Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 2:02 PM on Thursday, May 9th, 2019
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——————-
Crypto Market Wrap: Bitcoin Dominating as Markets Retest 2019 Highs
Martin Young
Crypto markets have been bolstered back up to their highest levels of the year again today. There was no selloff
in the wake of the Binance hack and Bitcoin has finally broke
resistance and made it over the psychological barrier of $6,000. Total
market capitalization has been increased by $5 billion to just below
$190 billion, its highest level since November 2018.
Bitcoin surged to a new 2019 high of $6,075 a few hours ago during
early Asian trading. Getting above $6k is a huge achievement for BCT,
especially considering recent news and FUD. Most analysts agree that
there is huge resistance here and overcoming it will not be easy.
Bitcoin traded in this range for over three months last year.
Ethereum has been flat
and only managed a percent or so to creep back over $170. There has
been little momentum for ETH since the CTFC nod which has largely been
forgotten now.
The top ten is predominantly green at the moment but gains are
marginal and Bitcoin is leading the pack. Bitcoin Cash has made almost 3
percent to top $290 while Litecoin and EOS have added 1.5 percent each,
the rest have not moved much.
Top twenty gains are the greatest for Bitcoin SV which has surged
almost 10 percent to $58. There does not appear to be a great deal
driving momentum aside from the movements of its big brother. Monero,
Tezos and Maker have all added 2-3 percent but Cosmos and IOTA have
dumped 3-4 percent.
FOMO: Arcblock Enters Top 100
The big move of the moment is Arcblock which has surged into the top
one hundred with a 20 percent pump on the day. The ABT blockchain
ecosystem token has had a few project and wallet updates to boost
momentum. DigixDAO is also on a roll today with 11 percent added taking
DGD to $36. Horizen is also doing well alongside BSV with 9 percent
gains.
Aurora is back dumping once again in its predictable pattern as AOA
drops 14 percent. Following two days of pumps ABBC Coin is now dumping
with 11 percent lost today. These are the only two double digit losers
at the moment.
Total market capitalization 24 hours. Coinmarketcap.com
Total crypto market capitalization has surged by $5 billion on the
day to $189 billion, equaling its 2019 high. Bitcoin has been
responsible for most of this as it finally gets to $6,000 with dominance
reaching an eight month high of 57 percent. Volume has dropped back to
$46 billion so further consolidation at this level may be on the cards.
Market Wrap is a section that takes a daily look at the top
cryptocurrencies during the current trading session and analyses the
best-performing ones, looking for trends and possible fundamentals.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 2:00 PM on Thursday, May 9th, 2019
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—————
‘Game changer’: Health Canada changes cannabis licensing process
Health Canada is changing the way it issues cannabis industry
licences in a move that will likely alleviate a bottleneck that
observers attribute to a long-running shortage of legal pot in the
country.
Effective immediately, the regulator says new applicants seeking to
produce, sell or process cannabis must already have a fully built
facility. Previously, applicants were only required to make a paper
submission.
“This is a game changer,†said Matt Maurer, a cannabis lawyer with Torkin Manes LLP, in a phone interview with BNN Bloomberg.
“We go from a situation where if you wanted to submit an application,
you submit your paperwork and you sit and wait to hear back from Health
Canada,†he said. “Now you’re asked to build a $30-million to
$40-million facility before you even submit your application.â€
Health Canada said it is making these changes after reviewing its
existing process where more than 70 per cent of applicants whose
paperwork was approved over the last three years failed to provide
evidence of a having a cannabis facility that meets regulatory
requirements.
“As a result, a significant amount of resources are being used to
review applications from entities that are not ready to begin
operations, contributing to wait times for more mature applications and
an inefficient allocation of resources,†Health Canada said in a release
Wednesday.
Industry applicants have previously complained to Health Canada about
the time it takes to become licensed as well as the number of current
applications waiting for approval.
For example, Aphria Inc. interim chief executive officer Irwin Simon
said in January during a call with analysts that his company was still
waiting for Health Canada to approve licensing for an expansion to one
of its facilities in Leamington, Ont. despite submitting an application
with the regulator in early 2018. The company received licensing for the
facility in March.
