelos
- Eli “Standy” Bentz
- Paco “HyDra” Rusiewiez
- Marc “MaRc_By_8.” Domingo
- Andres “dreaz” Jordan
Esports Mobile Player of the Year presented by Verizon
- Zhu “paraboy” Bocheng
- Mohamed “Mohamed Light” Tarek
- Gabriel “Syaz” Vasconcelos
- Mustafa “SkYRiiKZz” Ibrahim
- Karl Gabriel “KarlTzy” Nepomuceno
- Jash “Learn” Shah
- Piyapon “TheCruz” Boonchuay
- Brian “Tectonic” Michel
- Lucas “LucasXGamer” Vinícius Batista Rocha
- Cauan “Cauan7” da Silva
Esports Organisation of the Year
- LOUD
- 100 Thieves
- G2 Esports
- Team Liquid
- FaZe Clan
- NRG
- TSM FTX
- Fnatic
- Cloud9
- T1
- Envy
- OverActive Media
Esports PC Player of the Year
- Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev
- Luccas “Paluh” Vinicius Molina
- Tyson “TenZ” Ngo
- Heo “ShowMaker” Su
- Wang “Ame” Chunyu
- Kim “Doinb” Tae-sang
- Dmitry “sh1ro” Sokolov
- Ayaz “nAts” Akhmetshin
- Jae-Won “LIP” Lee
Esports PC Rookie of the Year
- Kyle “Danny” Sakamaki
- Javier “Elyoya” Prades Batalla
- Tyson “TenZ” Ngo
- Ayaz “nAts” Akhmetshin
- Adam “Adam” Maanane
- Valeriy “B1T” Vakhovskiy
- Dmitry “sh1ro” Sokolov
- Se-hyun “Pelican” Oh
- Robin “Robinsongz” Sung
Esports Team of the Year in association with Secretlab
- Atlanta FaZe (CDL)
- The General NRG (Rocket League)
- Natus Vincere (NAVI) (CS:GO)
- Ninjas in Pyjamas (Rainbow 6)
- DWG KIA (League of Legends)
- PSG.LGD (Dota 2)
- MAD Lions (LoL)
- Gambit Esports (VALORANT)
- Shanghai Dragons (Overwatch)
- Sentinels (VALORANT)
Esports Analyst of the Year
- Anthony “NAMELESS” Wheeler
- Emily Rand
- Jacob “Pimp” Winneche
- Jess ‘JessGOAT’ Bolden
- Marc Robert “Caedrel” Lamont
- Kyle “melonzz” Freedman
- Jonathan “Reinforce” Larsson
- Sean “sgares” Gares
- Jason “moses” O’Toole
Esports Colour Caster of the Year
- Chad “SPUNJ” Burchill
- Mohan “launders” Govindasamy
- Michael “KiXSTAr” Stockley
- Josh “Sideshow” Wilkinson
- Thomas “Chance” Ashworth
- Andrew “Vedius” Day
- Sam “Kobe” Hartman-Kenzler
- John “Johnnyboi_i” MacDonald
- Stephen “Sajam” Lyon
Esports Host of the Year Presented by Arlington.Org
- Eefje ‘sjokz’ Depoortere
- Alex “Goldenboy” Mendez
- Soe Gschwind
- James “Dash” Patterson
- Jorien “Sheever” van der Heijden
- Ana Paula ‘Ana Xisdê’ Cardoso
- Loviel “Velly” Cardwell
- Tres “stunna” Saranthus
- Brody “Liefx” Moore
- Ghassan “MiloshTheMedic” Finge
- Caleb “WavePunk” Simmons
- Chris “Puckett” Puckett
Esports Play by Play Caster of the Year
- Parker “Interro” Mackay
- Alex “Machine” Richardson
- Miles Ross
- Trevor “Quickshot” Henry
- Clayton “CaptainFlowers” Raines
- Mitch “Uber” Leslie
- Callum “Shogun” Keir
- Owen “ODPixel” Davies
- Lauren “Pansy” Scott
- BrunoClash
Esports Collegiate Program of the Year
- Northwood University
- Boise State University
- Maryville University
- Grand Canyon University
- University of Hawai’i
- Buckeye Gaming Collective – Ohio State University
- Longhorn Gaming – University of Texas at Austin
- Minnesota State University, Mankato
- Illini Esports – University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- Winthrop University
Esports Collegiate Ambassador of the Year
- Dr. Chris “Doc” Haskell
- Adam Antor
- Chris Turner
- Ariane Lim
- Ryan Johnson
“I’m really excited to unveil the final set of finalists for this year’s awards which is set to be our biggest and most prestigious event yet. With less than two months to go, the team is hard at work making sure that this year’s ceremony is packed full of celebration, excitement and special surprises,” said Michael Ashford, CEO, Esports Awards
The Esports Awards is delighted to announce Expedia as the Official Travel Companion for this year’s ceremony. Expedia will work closely together with the Esports Awards on creating a number of ‘epic moments’ for attendees, viewers and fans showcasing the globality of the awards.
Other partners for the Esports Awards 2021 include The Koyo Store, Sizzle Creative, Touch of Ginger, SCUF, Arlington CVB, SecretLab, Make-A-Wish, Skullz, and Verizon.
Esports Awards 2021 key campaign dates for the rest of the year are:
- October: The Go-Home Show building up to the main event
- Saturday 20th November: The Esports Awards 2021 Ceremony
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.
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