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☆ Meet the diehard music fan who runs one of the world's busiest arenas
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-20 | by ( Chris Johnston | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

London's O2 Arena is one of the world's busiest and sold a record 2.5 million tickets last year. The venue is managed by Steve Sayer, a music fan who previously worked for Manchester City. The O2 Arena presents comedy, boxing, UFC, esports and even monster trucks as well as music. AdvertisementIt may not be the world's most famous, but London's O2 Arena is now one of the busiest. Elton John on his "Farewell Yellow Brick Road" Tour at the O2 Arena in April 2023.

Persons: Steve Sayer, —, Tom Jones, James Bond, Jason Derulo, Luke Dyson Sayer, Ateez, Olivia Rodrigo, Noah Kahan, Prince, Sayer, Elton John, Monty Python, Adele, Simone Joyner, they're, Philip Anschutz, Dua Lipa, Karwai Tang, Joseph Okpako, there'd, that's, Madonna, Kevin Mazur AEG, It's, Liam Gallagher, Girls, Billy Joel's Organizations: London's O2, Manchester City, O2 Arena, UFC, Service, O2, AEG, London, AEG Europe, Billboard, The O2, WWE, Gorillaz, National Health Service, Qatar Airways, Madison Locations: Manchester, Paris, Berlin, Hamburg, Dua, London, New, COVID

☆ Esports World Cup in Saudi Arabia, worth more than $60M, hopes to send ‘positive message’ to struggling industry
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-16 | by ( Ben Church | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Boasting the largest prize pool in esports history, this year’s inaugural 2024 Esports World Cup (EWC) could prove to be a pivotal moment for the industry. Clubs will be able to choose which games they participate in before the best performing team across the various championships will be crowned the ultimate Esports World Cup champion for the very first time. Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation, hopes this new competition in Saudi Arabia can be a game changer. “Setting the record for largest esports prize pool is a remarkable achievement, but what I’m most proud of is the positive message this sends to the wider esports and gaming community,” Reichert said in a statement. In 2023, Saudi launched ‘The National Gaming and Esports Strategy’ (NGES) which hopes to make the country the center of the competitive gaming world by 2030.

Persons: Ralf Reichert, ” Reichert, Saudi Arabia –, “, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, ” Organizations: CNN, Apex, EA Sports FC, of, League, Riot, New York Times, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, Saudi, National Gaming, Saudi’s, New Global Sport Locations: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Saudi

☆ After Ohtani and Kikuchi, Japan high school toasts latest baseball prodigy
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-30 | by ( Hanako Montgomery | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Banners herald Los Angeles Dodgers megastar Shohei Ohtani and Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Yusei Kikuchi, their faces greeting every visitor. But now, Hanamaki Higashi High School celebrates a new prodigy in its midst – one whose high-school records beat even those of Ohtani and Kikuchi. “The presence of legends like Shohei Ohtani and Yusei Kikuchi were a huge factor as to why I got into baseball – I fell in love with the sport,” Sasaki told CNN. Now, with the emergence of three baseball stars from Hanamaki Higashi, Sasaki’s teammates swell with pride at the honor of walking the same corridors. Despite its status as a public school with a modest baseball budget, Hanamaki Higashi has impressively produced three outstanding athletes.

Persons: Shohei, Yusei Kikuchi, Hanamaki, Kikuchi, Rintaro Sasaki doesn’t, ” Sasaki, Sasaki, he’ll, ”, Hiroshi, Ohtani, Shohei Ohtani, “, Taichi Murakami, Hanamaki Higashi, it’s Organizations: Japan CNN —, Los Angeles Dodgers, Toronto Blue Jays, School, baseball, CNN, Stanford University in, Stanford, Los Angeles Angels, Angel, Kyodo, baseball’s, Dodgers, American League Locations: Hanamaki, Japan, Iwate prefecture, Stanford University in California, America, “, Anaheim , California, Higashi, Hanamaki Higashi