“This is not a slam against Health Canada. It’s just we as an entire
industry were not fully prepared for the [consumer] onslaught,†Simon
said. “We have great pent-up demand; we are impatiently waiting, but we
are waiting.â€
Sherry Boodram, chief executive officer of cannabis consulting
company CannDelta Inc. and a former Health Canada staffer, said the new
licensing requirements will likely “hit the industry hard†and make it
more difficult to get investors to commit to a cannabis-related project.
“Your business plan has to be sound and make sense,†she said in a
phone interview with BNN Bloomberg. “It might deter some people who were
thinking of getting into the industry, like the micro-cultivation type,
because they need a lot of money up front.â€
Health Canada said that since May 2017 it has licensed more than 129
new sites and counts more than 600,000 square metres of production space
for legal cannabis – the equivalent of growing 1 million kilograms of
legal pot in Canada annually, roughly the same amount consumed in the
country.
Cannabis Canada is BNN Bloomberg’s in-depth
series exploring the stunning formation of the entirely new – and
controversial – Canadian recreational marijuana industry. Read more from
the special series here and subscribe to our Cannabis Canada newsletter to have the latest marijuana news delivered directly to your inbox every day.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 12:18 PM on Thursday, May 9th, 2019
SPONSOR: Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc.
(TSX-V: EGLX) Uniting gaming communities with 80 owned and affiliated
websites, currently reaching over 75 million monthly visitors. The
company exceeded 2018 target with $11.0 million in revenue. Learn More
EGLX: TSX-V ———————————-
Esports; an Analysis on Competition Between the Digital World and the Physical
Some of the largest sports media groups in the world have bought into the growing phenomenon of esports including ESPN, Bleacher Report, and even Major League Soccer.
In this July 28, 2018, file photo, fans watch the competition between Philadelphia Fusion and London Spitfire during the Overwatch League Grand Finals competition at Barclays Center in the Brooklyn borough of New York. With eight new franchises and plans to take its regular season on the road for the first time, the Overwatch League is opening its second year a few steps closer to its goal of becoming a truly global, city-based esports league. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)
You’ve heard all the stories. We’ve seen all the legends. You’ve
watched all the highlights. The formula remains the same throughout
time. Two opponents enter an arena to do battle where only one may walk
out the victor. We see this formula on display in the form of our
favorite sports, from football to tennis. However, there is an emerging
medium for competition in recent years: Esports.
What is an “Esport�
At its core, an esport is simply a form of competition using video
games. As nerdy as that sounds, the esports industry has exploded into a
multi-million dollar business, complete with coaches, players, and
sponsorships on the line. For as long as esports has been around, people
have questioned the legitimacy of the medium and whether the various
games constitute as a “sportâ€.
By definition, a sport is “all forms of
competitive physical activity or games which, through casual or
organized participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical
ability and skills while providing enjoyment to participants.â€,
according to the SportAccord International Convention.
The video below is from a 2004 Street Fighter match between
players “Justin†and “Daigo†in front of a watching crowd. The score is 1
– 1 and this is the very last round:
What just happened in this clip is the reason for all forms of
competition. It’s the equivalent of a Dwayne Wade buzzer beater from
behind the arc for the win. It’s the equivalent to a magnificent “upper
90†shot from Christiano Ronaldo in the World Cup.
The definition seems to speak for itself. Esports are competitive
games with insane amounts of organization and impressive communities
that enjoy watching the abilities of the players. So much so, in fact,
that some players have landed sponsorships, have met with celebrities
and others have gone into league-style drafts.
Professional Esports
In most esports, professional, organized play is focused on matches
between teams in a league-style of play. Blizzard Entertainment
announced the Overwatch League for their game Overwatch. Ubisoft Entertainment created the Rainbow Six Pro League for Rainbow Six: Siege,
a game entering its eighth season of regular play. To keep things
simple for the average sports fan, however, it will be easiest to talk
about a sport they might already know: basketball.
Some of the largest sports media groups in the world have bought into the growing phenomenon of esports including ESPN, Bleacher Report, and even Major League Soccer.
