Internet Vikings, a licensed hosting provider for the North American iGaming and online sports betting industry, announces that its hosting solutions are ready to launch in Alberta, Canada.
Internet Vikings’ infrastructure and operational processes already align with the province’s expected requirements, meaning the company can help operators enter the Alberta market faster and with greater confidence.
The expansion comes following the release of updated hosting, infrastructure, and security requirements by the AGLC. As Alberta prepares to open its market, operators and suppliers are facing strict requirements around cybersecurity and disaster recovery.
Internet Vikings’ experience supporting regulated operators across North America positions the company to help businesses comply with these operational and regulatory requirements efficiently from day one.
Requirements include adherence to internationally recognized security standards such as SOC 2 and ISO 27001. In addition, operators are expected to maintain disaster recovery environments, encrypted immutable backups, and perform routine recovery testing to ensure business continuity.
“We are ready to provide the infrastructure and local expertise that operators need to launch and scale successfully in Alberta,” said Rickard Vikström, CEO and Founder of Internet Vikings. “We are already working with operators preparing for launch and understand the urgency involved in getting compliant infrastructure deployed quickly.”
Internet Vikings first established operations in Ontario in 2022 and is now expanding its Canadian footprint into Alberta with hosting solutions, including VMware cloud hosting, bare metal servers, bare metal GPU servers, disaster recovery, and backup solutions.
Evoplay has announced the promotion of Diana Larina to Chief Marketing Officer, highlighting a remarkable internal career journey, and further expanding the company’s senior leadership team.
Diana joined Evoplay in 2022 as Head of B2B Marketing, quickly establishing herself as a key driver of the company’s marketing ambitions. Her exceptional performance led to a promotion to Head of Growth Marketing in 2023, before being appointed Head of Marketing in November 2024.
Her elevation to CMO represents the culmination of a swift and impressive ascent through the organisation, built on consistent delivery and a clear strategic vision.
During her time at Evoplay, Diana has spearheaded a number of landmark projects and high-profile campaigns, consistently elevating the brand’s global presence through innovative marketing, cross-functional collaboration, and partner-focused initiatives. She also played a key role in shifting Evoplay towards a more B2C-focused approach, helping launch strategies designed to strengthen player engagement.
Her people-first leadership style has also helped foster a highly engaged and collaborative team culture, strengthening relationships across marketing, product, sales, and commercial departments while reinforcing Evoplay’s reputation as a forward-thinking industry partner.
Her remarkable achievements have been recognised across the industry through multiple award nominations, including Woman Leader of the Year at the AffPapa iGaming Awards, Young Changemaker at the Casino Guru Awards, Marketing Star of the Year at the G Gate Awards, Young Leader of the Year at the WIG Diversity Awards, as well as a debut appearance on the Top 50 Masters of iGaming Marketing list.
In her new role, Diana will continue to lead Evoplay’s brand, performance and product marketing teams, with a primary focus on driving the company’s growth, strategy and market positioning across the industry.
Commenting on the new challenge as CMO at Evoplay, Diana Larina said: “I’m incredibly proud of what the marketing team has achieved at Evoplay, and I’m excited about what comes next. This promotion is a reflection of the hard work of everyone around me, and I look forward to continuing to push boundaries, build the brand, and drive growth as we expand our presence across global markets.”
The appointment of Diana Larina as CMO reflects Evoplay’s broader commitment to investing in internal talent and building a senior leadership team capable of supporting the company’s ambitious global growth plans.
Ivan Kravchuk, CEO at Evoplay, added: “From the moment Diana joined us, she demonstrated exceptional drive, leadership and ambition. Her journey through the company is a testament to both her talent and dedication, and this promotion to CMO is incredibly well deserved. Diana has consistently delivered impactful results while inspiring those around her, and I’m confident she will continue to play a key role in shaping Evoplay’s future.”
FC Barcelona have become Spanish champions for the second time in a row. A 2-0 victory in the crucial El Clásico against Real Madrid secured the Catalans’ 29th league title, making Hansi Flick’s side the first team to win La Liga in two consecutive seasons since the 2018–19 campaign.