LONDON (AP) — Online retailer eBay Inc. will cut about 1,000 jobs, or an estimated 9% of its full-time workforce, saying its number of employees and costs have exceeded how much the business is growing in a slowing economy. It marks the latest layoffs in the tech industry. Political Cartoons View All 253 ImagesSan Jose, California-based eBay is the latest tech company to roll out a series of layoffs after quickly ramping up hiring during the COVID-19 pandemic while people spent more time and money online. Meanwhile, Amazon said this month that it is cutting several hundred jobs in its Prime Video and MGM Studios unit. Other tech companies, including Spotify, Microsoft, Meta and IBM, also have recently cut jobs.

Persons: Jamie Iannone, Iannone, ”, TikTok, Amazon, ” Iannone Organizations: —, eBay Inc, eBay, Google, Riot Games, “ League, MGM Studios, Spotify, Microsoft, Meta, IBM, Justice Department Locations: Jose , California, Massachusetts

A bunch of companies in the technology sector have been laying off some of their employees recently after quickly ramping up hiring during the COVID-19 pandemic while people spent more time and money online. Now, many of them are making job cuts to help lower costs and bolster their bottom lines. Here's some of the companies that have laid of employees of late:GoogleGoogle said it was laying off hundreds of employees working on its hardware, voice assistance and engineering teams. The company, which is owned by Chinese technology giant Tencent, said 530 jobs were being eliminated, accounting for about 11% of its headcount. AmazonTwitch, which is owned by Amazon, is cutting more than 500 jobs in a bid to save on costs.

Persons: TikTok TikTok, Dan Clancy, Bob Carrigan Organizations: Google Google, Google, Riot Games, “ League, Games, eBay, eBay Inc, Amazon, Amazon’s, MGM Studios, Spotify Locations: Los Angeles , California, Beijing

☆ Tencent’s Riot Games lays off 11% of staff globally, adding to job cuts in US tech sector
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Michelle Toh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Hong Kong CNN —Riot Games, the developer of hit video games like “League of Legends” and “Valorant,” is cutting 11% of staff around the world, becoming the latest tech company to downsize. In the first two weeks of 2024 alone, more than 5,500 layoffs were announced at Google, Amazon and other prominent tech employers. Riot relied on the game’s massive success for about a decade, leading to calls for the company to diversify its business. On Tuesday, China’s gaming regulator made headlines by removing draft rules from its website that had aimed to rein in spending in online video games. Shares of Tencent and Chinese rival NetEase each rose 4.6% and 6.5% in Hong Kong, respectively, on Tuesday following the news.

Persons: “, hadn’t, Dylan Jadeja, Twitch, ”, Marc Merrill, Jadeja, ” Tencent Organizations: Hong Kong CNN — Riot, “, Google, Amazon, Tencent, CNN, “ League, National Press, Reuters Locations: Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Shenzhen, China, we’re

BANGKOK (AP) — Riot Games, the developer of the popular “League of Legends” multiplayer battle game is joining other tech companies that have been trimming their payrolls with a layoff of 11% of its staff. Jadeja said the Los Angeles, California-based company had expanded its investments across too many areas, doubling its staff in a few years, and now was cutting back to focus on games. Riot Games said it will pay staff who are laid off six months of salary at a minimum, cash bonuses and other benefits. Job cuts have been taking a toll on workers across various industries — including retail, tech, media and hospitality — over the last few years. Political Cartoons View All 253 ImagesMany have been in the tech sector, which hired heavily during the pandemic, when people whiled away time stuck at home playing games online.

Persons: Dylan Jadeja, Jadeja Organizations: “ League, Riot, Google, Hasbro, LinkedIn Locations: BANGKOK, Los Angeles , California

☆ Tencent's Riot Games division cuts 11% of staff to 'create focus'
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Tencent's Riot Games unit said Monday it's eliminating 11% of its workforce, or about 530 jobs, and scaling back on its division that publishes games from small developers. Eric Shen will become Legends of Runeterra's executive producer, replacing Dave Guskin, accroding to a blog post from Guskin, who said he'll work on other Riot games. Tencent, based in China, invested in Riot Games in 2011 and became its outright owner four years later. In September, Tencent-backed Epic Games announced it was cutting 16% of its staff. Shares slid 12% in late December after China announced new rules designed to limit excessive gaming.