NBA 2K League
The NBA 2K game series is a collection of basketball simulation video
games created to emulate the National Basketball Association. The 2K
professional league was announced on February 9, 2017. At the start, 17
of the 30 NBA teams have their own NBA 2K League team to represent them
in the opening 2018 season.
The University of Florida’s very own Chris “Konrtul†Cantrell,
21, was picked No. 8 in the first round of the 2018 NBA 2K League draft
by LA Lakers Gaming. Cantrell’s journey to the professional level of
gaming started similarly to any 90s kid’s childhood. Playing Game Boy
games late at night and then graduating to bigger and more mature
platforms, like the Nintendo 64, Xbox, and even PCs.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 9:00 AM on Thursday, May 9th, 2019
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property. Click her for more information
Tesla’s warning on battery mineral shortage addressed in new mining-reform legislation
Representatives in the US government who are both aware and focused on the shortage issue have introduced legislation in the Senate to address delays rooted in the federal approval process.
The bill, titled the “American Mineral Security Actâ€, was presented at the same closed-door conference where Tesla expressed its concerns last week.
Tesla is concerned about a global shortage of minerals required for
production of electric vehicle batteries, with the electric car maker
recently warning major industry players and US government
representatives of an upcoming mineral supply challenge due to
underinvestment in mining sources, according to a report published by Reuters.
Representatives in the US government who are both aware and focused on
the shortage issue have introduced legislation in the Senate to address
delays rooted in the federal approval process. The bill, titled the
“American Mineral Security Actâ€, was presented at the same closed-door
conference where Tesla expressed its concerns last week.
“Our bill takes steps that are long overdue to reverse our damaging
foreign dependence and position ourselves to compete in growth
industries like electric vehicles and energy storage,†Lisa Murkowski
(R-Alaska), the main sponsor of the bill,
said in a statement about the legislation. Senators Joe Manchin (D-W.
Virginia), Martha McSally (R-Arizona), and Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) are
co-sponsors.
The bill specifically requires that a list of critical minerals be compiled
at least every three years along with a resource assessment of those
minerals nationwide. This data is then used to target and implement
reforms in the federal regulatory process aimed at reducing
government-driven delays in the mining approval process.
Aerial images of the Tesla Gigafactory as of August 28, 2018. [Credit: Joshua Mcdonald]
As a major consumer of minerals required for the production of
electric vehicle (EV) batteries and other vehicle parts, Tesla will need
stable access to mined resources like copper, nickel, and lithium in
the long term. The expansion of the EV market will continue to increase
demand for these resources. Other tech players such as Amazon and
Alphabet also need the same resources for the production of their
digital assistants and home connectivity devices.
Tesla’s global supply manager for battery metals, Sarah Maryssael,
spoke with representatives present at the industry conference about
Tesla’s concerns regarding the company’s mineral needs. Maryssael noted
that a “huge potential†existed for mining partnerships in Australia and
the US to help with the supply issue, possibly citing a preliminary
deal between the two countries for a joint effort towards research and
development in the area.
The global demand for copper, in particular, is expected to increase
from the current 38,000 tons per day to 1.5 million tons by 2030, and
this estimate has driven major copper production companies to expand its
mining activities in the US and Indonesia. Electric cars use twice as
much copper as gas-powered cars, making the EV industry particularly
sensitive to its market availability.
Tesla’s needs from the mineral industry go well beyond copper. The
company’s Nevada-based Gigafactory 1 facility is expected to hit 255 GWh
annual production of batteries once complete. At that rate, the current
global supply of lithium will need to increase nearly three times over
to meet the demand. Unlike copper, though, investments in lithium
production are ongoing, and Tesla’s ramping need for the mineral is
driving significant expansion in part of the mineral market.
Tags: CSE, nickel, nickel demand, small cap stocks, stocks, tsx, tsx-v Posted in Tartisan Nickel | Comments Off on Tartisan #Nickel $TN.ca – Tesla’s $TSLA warning on #battery mineral shortage addressed in new mining-reform legislation $ROX.ca $FF.ca $EDG.ca $AGL.ca $ANZ.ca
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 8:10 AM on Thursday, May 9th, 2019
Adds over 7 million monthly visitors to its network
Enthusiast will provide its vast platform, monetization optimization strategy, and international direct sales teams to drive further revenue.