Winning machine
The success is down to a well-structured system. 11 league titles in the last 18 seasons is an impressive record! The German coach, who joined the club in 2024, won the domestic treble in his very first season and has now added another trophy to his collection.
In addition to their league triumph, the Catalans are impressive with the quality of their football. In La Liga, FC Barcelona have the best attack (91 goals scored) and the best defense (31 goals conceded), which is a rare combination even for big clubs.
A key feature of this team is the presence of La Masia graduates in key roles: Lamine Yamal, Pau Cubarsí, Marc Bernal and Fermín López. The squad’s average age is the youngest in the league. This means that Flick isn’t only delivering results – he is building a generation of talented players for years to come by trusting the youth.
FC Barcelona still have league fixtures against Alavés, Betis and Valencia to come. Although these matches don’t matter in terms of the league standings to the Blaugranas, they will do everything they can to improve their amazing statistics and finish their triumphant campaign on a high note.
FC Barcelona and 1xBet share the same values: ambition, consistency and a focus on lasting results. A club with a global audience of hundreds of millions of fans, unbreakable traditions and a winning spirit in its DNA – this is precisely the kind of partner that reflects what 1xBet is in the world of betting.
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Sands China said Macau’s tourism diversification efforts could advance “to a new level” over the next five to 10 years, with meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE), large-scale entertainment events and integrated non-gaming tourism offerings expected to play a growing role in the city’s development.
Speaking during the opening ceremony of G2E Asia 2026 on Tuesday at The Venetian Macao, Sands China chief executive officer and executive director Grant Chum said future growth would depend on deeper integration between tourism offerings, continued innovation and cooperation between operators, government and local stakeholders.
“We should be able to advance diversification to a new level over the next 5 to 10 years,” Chum said during his keynote speech at the annual gaming industry trade event.
Chum said Macau’s diversification progress over the past two decades had been supported by political stability, rising regional demand and the concentration of integrated resorts in Cotai.
“What were the main ingredients for Macau’s success in this diversification?” he said. “I would suggest three key factors: political stability, the demand potential, and the unmatched supply of resort product here.”
The executive also highlighted the role of MICE and large-scale events in attracting international visitors and extending visitor stays.
As an example, Chum cited a regional technology conference held in Macau during the first quarter of 2026 that attracted more than 6,000 delegates, around 80 percent of whom came from outside Greater China. According to Chum, attendees stayed an average of 3.1 nights, compared with Macau’s typical hotel stay of 1.8 nights.
Chum also pointed to the NBA China Games held in Macau in October 2025 as an example of how large-scale events can broaden Macau’s tourism exposure. Sands China said the event generated around 3 billion online impressions across mainland Chinese social media platforms and included about 100 related activities across its integrated resort properties and community venues.
Galaxy Entertainment Group (GEG) reported adjusted EBITDA of HK$3.58 billion ($457 million) for the first quarter of 2026, up 8 percent year-on-year but down 17 percent quarter-on-quarter, with the company attributing the sequential decline largely to unfavorable gaming luck rather than weakness in its underlying business.
The Macau-based casino operator said normalized adjusted EBITDA, after adjusting for luck-related factors tied to its rolling chip program, was approximately HK$3.58 billion ($457 million), up 21 percent year-on-year and flat quarter-on-quarter. GEG noted that fourth-quarter 2025 EBITDA had benefited from approximately HK$731 million ($93 million) in favorable luck, while first-quarter 2026 results reflected around HK$2 million ($255,000) in unfavorable luck.
Group net revenue for the quarter totaled HK$12.4 billion ($1.58 billion), up 11 percent year-on-year but down 10 percent sequentially. Total gross gaming revenue reached HK$12.7 billion ($1.62 billion), up 16 percent year-on-year and down 9 percent quarter-on-quarter.