Persons: Ma, we've, Dylan Jadeja, that's, Nicolo Laurent, Eric Shen, Dave Guskin, Jadeja, Tencent's, Tencent Organizations: Tencent Holdings Ltd, Tencent's, Google, League of, Riot Games, Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, Sony, Epic Games, China Locations: Guangdong, Hong Kong, Macao, Bay, China, Guskin, Forge, Los Angeles, Tencent

☆ Gaming in South Korea 'is culture', says Riot Games
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

In this videoShare Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailGaming in South Korea 'is culture', says Riot GamesJohn Needham of Riot Games discusses the League of Legends World Championship, and explains the connection South Koreans have with the game.

Persons: John Needham Organizations: Gaming, Riot Games, League of Locations: South Korea

☆ The Surprising Fast Track to Your Own Corner Office
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Anne Marie Chaker | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

It’s the career track of legends: Lowly executive assistant rises to the top from the desk outside the corner office. In reality, the assistant-to-boss trajectory has become a rarity in today’s business world as EAs slowly disappear as both a senior-executive perk and a career path. Yet among the crème of the calendar-keepers, some do climb to the highest rungs—and how they do it carries important career-building lessons.

Persons: perk

☆ They Started as Executive Assistants. Now They’re the Bosses.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Anne Marie Chaker | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Persons: perk

☆ At least 22 dead, 50 injured in mass shooting across several locations in Lewiston, Maine, police say
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Mike Pescaro | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

At least 22 people are dead and 50-60 more were injured in a mass shooting at two businesses in Lewiston, Maine, according to NBC News. Mayor Jason Levesque, the mayor of nearby Auburn, urged people in his city, Lewiston and the surrounding region to shelter in place. "I am aware of and have been briefed on the active shooter situation in Lewiston," Gov. Federal law enforcement agencies are assisting our state and local law enforcement partners in Lewiston, Maine," spokesperson Xochitl Hinojosa told NBC News. The ATF's Boston office said it is also responding to the active shooter event in Maine.

Persons: Scott Sweetow, NBC10, Sweetow, He's, Robert Card, Jim Cavanaugh, Mike Sauschuck, Sauschuck, Jonathan Dienst, Melinda Small, Small, Ange Amores, Amores, Jason Levesque, Shannon Moss, Janet Mills, Sen, Angus King, Maura Healey, Joe Biden, Anthony Albanese, Biden, King, Susan Collins, Jared Golden, Merrick Garland, Xochitl Hinojosa, Jake Langlais Organizations: NBC News, of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Lewiston, Bowdoin, NBC, Department of Public, Auburn Middle School, Lewiston police, Central Maine Medical, Maine Medical, Legends Sports, Associated Press, Maine State Police, Maine Department of Public Safety, Police, Lewiston . Massachusetts Gov, Australian, White House, Gov, Bates College, Public Locations: Lewiston , Maine, Androscoggin County, Lewiston, Auburn, NBC10 Boston, Lisbon, Maine, Portland, State, Lewiston . Massachusetts, Mills, Sens, Boston

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried's lieutenant Nishad Singh said he was embarrassed by 'flashy' FTX spending
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | Katie Balevic | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Singh testified at Bankman-Fried's trial that his concerns were almost always rebuffed. In Manhattan federal court Monday, Singh testified about how he frequently questioned and pushed back against Bankman-Fried's spending sprees and investment decisions — and was almost always rebuffed. "I would hear that my opinions were already factored in, and I didn't need to continue sharing them," Singh testified. Singh testified that he came to know Bankman-Fried through a friendship with the FTX founder's younger brother, Gabe Bankman-Fried. Infighting over expensesThe pair often disagreed on money, Singh testified.

