The Ottawa Black Bears announced an extensive partnership agreement with PowerPlay Online Sportsbook and Casino that will see the company’s logo featured on the club’s home and away jerseys.

In addition to the jersey partnership, PowerPlay will also have branding elements inside the goal crease, behind the bench, on the LED display ring, and along the rinkboards for Black Bears home games at Canadian Tire Centre. As part of the deal, PowerPlay also becomes the exclusive sportsbook and online casino partner for the Ottawa Black Bears.

“We are thrilled to have PowerPlay on board for our inaugural season with such a comprehensive partnership agreement. Their investment with the Black Bears represents a foundational agreement for our lacrosse club. And we’re proud to wear their logo alongside ours as we launch our franchise,” said Chelsea McDermott, Vice President of Business Operations for the Ottawa Black Bears.

“We are excited to bring PowerPlay’s bold, community-driven spirit to Ottawa-Gatineau, partnering with the Black Bears as they establish themselves as a force in lacrosse. This partnership celebrates a sport deeply tied to Canada’s heritage and competitive energy. Together, we’ll ignite passion, energize fans, and deliver excitement all season long,” said Thomas Vermeulen, Marketing Director for PowerPlay.

International Game Technology PLC announced that it is the first gaming industry supplier to receive the Internet Compliance Assessment Program (iCAP) Ready accreditation for its iLottery operations from the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG).

Based on the original iCAP designed for gaming operators, iCAP Ready is a U.S. accreditation program designed for gaming suppliers who are committed to upholding responsible gaming standards across their products and services. Supported by the NCPG, iCAP Ready utilizes best practices from the Internet Responsible Gambling Standards to ensure suppliers implement and maintain responsible gambling policies, provide effective staff training, and offer comprehensive player support tools.

“We applaud IGT for leading the way as the first recipient of the iCAP Ready accreditation. This achievement showcases IGT’s leadership and demonstrates that suppliers play a crucial role in ensuring player protections and promoting responsible play,” said Keith Whyte, Executive Director of the National Council on Problem Gambling.

“Being the first gaming industry supplier to achieve the iCAP Ready certification for our iLottery business is a testament to IGT’s comprehensive responsible gaming processes and practices implemented throughout the organization, and our dedication to protecting our employees, customers, and players worldwide. With Advancing Responsibility as a core pillar of IGT’s Sustainable Play program, we aim to meet and exceed responsible gaming standards as a trusted supplier to ensure that our customers are provided with the necessary tools to keep their players safe and promote positive play,” said Wendy Montgomery, IGT SVP Marketing, Communications and Sustainability.

To obtain the iCAP Ready accreditation, IGT’s responsible gaming policies and practices were audited by an independent agency. An overall compliance assessment was also performed by a third party on behalf of NCPG to ensure IGT’s responsible gaming framework met iCAP Ready’s objective of protecting the consumer and ensuring safer gambling practices for players, beginning with the supplier.

ESPN and PENN Entertainment announced that 10 additional retail sportsbooks at key PENN properties will be rebranded to “ESPN BET Sportsbook” in early 2025 (subject to all regulatory approvals), increasing the total number of ESPN BET branded sportsbooks at PENN properties to 19.

The new ESPN BET locations will serve customers across Pennsylvania, Colorado, Ohio, Iowa, Indiana, and West Virginia under PENN’s popular Hollywood and Ameristar Casino brands.

The list of properties that will be rebranded as “ESPN BET Sportsbook” includes:

Ameristar Casino Hotel Council Bluffs – Iowa

Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course – Pennsylvania

Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Raceway – Ohio

Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course – Ohio

Hollywood Casino at The Meadows – Pennsylvania

Hollywood Casino York – Pennsylvania

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Ameristar Casino Resort Spa Black Hawk – Colorado

Hollywood Casino and Hotel Lawrenceburg – Indiana

Ameristar Casino East Chicago – Indiana

Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races – West Virginia

PENN’s existing ESPN BET retail locations span properties in Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, and Ohio.

ESPN BET, the official sportsbook of ESPN, combines ESPN’s industry-leading brand and multiplatform reach with PENN’s deep sportsbook operational expertise. ESPN BET is currently available for online sports betting in 19 states.