E-Sports
Chilliwack high schoolers enter the world of competitive video games
Teachers and teens at Chilliwack’s G.W. Graham Secondary tested out the world of competitive in-school gaming this year; the school’s eSports league will be back next fall. Grace Kennedy My hands tremble as they hold the Nintendo controller. My pulse throbs in my ears. I can feel the false confidence of professionalism being stripped […]


Teachers and teens at Chilliwack’s G.W. Graham Secondary tested out the world of competitive in-school gaming this year; the school’s eSports league will be back next fall. Grace Kennedy
My hands tremble as they hold the Nintendo controller. My pulse throbs in my ears. I can feel the false confidence of professionalism being stripped away as teenager Mohammed Zeineddin, the top Super Smash Bros player at G.W. Graham Secondary, moves to my side to give me a lightning-fast introduction to the game.
The X and Y buttons to jump. A and B for attacks. The right trigger to fly, or something along those lines. I pick a character: Yoshi, one of the few I recognize on a screen filled with dozens of characters from various half-known video game franchises.
“Yoshi’s actually one of the best characters in the game,” Nicholas Martinello tells me. He and half a dozen other teenage boys are seated around a classroom table, preparing to watch fellow student Jaxson Morneault destroy me in a friendly competition.
The game begins. Yoshi is jumping—I figured that much out—but he is rolling into an egg, swiping at the air. I am button smashing, watching as percentage figures across the bottom of the screen do things I don’t understand.
Morneault’s character—Shulk, from the Xenoblade Chronicles—and my own are standing on a platform suspended in space. Music is playing in the background. Morneault is patiently taking swipes at my frantic Yoshi. He stabs me with a shining blue sword, dances around my attacks, and sends me off the floating platform once, twice, three times.
Morneault turns to me and shakes my hand.
“So can you walk me through what just happened?” I ask. To me, it looked like a chaos of motion. Morneault, on the other hand, saw the strategy—or in my case, lack thereof.
“You were jabbing a lot, which isn’t really good,” he explains. “You want to throw some variety in there to confuse your opponent and be unpredictable.”
Playing against me—a n00b in video game parlance—Morneault says he didn’t “go 100%, obviously.” He didn’t use any crazy combos, and wasn’t so heavy-handed in his assaults.
If he was playing against someone who knew what they were doing, though?
“I would do all those things.”

Jaxson Morneault (standing, front) discusses part of his Super Smash Bros strategy during a lunch-hour eSports meeting at G.W. Graham. Grace Kennedy
It started as a joke, a laugh, a what-if scenario.
Last school year, some teachers and teens at G.W. Graham had tossed out the idea of hosting an eSports league—an extracurricular for gamers who wanted to play video games during school hours, and challenge each other in-game.
“We kind of joked about it,” Logan Sapielak, a Grade 12 student in the school’s production and broadcasting program, said. “It was a thing between a couple of teachers and the production crew … and it just kind of became its own thing.”
Jenny Cho, G.W. Graham’s computer teacher, made it happen.
“I thought, ‘This eSports thing we were joking about, is it possible?’” she said. It turned out that it was. Teachers in the theatre and livestream programs came on board. Game-loving staff agreed to open up their rooms for lunch hour sessions. The school PAC gave Cho a grant to buy televisions and gaming consoles.
G.W. Graham’s eSports club was born. Teens challenged each other to gaming competitions during lunch, and soon took over the school’s theatre stage for a school-wide intramural. Within months, Graham’s club had brought two other Chilliwack schools on board, and the idea expanded to a district-wide league that held its first multi-school tournament in Graham’s theatre at the end of February. Two-dozen gamers competed. Sapielak was one of the commentators on stage spelling out the stakes for the audience.
“People are learning about it, and now you guys come talk about it,” Sapielak said. “I think it’s pretty cool that we’re getting the publicity.”
“It was a joke, and now it’s not.”
ESports is certainly no joke.
The first official eSports competition was held in 1972 at Stanford University’s Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. There, five competitors battled each other in a game of Spacewar! to be the last spaceship in the air. Rolling Stone journalist Stewart Brand sponsored the tournament and wrote a 9,000-word story detailing the thrill of the game, the skill of the players, and the potential of computers at a time when few people knew video games even existed.