Persons: Nishad Singh, Sam Bankman, Singh, —, Fried, Bill Clinton, Tony Blair, spender, Caroline Ellison, Gary Wang, Gabe Bankman, FTX, SBF, I've, Sam, Tom Brady, Gisele Bündchen, Steph Curry, Kevin O'Leary, Larry David, Jon Kopaloff, Fatih Aktas, Getty Images Singh, Michael Kives, Hillary Clinton, Katy Perry, Orlando Bloom, Ted Sarandos, Jeff Bezos, Kate Hudson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Corey Gamble, Kendall Jenner, Singh wasn't, Kris Organizations: Service, Bankman, Alameda, US Securities and Exchange Commission, University of California, Facebook, Engineering, Sequoia Capital, Yuga, Miami, Major League Baseball, of Legends, Getty Images, Anadolu Agency, K5 Global Locations: Bankman, FTX, Manhattan, Berkeley, Alameda, Bahamas, Kazakhstan, Albany

☆ Esports made their 'tense and exciting' debut at this year's Asian Games
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-15 | by ( Polly Thompson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Esports, or professional video gaming, were an official sport at the Asian Games for the first time. AdvertisementAdvertisementEsports, or competitive video gaming, debuted as an official event at this year's Asian Games in Hangzhou, China that concluded earlier this month. Due to the event's popularity, esports tickets were sold on a lottery basis, with more than five million entering the ballot, according to Hangzhou Asian Games data. We're excited to see the landscape of esports events around the world expand," said John Robinson, president of US esport organization 100 Thieves. The Olympic Esports Series is "a global virtual and simulated sports competition created by the IOC, and in collaboration with International Federations and game publishers."

Persons: —, esports, Chris Liu, Liu, Esports, JADE GAO, John Robinson, Kim Gwanwoo, WANG ZHAO, Matt Woods, AFK, Grant Rousseau, " Rousseau Organizations: Asian Games, of, EA Sports FC Online, Singapore, Service, Professional, EA Sports FC, South Korea, Team Malaysia, China, Xinhua News Agency, South, Associated Press, Fighter, Getty, Olympic, IOC, International Federations, Guardian, Team Falcons Locations: Hangzhou, China, Thailand, Wuxi, esports, Asia, Pacific, US, South Korea, AFP, Los Angeles

Learn morePrime Day gaming deals are back in action as we get our second Prime Day event in 2023. If you'd like a look at the highlights from the wider sale, head on over to our Prime Day deals live roundup. It'll run through midnight PT on October 11, but don't dawdle, since the best deals are sure to sell out fast. The best Prime Day gaming PC dealsThe best Prime Day gaming monitor dealsThe best Prime Day gaming headset, webcam, and microphone dealsThe best Prime Day gaming mouse and keyboard dealsThe best Prime Day gaming accessory dealsAre mechanical keyboards actually better for gaming than membrane keyboards? But Prime Day deals can still be massive.

Persons: We're, we've, We've, you've, it's Organizations: Logitech, Amazon, League

☆ The 6 wildest details about Sam Bankman-Fried that Michael Lewis revealed in a tell-all interview
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-03 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Michael Lewis gave a peek into details from his new book on Sam Bankman-Fried in a tell-all interview. AdvertisementAdvertisement"The Big Short" author Michael Lewis shared some of the wildest details from his forthcoming book on disgraced FTX cofounder Sam Bankman-Fried during a tell-all interview with "60 Minutes" on Sunday. Tom Brady and Sam Bankman-Fried had an unlikely friendship, according to Michael Lewis. Sam Bankman-Fried, a known "League of Legends" fan, played a video game during his first live TV interview, Michael Lewis said. Sam Bankman-Fried.