Mass-market gaming remained the company’s main earnings driver. Mass GGR rose 17 percent year-on-year to HK$9.6 billion ($1.23 billion), declining only 4 percent quarter-on-quarter, while VIP GGR increased 18 percent year-on-year to HK$2.3 billion ($294 million) but fell 25 percent sequentially, reflecting continued volatility in the premium rolling segment.
Francis Lui, Chairman of GEG
Francis Lui, Chairman of GEG, said the group’s business performance during the Chinese New Year period was “solid,” with a longer tail following the holiday period similar to last year. He also pointed to Macau’s increasingly diversified visitor mix as a key support for the market’s recovery.
‘The Macau gaming market continues to benefit from a solid recovery in tourism fundamentals, supported by the relaxation of IVS visa policies, an increasingly diversified visitor mix, and a broader range of non-gaming attractions,’ the company said.
GEG also noted that Macau’s visitor base has become increasingly diversified, with international visitor arrivals rising 11 percent year-on-year during the quarter to around 800,000 visitors. Arrivals from Thailand increased 71 percent year-on-year, while arrivals from India rose 41 percent. Visitors from South Korea and long-haul travelers from the United States both increased 7 percent.
The company said it continues promoting Macau internationally through marketing offices in Tokyo, Seoul, Bangkok and Singapore.
Premium segment supported by Capella ramp-up
GEG said Capella at Galaxy Macau, which officially opened in February, has continued ramping up successfully. The ultra-luxury property features 95 suites and penthouses targeting the super-premium mass segment.
The company also expanded its Horizon Plus premium gaming area from six private salons to ten in an effort to strengthen offerings for high-value customers.
Galaxy Macau, the group’s flagship Cotai resort, generated adjusted EBITDA of HK$3.34 billion ($427 million), up 11 percent year-on-year and down 17 percent quarter-on-quarter.
Normalized adjusted EBITDA at the property rose 25 percent year-on-year and 2 percent quarter-on-quarter. Hotel occupancy across Galaxy Macau’s nine hotels reached 99 percent during the quarter.
StarWorld Macau reported adjusted EBITDA of HK$383 million ($49 million), up 9 percent year-on-year and 8 percent quarter-on-quarter, with hotel occupancy reaching 100 percent.
Non-gaming and events strategy remains central
GEG continued emphasizing non-gaming attractions and entertainment events as part of Macau’s diversification strategy.
“World-class entertainment shows and sporting events continued to play a key role in attracting both new and repeat customers to Macau,” Lui said.
The group hosted more than 80 concerts, entertainment shows, sporting events and other activities during the quarter, including the ITTF World Cup Macao and performances by Chinese artists Dylan Wang and Tian Zhen, Hong Kong singer Janice Vidal and comedian Jimmy O. Yang.
The company said it will host UFC Fight Night in Macau later this month, alongside additional concerts and entertainment events through June.
GEG also acknowledged broader geopolitical and macroeconomic risks, including the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine. The company said prolonged disruptions, particularly involving fuel and fertilizer supplies, could affect global economic activity and consumer sentiment, although it noted there has been no direct impact on its business to date.
Veli Asia, powered by VeliTech, is returning to SiGMA Asia 2026 — one of the industry’s most influential gatherings for the Asian iGaming market. Taking place in Manila from 31 May to 3 June, this year’s edition marks another significant chapter for Veli Asia as it brings its complete, performance-driven iGaming ecosystem to the region’s operators, partners, and decision-makers.
The Veli Asia team will be at Stand 2565, ready to demonstrate how its integrated suite of platform technology, game aggregation, and proprietary content is purpose-built for the demands of fast-moving Asian markets.
Building on its previous presence at SiGMA Asia, Veli Asia returns this year with its most comprehensive showcase to date: a fully connected demonstration of its offering.
At the core is Veli Asia flagship platform: a high-performance backbone engineered for seamless operations across player management, payments, and real-time analytics. Designed with scalability and uptime as non-negotiable requirements, the platform empowers operators to scale at pace without sacrificing speed or user experience.
Complementing the platform is a game aggregation layer built on performance logic rather than catalogue volume — curating content that delivers measurable engagement and retention across diverse player bases and regional preferences.