Since the 1970s, eSports gaming has grown into a lucrative cultural phenomenon, with streaming platforms like Twitch allowing video game fans to watch competitions across the world. In 2019, Forbes wrote that eSports revenues exceeded $1 billion in that year.
That number has not gone down, and professional gamers are reaping the financial rewards. Last year, the eSports World Cup offered a $5 million prize pool for competitors in its DOTA 2 championship. The Gaimin Gladiators, a Toronto-based professional eSports organization, took home the top prize, worth $1.5 million. Other professional Canadian teams, including the Canucks-owned Vancouver Surge, Overactive Media’s Toronto Ultra, and Toronto’s Luminosity Gaming, also took home thousands of dollars for their performance in Overwatch 2, Apex Legends, and Call of Duty competitions.
If those teams—and their million dollar prizes—are in the NHL of the eSports world, Melissa Burns is responsible for the video game equivalent of Hockey Canada.
Burns is the chair and CEO of eSports Canada, a country-wide organization focused on supporting competitive gaming from the elementary school- to the national-level.
Although she considers herself a lifelong gamer, Burns has never competed herself. But as a teacher in Manitoba, she saw her students engaging in video games in their downtime, and wanted to facilitate better experiences for them.
“I knew that my students were all playing games passively all the time, and that’s part of why we see it have the reputation that it does for being a very toxic space,” she said, referencing the often malicious and harmful online interactions video games can facilitate.
“I wanted to bring into schools on purpose, so that we could transition it from being a passive, unregulated space to something that was an intentional conversation, something that would allow them to have a safe place to fail.”
Because video games don’t need a physical space, Burns was able to connect with other Manitoba teachers to form a provincial organization for competitive gaming. They soon expanded nationwide, starting eSports Canada in January 2020.
It was fortuitous timing.
“It was one of the few activities that schools could participate in during the pandemic, and so we saw a lot of growth and success throughout that period of time,” Burns said. Professional and college-level teams reached out to the organization, asking them to create a K-12 pipeline for future athletes.
Today, the organization supports player development from the youngest players (the Timbit teams, to use Hockey Canada terms) to the national athletes. Burns and her colleagues look at ESRB ratings to find games that are appropriate for youth, while also seeking out those that are playable on multiple platforms. The organization doesn’t play with micro-transactions—in-game elements that encourage players to spend real-world money on items, characters and other bonuses.
“If you’re going to win, you’re going to win based on merit and skill, not based on a purchase that you made,” Burns said.
Skill—and intention—is what separates an eSports athlete and a run-of-the-mill gamer. While many people play the games for pleasure, professional gamers take a more strategic approach to their play, often for high rewards. Professional eSports players hone their movements so their actions can be translated at lightning speed through a digital interface.
“They’re looking at strategically developing their technical and tactical skills,” Burns said. “They’re looking at how to assess the opponents, how to counter different plays.”
She mentioned one Canadian gamer who described how he made split-second decisions on which move he would use to counter his opponent based on how many frames-per-second each would take.
“The stereotype of someone who plays a lot of video games doesn’t actually match what the demographic looks like for our high-level players,” Burns said.
While some may picture a serious gamer with a two-litre bottle of pop and an open bag of chips, professional eSports athletes tend to take their physical conditioning more seriously. They undergo training. They work with nutritionists, mental health professionals, and other coaches to help them achieve peak performance.

Vancouver Surge players during an April 2025 Call of Duty tournament. Vancouver Surge/Facebook
That is similar to the vision G.W. Graham English teacher and league organizer Chris Bonshor has for his school’s eSports team.
“Being able to have something like [how professionals train] here—like working with youth care workers and counsellors … would be really powerful for our kids moving forward, regardless of where they go in life,” Bonshor said.
“Mountain Dew and Cheetos only get you so far … We can use this as a vehicle to teach [students] some useful life skills which will serve them well.”
Bonshor is no stranger to gaming himself. His desk is decorated with a Stardew Valley desk mat, and he admits to knowing a fair amount about Super Smash Bros, although he’s “no professional.”
When Bonshor was a teacher at Vedder Middle School, he started the school’s Video Game Club—a low-key way for pre-teens to make friends while playing games they would have gone home to play in isolation.