Persons: Michael Lewis, Sam Bankman, Lewis, SBF, Tom Brady, Donald Trump, —, Bankman, Sam, Erin Schaff, Insider's Lloyd Lee, Fried, Trump, Brady, Sebastian Widmann, Sam wasn't, FTX, he's, Larry David, Steph Curry's, Steph Curry, Anna Wintour, Matt Winkelmeyer, Vogue's Anna Wintour, Wintour, Spokespeople, David, Curry, Michael M, Bernie Madoff, Elizabeth Holmes, Jim Spellman, WireImage Lewis Organizations: Service, Trump, NFL, Super, Miami, Sequoia Capital, Metropolitan Detention, Prosecutors, Alameda Research, Bankman Locations: New York, Trump, Hollywood, America, Bahamas, Brooklyn

NEW YORK (AP) — For a while, Sam Bankman-Fried tried to convince politicians and the public that he was the next J.P. Morgan. The trial of Bankman-Fried, the founder of the failed cryptocurrency brokerage FTX, will begin Tuesday with jury selection. Political Cartoons View All 1190 ImagesThe 31-year-old Bankman-Fried founded FTX in 2019, and it grew rapidly. Bankman-Fried is expected come face-to-face with his former lieutenants at FTX for the first time since its collapse. She has previously said in a statement through her lawyers that she knew funneling FTX customers' money into Alameda was wrong.

Persons: Sam Bankman, Fried, Bernie Madoff, ”, Michael Zweiback, Zweiback, Zalduendo, FTX, SBF ”, J.P, Morgan, Tiger Woods, Justin Timberlake, Bankman, John Ray III, Caroline Ellison, Gary Wang, Ryan Salame, Salame, Ellison, funneling, Christine Adams, Adams, Andrew Ross Sorkin, Judge Lewis A, Kaplan, Changpeng Zhao, Larry Neumeister Organizations: Southern, of, Republicans, “ Prosecutors, Zalduendo LLP, Stanford University, Alameda Research, Alameda, Enron, FTX, Bankman, Prosecutors, The New York Times, NFTs, Securities and Exchange Commission, Binance, SEC Locations: Morgan, of New York, Washington, cryptocurrencies, Silicon Valley, FTX, The Bahamas, Albany, Alameda, Bahamas, New York, Palo Alto , California

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried was playing a video game while being interviewed on live TV for the first time, author of FTX book says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-02 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Sam Bankman-Fried reportedly played a video game the first time he was interviewed on live TV. Author Michael Lewis said a clip showed SBF's eyes moving as he tried to win the game while on air. AdvertisementAdvertisementFTX cofounder Sam Bankman-Fried reportedly played a video game during his first appearance on live TV. It's because he's trying to win his video game at the same time he's on the air." AdvertisementAdvertisementThe incident is not the first time the former FTX CEO has been caught playing video games in professional settings.

Persons: Sam Bankman, Fried, Michael Lewis, —, Lewis, he's, Caroline Ellison, Gary Wang, Nishad Singh Organizations: Service, CBS, League, Sequoia, Bankman, Alameda Research, Justice Department Locations: Sequoia Capital, FTX

Tottenham Hotspur striker Son Heung-min secured the exemption after his Korean team won gold at the last Games in Jakarta in 2018. K-pop star Suga, songwriter and rapper for the boy band supergroup BTS, began the enlistment process for mandatory military service last month, making him the third BTS member to go off to perform the military duty. The military service law was amended several years ago to allow selected K-pop megastars to defer their service to aged 30, but not to avoid it entirely, with a large section of the population against giving stars like BTS special treatment. "We have players (in the current squad) who have been exempt from military service by winning gold medals in past editions of the games, but... we also several players who have not yet avoided military service. "But of course, because a gold medal gives one an exemption, and we have many who haven't done their service yet... we should perform at our best and get the gold."