Rounding out the stand experience is a compelling game content lineup, including:
Crash & Instant Games — engineered for fast sessions, high replay value, and the engagement patterns defining today’s Asian player.
Slots Portfolio — proven mechanics paired with visually rich, locally resonant titles built to perform across varied audiences.
Visitors to Stand 2565 will be able to experience all three pillars live — seeing how platform, aggregation, and content operate as a single cohesive ecosystem rather than as isolated products.
Barak Moshe (Shuki), CEO at Veli Asia, said: “SiGMA Asia has become a cornerstone event for us in the region, and each year we come back with more to show. Our approach has always been to give operators a combination that works together — a strong platform, aggregation that performs well, and content that resonates locally. We’re looking forward to continuing those conversations with operators who are serious about competing and scaling in Asia.”
Veli Asia continued participation at SiGMA Asia reflects a long-term commitment to the region, where localisation, technical agility, and speed-to-market are not differentiators, but baseline requirements for success.
Yevhen Krazhan, CSO at GR8 Tech, explores how surging crypto adoption across Asia is revolutionizing iGaming payments, stating: “When I look at what’s changing fastest in Asia, it’s payment behavior,” as wallets, stablecoins, and seamless cross-border transfers become deeply ingrained in player habits.
With G2E Asia 2026 starting today, TCSJOHNHUXLEY is reinforcing its presence across the Asian gaming landscape as demand rises for its cutting-edge Dynamic Display System (DDS) in Baccarat.
TCSJOHNHUXLEY, the UK-based provider of premium gaming solutions, will be showcasing its latest innovations at G2E Asia 2026, inviting attendees to discover DDS at Booth B1338 at The Venetian Macao.
With over 2,000 DDS Baccarat display installations across Asia Pacific, TCSJOHNHUXLEY has reached a major milestone in the advancement of intelligent display technology for live gaming. Trusted by many of the region’s leading integrated resorts and casinos, DDS has quickly established itself as the platform of choice for operators seeking enhanced flexibility, player engagement, and operational control.
Driven by increasing demand for connected and customisable display solutions, DDS has become one of the most widely deployed and proven platforms within Asia’s Baccarat market. Designed for the modern casino environment, the system enables operators to manage graphical content across Baccarat, Roulette, Sic Bo, and other live table games through an intuitive, PC-based interface — allowing rapid updates to layouts, branding, promotions, and media without technical complexity.
The platform has gained strong traction across the region, offering a unified display ecosystem that seamlessly integrates live game data, promotional content, multilingual messaging, statistics, video feeds, and bespoke graphics to elevate the on-floor experience. Its flexible architecture supports configurable layouts, branded skins, dynamic animations, and centralised control across entire gaming areas.
Blaze LED table by TCSJOHNHUXLEY
DDS also integrates seamlessly with TCSJOHNHUXLEY’s wider product portfolio, including Ora Winning Number Displays, Blaze LED tables, Dealer Consoles, and advanced table management systems, creating a fully connected and cohesive gaming environment.
A key strength of the platform lies in the control it provides operators, enabling them to independently manage content, tailor promotions, and adapt visual themes to specific audiences or events in real time. This flexibility has proven особенно valuable in Asia’s fast-paced and competitive casino landscape.
Underpinning DDS’s success is TCSJOHNHUXLEY’s longstanding reputation for quality, reliability, and regional support. With more than 50 years of industry experience and a strong Asia Pacific presence, the company continues to collaborate closely with operators to deliver solutions tailored to local market needs.
“The continued growth of DDS across Asia reflects the increasing demand for intelligent and highly customisable display technology that enhances both the player experience and gaming floor operations,” said Rebecca Kingswell, Global Head of Operations and Managing Director APAC at TCSJOHNHUXLEY. “Operators are looking for more than just display hardware; they want flexibility, control, branding opportunities, and systems that can evolve alongside their business. DDS delivers exactly that, and we are proud to see the platform continuing to gain momentum throughout the region.”