“The Video Game Club is a lot more … nebulous,” Bonshor explained. “There’s no expectation of competition. It’s just for fun. It’s primarily, especially in the middle years, focused on social connection and mental health support.”
The club has continued, even after Bonshor left for G.W. Graham. And now, Bonshor and a handful of other teachers at the high school are directing students in the world of competitive gaming.
The idea for the league, as Sapielak noted, was a bit of a joke among teachers and students in the production department. But for Bonshor and Cho, the idea of an eSports league was a potential way to try and reach some of the students who were less engaged in the school.
“I feel like there’s a lot of kids who are eager for connection, and looking to represent their school, but just need the right fit,” Bonshor said.
The school theatre was set up with televisions, consoles, and screens. Roughly two dozen G.W. Graham students were waiting in the wings to pick up the controllers. Others sat in the theatre seats—spectators in the upcoming competition for high school gaming supremacy.
It was big. It was loud. It was a surprising success, Bonshor said.
“A lot of these kids that we attract to this program, they’re not kids who are typically involved in extracurriculars at school, so they’re not used to having that sort of drive to commit to something, or the realization that they need to show up and follow through,” Bonshor said.
Of the 20 kids, the eight best players became G.W. Graham’s core eSports team. Zeineddin was crowned the best Super Smash Bros player, while other players excelled in Rocket League, a game akin to soccer played by rocket-boosted cars. Most players were in their first year of high school—only one, Martinello, was in Grade 11.
Over the course of the next few months, the official team began training with French teacher and competitive Smash Bros player Simon Webster. The rest of the league members played more casually during lunch hours, spread throughout several classrooms dedicated to specific games. The core team seemed resistant to taking a more structured approach to their gaming sessions, though.
We can beat each other, Bonshor remembered them saying. We’re the best in the school.
And they were. But being the best in the school wasn’t quite good enough.
In February, G.W. Graham invited Chilliwack Secondary and Sardis Secondary to its theatre for a district-wide competition. Although Graham’s team had done well among their peers, it was another experience entirely facing two other competitive teams.
“We got demolished,” Ewan Ross, Grade 9, said bluntly.
Ross and his teammates had faced off against largely older eSports players from Sardis and Chilliwack.
“We needed to do a lot better up against Sardis and CSS,” he said nearly a month after the tournament.
“It just proves that the work we put in was good, but not good enough. We need to do a bit better.”
What does “better” mean? Ross said the team needed to start learning new strategies, new ways to control their characters, and most importantly, learning new things about each other so they could work better as a team. They are in line with what Bonshor hopes for the team as well—and what he saw on stage once the defeat was final.
“They’ve been hearing [what they needed to do to win] from the adults, but it’s not the same,” Bonshor said. “Learning by doing is a lot different than learning by hearing.”
And although the team was “crushed,” he said “seeing them come together and be compassionate with each other” was a good thing, as was “seeing them get humbled a little bit and realize it’s not simply a matter of just showing up and having fun.”

Many of the gamers in G.W. Graham’s eSports league plan to return next year. The teachers, including Chris Bonshor, hope they can improve and expand the league. Grace Kennedy
With the school year almost over, Graham’s eSports league is set to wind down. Most of the teens involved in the program will likely keep playing on their own over the summer—although most of them will probably pivot to their favourite games rather than keep on with Super Smash Bros.
Bonshor hopes the program will continue to grow and serve students at G.W. Graham with structured opportunities to learn about conflict resolution and health. With any luck, Bonshor and Cho will get other school districts interested in participating too, making Chilliwack’s eSports community into a Fraser Valley- or province-wide league.
If a few students make it to the professional level, that would be a bonus. (Morneault, who so handily beat me in the 1v1 Smash game, is not ruling university-level gaming out of his career goals.)
But mostly, Bonshor wants the program to be there for students who might not otherwise find connections in their school. That’s why so many students on Graham’s eSports team plan to return next year too.
“There are people here who think like me, talk like me, act like me,” Morneault said. “They understand who I am.”
Ross agreed. He was standing near Bonshor’s desk, his friends seated near the console half a classroom away. Empty McDonald’s wrappers were strewn across the table, and his words were nearly obscured by the sounds of his friends excitedly attacking each other in the game.
“This?” he said, glancing back to the team. “Getting all the amazing people over there to play something that we bond over, it just feels amazing.