Persons: Lee, Kelley L Cox, Son Heung, Kwon, Suga, Faker, Lee Sang, Baek, chul, Kim Woomin, I’m, ” Kim, Choo Il Seung, I'm, Heo Hoon, Martin Quin Pollard, Eduardo Baptista, Ian Ransom, Toby Davis Organizations: DRX, League of, Chase Center, USA, Rights, South, Hangzhou Asian Games, North, Asian Games, Tottenham Hotspur, Korean, BTS, League, China, Qatar, Thomson Locations: San Francisco , California, USA, Rights HANGZHOU, China, North Korea, South, Jakarta, Korea, Hangzhou, Qatar, Beijing

☆ Asian Games: South Korea's Esports stars target medal success -- and a military exemption
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( Yoonjung Seo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

For South Korean male participants, winning a gold medal in the Asian Games or Olympic Games not only brings honor but also grants them a military exemption. However, the mandatory duty can be waived for some athletes, in particular those who win an Olympic medal or a gold medal in the Asian Games. Seven games will be featured as official medal events at the 19th Asian Games, building on the success of the pilot event at the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Games. The venue for the Asian Games esports competitions is state-of-the-art and an impressive sight to see. With its inclusion as an official Asian Games medal event, the possibility of esports becoming a part of the Olympic Games is a topic of growing debate.

Persons: Suga, Oh, Wang Zhao, Son Heung, ” Shin, ”, esports, ” Kim Sa, “, ” Lee Kyung, Kwak, hyouk, it’d, ” Kwak, Thailand’s Teedech, Lee Sang, –, Michael Chow, Yoonjung Seo, Michael Jordan, ” Chow, Faker, JUNG YEON, Philip Fong, Rowan Crothers, “ I’m, I’ll, ” Crothers, Jess Bolden, Chow, Niko, Young Organizations: CNN, Gaming, Hangzhou Asian Games, Asian Games, Games, BTS, Asian, Getty, Premier League soccer, Tottenham Hotspur, Marine Corps, Republic of Korea Marine Corps, “ Times, CNN Sport, FIFA, Hangzhou, South Korea, Believer Company, Riot, South, Team Korea, League, “ League, SK Telecom, Riot Games, Microsoft Studios, Xbox, Studios, International Federation of, Phonographic Industry, EA Sports FC Online, PUBG, of Valor, of, Olympic, International Olympic Committee, Maekyung Media, Paralympic, IOC, Kodikara, International Federations, Niko Partners Locations: South Korea, Hangzhou, AFP, Seogwipo, Jeju, Republic of, Seoul, esports, Jakarta, South, . South Korea, Palembang, Asia

Earlier the Bangladesh women's cricket team beat Pakistan in the bronze match to claim the country's first Asian Games medal since 2014 at Incheon, South Korea. Cricket, which has hopes of becoming an Olympic sport, returned to the Asian Games this year after being omitted from the last edition in Indonesia in 2018. The South Korean did not disappoint his legions of fans on Monday, helping his Korean team beat Kazakhstan 1-0 in one of the preliminary matches in the 'League of Legends' category. GROUP PHOTOElsewhere on day two of competition, three North Korean marksmen refused to join their South Korean rivals in a group photo of medal winners after narrowly missing out on gold in a men's team shooting competition. "It was really fun," she said after her seventh-placed finish in the women's park, an event won by Japan's Hinano Kusaki.

Persons: India's Divyansh Singh, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Rudrankksh Patil, Dylan Martinez, Lee Sang, Anna Prakaten, Panipak Wongpattanakit, Guo Qing, Hong Kong's Siobhan Bernadette Haughey, it’s, I’m, Japan's Hinano, Martin Quin Pollard, Ian Ransom, Peter Rutherford, Ken Ferris Organizations: Sports Centre, India, Hangzhou Asian Games, Games, Sri, Asian Games, Bangladesh women's, Pakistan, Cricket, Olympic, Korean, Kazakhstan, League, North, South, Tokyo, Russian Olympic Committee, Thomson Locations: Hangzhou, China, HANGZHOU, Sri Lanka, Guangzhou, Bangladesh, Incheon, South Korea, Indonesia, Uzbekistan, Philippines