RankedBoost’s 7 million monthly visitors will join the Enthusiast network, which substantially increases the size of the user base.
TORONTO, May 09, 2019 — Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc. (TSXV: EGLX) (OTCQB: EGHIF), (“Enthusiast†or the “Companyâ€) is excited to announce that it has entered into a Representation Agreement (the “Agreementâ€) with Ranked Boost, LLC. (“RankedBoostâ€), a leading online media brand focused on creating strategy guides, tools, and resources for popular video games and esports titles such as Fortnite, Apex Legends, Overwatch, and League of Legends.
Founded in 2013, RankedBoost offers video game guides for popular
video games by expert and pro gamers. More than 7 million monthly
visitors browse RankedBoost to learn how to master their favorite video
games using the strategy guides and resources created by the site.
RankedBoost’s mission is to be at the forefront of online video game
resources for competitive esports and casual video game titles.
Rudolf Zavala, President of RankedBoost commented, “We
are very excited to partner and grow alongside Enthusiast Gaming. I
believe our partnership could help unlock the significant growth
potential RankedBoost has in this rapidly growing industry. The
partnership will allow us to grow our dedicated user base of gamers
looking to perfect their game strategy and perform better in competitive
games.â€
Under the Agreement, Enthusiast will exclusively represent all of
RankedBoost’s online traffic for two years, allowing the Company to
optimize advertising on the website. Enthusiast will provide its vast
platform, monetization optimization strategy, and international direct
sales teams to drive further revenue. RankedBoost’s 7 million monthly
visitors will join the Enthusiast network, which substantially increases
the size of the user base.
Yirmi Lazar, Director of Monetization at Enthusiast commented, “A
key focus for Enthusiast is finding the strongest partners that will
make the most impact for our network. We usually look for partners that
have a profitable business model, visionary management team, strong
growth trajectory with a loyal community, and most importantly, are
considered the leaders in their respective industry niches. RankedBoost
was a clear choice as the leading media brand providing gamers with the
resources to support their mastery of their favorite games. We’re
extremely happy to have them join our network.â€
Enthusiast has the fastest growing network of owned and represented
gaming websites, and through that network is able to provide
monetization opportunities to property owners. These opportunities would
not be available without the critical mass and size of the platform.
About RankedBoost
RankedBoost is a fan-first media company led by top tier video gaming
experts. From the very beginning, its primary goal has always been to
provide easy to use and extensive gaming guides that even die-hard fans
can enjoy. RankedBoost is a trusted source to millions of gamers looking
for expert gaming insight and guides. For more information visit: www.rankedboost.com.
Founded in 2014, Enthusiast Gaming is the largest vertically
integrated video game company and has the fastest-growing online
community of video gamers. Through the Company’s unique acquisition
strategy, it has a platform of over 80 owned and affiliated websites and
currently reaches over 75 million monthly visitors with its unique and
curated content and over 50 million YouTube visitors. Enthusiast also
owns and operates Canada’s largest gaming expo, Enthusiast Gaming Live
Expo, EGLX, (eglx.ca) with approximately 55,000 people attending in 2018. For more information on the Company, visit www.enthusiastgaming.com.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Investor Relations:
Julia Becker Head of Investor Relations & Marketing [email protected] (604) 785.0850
This news release contains certain statements that may constitute
forward-looking information under applicable securities laws. All
statements, other than those of historical fact, which address
activities, events, outcomes, results, developments, performance or
achievements that Enthusiast anticipates or expects may or will occur in
the future (in whole or in part) should be considered forward-looking
information. Such information may involve, but is not limited to,
comments with respect to strategies, expectations, planned operations
and future actions of the Company. Often, but not always,
forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such
as “plans”, “expects”, “is expected”, “budget”, “scheduled”,
“estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “anticipates”, or “believes” or
variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or
statements formed in the future tense or indicating that certain
actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will”
(or other variations of the forgoing) be taken, occur, be achieved, or
come to pass. Forward-looking information is based on currently
available competitive, financial and economic data and operating plans,
strategies or beliefs as of the date of this news release, but involve
known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors
that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of
Enthusiast to be materially different from any future results,
performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking
information. Such factors may be based on information currently
available to Enthusiast, including information obtained from third-party
industry analysts and other third-party sources, and are based on
management’s current expectations or beliefs regarding future growth,
results of operations, future capital (including the amount, nature and
sources of funding thereof) and expenditures. Any and all
forward-looking information contained in this press release is expressly
qualified by this cautionary statement. Trading in the securities of
the Company should be considered highly speculative.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services
Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture
Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this
release.