“You connect with people that have the same kind of thing as you and it makes you want to continue on.”
E-Sports
JCC a ‘perfect’ home for regional eSports tournament
Memdbers of the Olean High School eSports team compete at a tournament at Jamestown Community College in Olean. (SUNY JCC) OLEAN — The eSports stadium at SUNY Jamestown Community College’s Cattaraugus County Campus continues to be a hub for regional high school and middle school competitions. Five schools in Cattaraugus and Allegany counties and more […]

Memdbers of the Olean High School eSports team compete at a tournament at Jamestown Community College in Olean. (SUNY JCC)
OLEAN — The eSports stadium at SUNY Jamestown Community College’s Cattaraugus County Campus continues to be a hub for regional high school and middle school competitions.
Five schools in Cattaraugus and Allegany counties and more than 50 students ranging from sixth grade to seniors participated in the CA BOCES spring tournament at JCC’s downtown Olean location. Since 2023 it was the fifth time BOCES has held a tournament on the campus.
“We have used the campus and space multiple times and have always been very happy with the venue,” said Karen Insley, CA BOCES program manager who oversees student programming. “As usual, Jonathan (Kowal, JCC athletic and recruitment coordinator) was a fantastic host. The Magnano Room and the eSports arena are a perfect fit for our group.”
Members of the Randoph eSports team compete at Jamestown Community College in Olean. (SUNY JCC)
Teams from Andover, Bolivar-Richburg, Cattaraugus-Little Valley, Olean and Randolph enjoyed the day at JCC playing Rocket League, Mario Kart, and Super Smash Bros. games.
Randolph earned the season-long Rocket League crown, finishing unbeaten in matches.
“The students love being able to show off their talents and skills in a competitive environment,” said Andrew Garvey, coach of Randolph. “They are always so excited when we get to bring home a trophy or banner to display in the school. They see it happen so often for traditional sports, so it’s so nice for them to be recognized in a similar fashion.”
While some other area schools opt to play in remote leagues against teams from around the country, the CA BOCES league doesn’t require a hefty entry fee and allows students to compete locally, and face-to-face in fall and spring tournaments at JCC.
“My students love the face-to-face competition,” said Malibu Peelman, Bolivar-Richburg coach. “They love having an event for eSports, and for my older students they enjoy learning of the possibilities of further education at JCC.”
JCC’s sprawling eSports stadium, with its capacity to host 60 or more students, is a perfect place for a regional gaming tournament. The stadium opened in 2022 and is home to the college’s National Junior College Athletics Association Esports team. It includes an arena for official competitions and a mezzanine for viewing, a meeting room with computers for practice, an activity area with console games, and a reception area.
CA BOCES plans to hold its next big tournament, this December, at JCC.
Garvey said the stadium is “great facility with lots of equipment and rooms to fit students,” while Peelman added that the space “allows for focus in the students’ gaming interest.”
Theresa Pfeil from Hinsdale Central School attended the spring tournament to see what it was all about and for guidance in growing the eSports program at the school. The Olean team, meanwhile, visited the JCC arena for the first time this spring to play.
Kowal said that in addition to BOCES affiliated schools, many from around the region and beyond have visited the stadium to play and observe what JCC has created.
“We’ve had visitors in the past just come to see what it was, how to build something, and then went on their way back to their school,” Kowal said.
Though Randolph has had an informal gaming club for 12 years, many area schools are new to eSports. CA BOCES started its eSports league for schools three years ago, with a half dozen or more competing at different times.
Visit JCCJayhawks.com for more information about JCC eSports.
E-Sports
Grupo Esportes Gaming Brasil invests even more in organizational culture as a strategic foundation
The ongoing Group’s work earned it the Great Place to Work (GPTW) seal last week. The certification – a global reference in people management and organizational climate – recognizes the company for promoting a positive environment, with development, well-being and inclusion initiatives. The GPTW survey assesses employee perceptions in five pillars – credibility, respect, impartiality, […]

The ongoing Group’s work earned it the Great Place to Work (GPTW) seal last week. The certification – a global reference in people management and organizational climate – recognizes the company for promoting a positive environment, with development, well-being and inclusion initiatives. The GPTW survey assesses employee perceptions in five pillars – credibility, respect, impartiality, pride and camaraderie.