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — The online sports betting company PointsBet committed three different types of violations of New Jersey sports betting laws, including taking bets on soccer games that had already ended, according to gambling regulators who fined the company $25,000. One aspect of the fine involved the company accepting bets in August 2021 on the outcome of five European soccer matches after the games had already ended. Political Cartoons View All 1171 ImagesAfter discovering the error, the bets were voided and the money from the customer's initial bets was returned, according to the gaming enforcement division. PointsBet blamed human error for the mistake, according to the gaming enforcement division. On Oct. 29, 2021, the company offered bets on a “League Of Legends” esports competition in which a player on one of the teams was 17 years old, under the legal minimum age of 18.

Persons: PointsBet, “ PointsBet, Peter's, Wayne Parry Organizations: CITY, New, New Jersey Attorney General's, Associated Press, of Gaming Enforcement, NCAA, St, Twitter Locations: N.J, New Jersey, PointsBet, Denver, www.twitter.com

☆ Coke's latest mystery flavor is AI-generated
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The latest one, Coca-Cola Y3000, fits the bill. Coca-Cola has used its Creations platform, responsible for limited-edition flavors like Y3000, to try to make the brand resonate with younger consumers. Like all Creations drinks, Coca-Cola Y3000 is designed to taste mostly like Coke, with a bit of something else. For the product’s packaging — which appears to allude to a Y2K aesthetic with funky bubbles, pink and blue coloring and a pixelated logo — Coca-Cola used AI-generated images to create a mood board for inspiration. “They’re more engaging and more interesting, demonstrably, than a flavor, a Coke with vanilla or something,” he said.

Persons: it’s “, ”, Rosalía, “ We’re, Oana Vlad, James Quincey, “ Organizations: New, New York CNN, Riot Games, of Legends, CNN Locations: New York, United States, Canada, Dreamworld

☆ At the U.S. Open, Coco Gauff and Company Stake Their Claim
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( Kurt Streeter | More About Kurt Streeter | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Led by Coco Gauff and a cast of charismatic upstarts, tennis hit a sweet spot at this year’s U.S. Open with a diverse blend of old and right now, signaling the game is freshly and firmly energized as it enters a new era. At this tournament, the commanding arrival of Gauff, who won the women’s singles title Saturday evening, along with memorable performances by Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe, proved that thinking wrong. At the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, a quartet of legends no longer stifled the game, overshadowing the sometimes stalled forward motion of the young players coming behind. You could feel it on the grounds, which filled with so many spectators that it often appeared there was no space to move without bruising a shoulder. This year’s event set attendance records nearly every day.

Persons: Coco Gauff, Serena Williams, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev, Gauff, Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe, Billie Jean King Organizations: Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Locations: U.S

☆ When Coco Gauff and Zendaya Need Tennis Tips, They Ask Brad Gilbert
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-02 | by ( Matthew Futterman | More About Matthew Futterman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Brad Gilbert — tennis junkie, junkballer, commentator, coach of legends — had roughly seven minutes to trade his coaching hat for a microphone, to shift from helping Coco Gauff manage her third-round match Friday night to interviewing Novak Djokovic in the tunnel before his. That match, by the way, ended just after 1:30 a.m. on Saturday, and Gilbert had spent Friday afternoon calling matches before heading to Gauff’s courtside box. It was well after 2 a.m. when he got back to the New York LaGuardia Airport Marriott. Then he spent an hour analyzing the video of the match that Gauff’s next opponent, Caroline Wozniacki, had won that afternoon. Andre Agassi had him at his side when he won the U.S. Open in 1994, as did Andy Roddick, in 2003.

Persons: Brad Gilbert —, —, Coco Gauff, Novak Djokovic, Gilbert, Gauff’s, Caroline Wozniacki, “, ” Gilbert, Billie Jean King, Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick Organizations: New York LaGuardia, Marriott, a.k.a, Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, U.S

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