As TCSJOHNHUXLEY prepares for G2E Asia 2026, visitors will be able to experience the latest DDS innovations live at Booth B1338 with live demonstrations, including advanced Baccarat display configurations, integrated media capabilities, themed graphical environments, and connected table technologies designed specifically for modern Asian gaming floors.
The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) has approved a new framework governing cash rebate and cashback programs for electronic gaming operators, introducing caps on promotional incentives and tighter approval requirements for operators and gaming system administrators.
Under a memorandum issued by PAGCOR’s i-Gaming Licensing and Regulation Group dated May 7th, 2026, the regulator said the new rules apply to all gaming venue operators, gaming system administrators, integrated resort licensees, gaming affiliates and support service providers. The measures were approved by the PAGCOR Board of Directors during a meeting held the same day.
The updated rules allow operators to offer cashback or rebate programs based either on player turnover, defined as gross bets placed, or on player net losses, but within newly prescribed limits.
For slot machine games, electronic bingo, numeric games and sports betting, operators may offer cash rebates of up to 1.5 percent based on player turnover or deposits. Casino table games and arcade-type games are excluded from the turnover-based rebate provision. Meanwhile, cashback programs based on player net losses may be offered across all types of electronic games, capped at a maximum rate of 15 percent.
PAGCOR also stated that electronic games not specifically covered by the listed categories will be evaluated individually by the Electronic Gaming Licensing Department (EGLD), which will determine appropriate rates while taking into account each game’s return-to-player (RTP) profile.
Operators seeking to implement rebate or cashback programs must first submit their marketing and promotional mechanics to PAGCOR for approval through EG Form No. 28 prior to launch. The implementing rules must disclose details including minimum deposit requirements, wagering conditions, rebate or cashback rates, maximum payout limits, settlement terms and general program conditions.
The memorandum further clarified that cashback and rebate expenses must be recorded separately as marketing expenses and cannot be declared as gaming losses or deducted from gross gaming revenue calculations. PAGCOR also prohibited operators from combining cashback programs with other promotional cash incentives in ways that exceed the prescribed caps.
According to the memorandum, any implementation of rebate or cashback schemes without prior regulatory approval, or beyond the permitted limits, may be subject to regulatory action.
The changes amend both the Regulatory Framework for Gaming Venue Operations and the Regulatory Framework for the Accreditation of Gaming System Administrators. PAGCOR also introduced transitional provisions allowing previously approved but non-compliant cashback or rebate programs to continue until either the end of their approved duration or May 15th, 2026, whichever comes first. Extensions, renewals or modifications beyond the transition period will not be permitted.
The Global Gaming Expo (G2E) Asia returns to The Venetian Macao today alongside the Asian IR Expo, with organizers placing greater emphasis on non-gaming offerings and high-tech content as integrated resorts across Asia continue to diversify beyond casinos.
Grant Chum Kwan Lock, chief executive officer and president of Sands China, will deliver the opening keynote address.
Organized by RX (Reed Exhibitions) and presented by the American Gaming Association, the twin events will run from May 12th to 14th, covering more than 30,000 square meters and featuring around 150 exhibitors across gaming and non-gaming segments. Organizers expect roughly 8,000 visitors from more than 90 countries and regions, about one-third more than last year’s 6,000, though still below the 18,000 recorded in 2019 prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.
This year’s headline themes are “AI, Robotics and New Digital Innovations for the Gaming Floor” at G2E Asia and “Entertainment Technology” at the Asian IR Expo. New features include a Display for Gaming Zone, a Gaming Entertainment Zone and an expanded Technology Zone focused on non-gaming applications within integrated resorts. Live demonstrations of hospitality automation, AI-powered business matchmaking, robot-served coffee and cocktails, and robotic performances are also planned.
The shows will also host two conference programs — the G2E Asia Conference and the Asian IR Summit — featuring around 50 speakers across more than 30 panels and keynote sessions.
G2E Asia marks its 17th edition since debuting in Macau in 2007, and the fourth year it has been staged alongside the Asian IR Expo.