“We believe that growing responsibly requires investing in people, providing an environment of genuine care with opportunities for constant development,” says Sophia Serak, the group’s People Director. “Since the beginning of the group’s companies, taking care of people has always been an essential part of our culture. In recent months, we have focused even more efforts on strengthening our values, keeping up with the accelerated pace of our growth without ever losing sight of the human aspect. The arrival of the GPTW seal confirms that we are on the right path,” says the executive.
Among the most recent advances are the strategic hires that further strengthen the company’s leadership and governance, such as the arrival of Hugo Baungartner, who took on the role of executive director of Institutional Relations and Strategic Partnerships at Esportes Gaming Brasil, with the aim of supporting the brand’s expansion and strengthening institutional connections. The arrival of Hugo and other leaders is part of a more structured and rigorous selection process that is aligned with the group’s culture and strategic objectives.
In addition to forming new teams, the company consistently invests in the physical, emotional and financial well-being of its team, offering a complete benefits structure.
Highlights include the health and dental plan, which also covers up to two dependents up to 18 years of age; free access to two monthly sessions with a psychologist and nutritionist; and encouragement to practice physical activities through Wellhub, which is extended to family members. In addition, employees have access to discounts at pharmacies and on their energy bills, among other support in their daily lives. All of this reinforces the company’s commitment to valuing and caring for the people who make its growth happen.
Engagement, ethics and development
To strengthen engagement and connection between teams, the Group promoted, throughout the first half of the year, actions that value diversity and collaborative work. Highlights include the discussion group on International Women’s Day and the São João Festival, which took place to further integrate the teams.
In June, the company also launched the Responsible Gaming Program: Learning to Protect, aimed at training on Responsible Gaming. The initiative was attended by the Brazilian Company for Supporting Compulsive Gamblers (EBAC) and the Institute for Supporting Gamblers (IAA). The project reinforces the company’s commitment to ongoing development and responsibility in the sector in which it operates.
In the area of compliance, in addition to hiring the new compliance manager Ana Carolina Maçães, the company launched the Ethics Channel and also launched its Code of Ethics and Conduct in June. To complement these actions, the launch of the Support Channel, aimed at providing emotional support to employees, is scheduled for this month. Operating 24 hours a day and being attended by trained psychologists, the channel will be an important tool for support and active listening, in line with NR-1.
These initiatives reinforce the group’s mission: “To offer exceptional experiences, combining fun, safety and excellence in service. We grow by investing in the development of our team, driven by energy, intelligence and integrity to generate lasting value for our customers,” concludes the executive.
Esportes Gaming Brasil
Esportes Gaming Brasil is one of the leading groups in the betting sector in the country, with 100% national operations and an official license granted by the Ministry of Finance, through SPA/MF. The authorization covers its two brands: Esportes da Sorte and Onabet, which operate throughout Brazil.
A leader in innovation and a defender of market regulation, the group’s pillars are its commitment to responsible gaming and continuous investment in control technologies and user well-being.
With hundreds of jobs created, its operations go beyond betting: it supports projects in the areas of sports and culture, such as the Corinthians, Ceará, Ferroviária and Náutico clubs, in addition to high-profile initiatives such as ‘Galo da Madrugada’, ‘Carnaval do Recife e Olinda’ and the Parintins Festival.
Onabet, in turn, expands the group’s digital reach with creative campaigns and partnerships with influencers, strengthening the connection with the public on online platforms.
Source: GMB
E-Sports
Westbury esports team takes third at state championship – The Long Island Times
The Westbury High School esports team recently placed third at the Empire State Scholastic Esports Federation (ESSEF) championship and invitational, hosted at Syracuse University’s gaming and esports center. “This event was an incredible opportunity for our scholars to showcase their talents and represent Westbury on the state level,” said Westbury High School esports club advisor […]

The Westbury High School esports team recently placed third at the Empire State Scholastic Esports Federation (ESSEF) championship and invitational, hosted at Syracuse University’s gaming and esports center.
“This event was an incredible opportunity for our scholars to showcase their talents and represent Westbury on the state level,” said Westbury High School esports club advisor Michael Fodera. “Esports continues to provide a dynamic platform that fosters healthy competition, collaboration, critical thinking, and hard work.”
The Westbury High School esports competitors participated in several weeks of regular season play, after which they qualified for the championship. The scholars then competed in the semifinals for Super Smash Bros. in the 3v3 team division, earning medals as they captured third place.
“Team members Olson Benjamin, Edwin Mendoza Ceron, Matthew Flores, David Franco, and Jahsiah Santana demonstrated remarkable skill, teamwork, and perseverance throughout the tournament,” said Fodera.
ESSEF is the largest middle and high school esports league in New York. The organization was founded by educators to foster the growth of scholastic esports throughout the state.
E-Sports
Helsinki Halli Finland Renamed Veikkaus Arena
Rendering of what the former Helsinki Halli will look like, once its new naming rights sponsor, Finland’s state-owned gaming operator Veikkaus, gets its logo up. Courtesy of Live Nation Entertainment Live Nation today announced a 10-year naming rights partnership with Veikkaus, Finland’s state-owned gaming operator, for Helsinki Halli. The venue will be renamed Veikkaus Arena, […]



Live Nation today announced a 10-year naming rights partnership with Veikkaus, Finland’s state-owned gaming operator, for Helsinki Halli. The venue will be renamed Veikkaus Arena, marking a new chapter for the iconic Finnish arena. The partnership follows the announcement earlier this year that Live Nation signed a 20-year long-term lease to operate the venue.
Veikkaus Arena, which will reopen this September, has a capacity of up to 15,500 and has been a central hub for concerts, sports, and cultural events in Finland. Closed since 2020, with limited reopening in 2021, the venue’s absence has left a significant gap in the Finnish live market. When operational, the arena contributed over €100 million annually to Helsinki’s local economy.
“Veikkaus offers gambling and entertainment services with a focus on player well-being. Their upcoming naming partnership reflects their commitment to supporting live events and enriching the cultural landscape of Helsinki,” according to the press release announcing the new naming rights partner.
Live Nation identifies “significant momentum for live music across Europe, positioning Veikkaus Arena as a premier destination for global tours and brand partnerships in the Nordic live entertainment market.”
Live Nation also announced that it will continue its collaboration with long-time venue partner Hartwall, focusing on food and beverage offerings. Veikkaus Arena will be opening in September 2025, with announcements on shows and events expected soon. Discussions are also underway to explore the arena’s potential sporting uses.
Comments:
Therese Liljedahl, Live Nation SVP international partnerships: “This partnership is a key milestone in bringing Veikkaus Arena back to the forefront of international live entertainment. Veikkaus’s strong Finnish heritage and leadership in the local market puts them centre stage in this exciting moment for Finland’s live music landscape, helping to elevate the fan experience and support the region’s growth.”
Tom Lynch, Live Nation president of venues EMEA: “Reopening the arena and partnering with Veikkaus represents a pivotal moment for the venue landscape in the Nordic region. Veikkaus Arena is poised to attract top-tier international tours, further cementing the strength of Finland’s live music scene.”
Olli Sarekoski, CEO of Veikkaus: “The arena is the heart of our capital city and a hub for high-quality events. It is important that as many people as possible get to enjoy the arena’s diverse offering of culture, sports, and entertainment. Veikkaus wants to actively promote and enable those experiences together with Live Nation.”
Reija Laaksonen, Veikkaus Director of Human Resources and Communications: “We want to be strongly involved in the everyday lives of Finns through entertainment, sports, culture, and related events. The arena is an excellent place to offer these experiences to customers in our nation’s capital. In cooperation with the arena, we are enabling world-class live entertainment for people in Helsinki.”
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E-Sports
ISTELive 25: A K–12 Student Repair Team Success Story
At Bowling Green Independent School District in Kentucky, high school students can take a class in which they repair HP Chromebooks as part of the school’s computer science pathway. There’s a room in the high school dedicated to the repairs, which gives students and their teacher everything they need, says Digital Learning Coach Megan Marcum. […]

At Bowling Green Independent School District in Kentucky, high school students can take a class in which they repair HP Chromebooks as part of the school’s computer science pathway. There’s a room in the high school dedicated to the repairs, which gives students and their teacher everything they need, says Digital Learning Coach Megan Marcum.
The student team uses Incident IQ to field and track repairs, explains Technology Director William King. This gives teachers visibility and helps the IT department manage their fleet of devices, from deployment to end of life.
The district has seen only benefits from its student repair team. It has extended the life of its Chromebooks, expedited repair turnaround times, given students real-world skills and experience, and even hired a full-time employee who formerly worked as a student on the repair team.
LEARN MORE: Manage your fleet of K–12 devices with help from the experts at CDW.
E-Sports
Aristocrat Gaming Secures License to Develop MONOPOLY Slot Games
Aristocrat Gaming has been awarded an exclusive land-based license to develop and launch MONOPOLY-themed slot games for casinos worldwide, marking a significant milestone for both the gaming company and the iconic board game brand. This new partnership with Hasbro, which was secured after a competitive RFP process, ensures that Aristocrat will create a series of […]

Aristocrat Gaming has been awarded an exclusive land-based license to develop and launch MONOPOLY-themed slot games for casinos worldwide, marking a significant milestone for both the gaming company and the iconic board game brand. This new partnership with Hasbro, which was secured after a competitive RFP process, ensures that Aristocrat will create a series of MONOPOLY slots starting in early 2026, bringing fresh and innovative content to casino floors globally.
A Landmark Collaboration with Hasbro
The collaboration between Aristocrat Gaming and Hasbro is a testament to the growing influence of brand-driven gaming. Craig Toner, CEO of Aristocrat Gaming, expressed his excitement over the new partnership, stating in a press release, “To be selected as Hasbro’s land-based slots partner – after a highly competitive process – is a proud milestone for Aristocrat Gaming. Our commitment to innovation and bold creativity sets us apart, and we’re excited to reimagine MONOPOLY slot games for today’s players around the globe.”
Hasbro’s selection of Aristocrat as the ideal partner for this new chapter in the MONOPOLY gaming experience was not an arbitrary choice. Claire Hunter Gregson, Director of Gaming Relationships at Hasbro, explained, “It was evident through our selection process that Aristocrat Gaming was the natural fit for the next evolution of the Monopoly brand in the gaming category. We can’t wait for Monopoly fans to experience all new premium gaming content on casino floors.”
This partnership signals the beginning of a new era for the MONOPOLY brand in land-based gaming, reimagining the beloved board game for adult audiences in dynamic, interactive slot formats.
Expanding Hasbro’s Casino Licensing Strategy
The partnership between Aristocrat and Hasbro is part of a broader strategy by Hasbro to expand its reach in the casino gaming sector. According to Hasbro, the game company has signed several multi-year deals with prominent gaming providers, including Evolution, Galaxy Gaming, and Bally’s. These partnerships will see the launch of various Hasbro-branded gaming experiences, including MONOPOLY, Dungeons and Dragons, and YAHTZEE, across multiple platforms, from online casinos to physical gaming floors.
Hasbro’s approach to licensing is centered on innovation and meeting players wherever they engage with their favorite brands. “We’re all about play – and that means meeting our fans wherever they are, from the game table to the casino floor,” Gregson said, emphasizing the company’s strategy to bring its iconic intellectual properties to new, exciting formats.
The First MONOPOLY Slot Titles Set for 2026
The first of the MONOPOLY slot titles, developed under this new partnership, will be unveiled in early 2026. The launch will introduce a fresh take on the classic game, incorporating innovative features and premium content that will appeal to both traditional slot players and MONOPOLY fans.
This collaboration also includes a variety of other exciting partnerships. For example, Galaxy Gaming will develop table games based on Hasbro’s intellectual properties, including MONOPOLY and YAHTZEE. These games will offer casino players the chance to engage with their favorite Hasbro titles in new ways, further expanding the reach of the brand.
Hasbro’s “Playing to Win” strategy, launched earlier in 2025, focuses on innovation and strategic partnerships that will bring their most popular brands to life across a variety of gambling formats. The brand’s expansion into the casino sector, particularly through collaborations with gaming giants like Aristocrat and Galaxy Gaming, reflects Hasbro’s commitment to reimagining its properties for a new generation of players.
The new MONOPOLY slot games are expected to set a new standard in the casino industry, blending the excitement of classic gaming with the thrill of modern slot gameplay. As more of Hasbro’s iconic brands are integrated into casino offerings, fans will have even more opportunities to experience their favorite games in exciting new ways.
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