The securities of the Corporation have not been and will not be
registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended
and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration
or an applicable exemption from the registration requirement. This press
release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an
offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any
jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be
unlawful.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 2:37 PM on Wednesday, May 8th, 2019
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—————————
Video will account for almost half of US programmatic ad spend in 2019
US marketers will spend $29.24bn (£22.47bn) on programmatic video this year
Accounts for 49.2 per cent of all US programmatic digital display ad spend, according to the latest forecast from eMarketer
US marketers will spend $29.24bn (£22.47bn) on programmatic video this year, which accounts for 49.2 per cent of all US programmatic digital display ad spend, according to the latest forecast from eMarketer. For the next few years, the analyst expects the share of programmatic spend that goes to video to remain steady, rising to 49.7 per cent in 2020 and to 49.9 per cent in 2021.
“The near 50-50 split of spending is an indicator of how eager buyers and sellers have become to capitalize on video advertising in any and all forms,†said eMarketer principal analyst Lauren Fisher. “It also speaks to how quickly both sides have embraced programmatic as the primary method for buying and selling these ads.”
Last September, eMarketer forecast that programmatic video would represent 48.7 per cent of all US programmatic ad spending by 2020. The forecast has been revised upward due to growth in programmatic spending on connected TV, over-the-top (OTT) video and social video advertising.
eMarketer includes the majority of social video in its definition of programmatic video because platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat allow advertisers to transact via programmatic direct ad manager tools. The analyst expected the combined programmatic video ad revenues of social networks today to account for roughly a third of total programmatic video ad spending. Much of this spend is being directed through mobile devices.
Within programmatic video, dollars allocated to mobile devices edge out dollars given to desktop, laptop or connected TV only slightly this year. Mobile’s share of programmatic video will peak in 2020, at 53.9 per cent. By 2021, that share will dip, eMarketer believes, as ad buyers ramp up investments in areas such as connected TV.
Digitally native video companies like YouTube, Roku and Hulu are
growing their ad businesses at a time when TV networks are opening more
inventory to digital buyers, and as demand-side platforms (DSPs) are
investing heavily in making TV ad buying more automated, targeted and
measurable. These trends contribute to a growth in programmatic video
spend.
eMarketer forecasts that 81.2 per cent of total digital
video spend will be transacted programmatically in 2019. That’s slightly
less than the 84.9 per cent of total digital display spend that will be
transacted programmatically this year.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 2:02 PM on Wednesday, May 8th, 2019
SPONSOR: Esports Entertainment
$GMBL Esports audience is 350M, growing to 590M, Esports wagering is
projected at $23 BILLION by 2020. The company has launched VIE.gg
esports betting platform and has accelerated affiliate marketing
agreements with 190 Esports teams. Click here for more information
GMBL: OTCQB
———————–
Esports, are you ready for your own Netflix?
Image via Higher Level Gaming
Higher Level Gaming launched this week with a focus on four main titles; League of Legends, Fortnite, Apex Legends and, Overwatch. Creators include the likes of FaZeApex, Tarzaned, Maniac, and Chronodota.
Focused on bringing in content creators with a focus on educational content
A new content platform has launched in partnership with some of the most popular streamers in the world to produce exclusive content for what is being called the ‘Netflix of esports.’ The platform is called ‘Higher Level Gaming’ (HLG) and plans to provide content creators with professional support that enables them to produce world-class content for esports fans.
Similar to other rival content platforms, content creators will enter
a partnership with the HLG platform; however, it will be much easier to
achieve this status than previously. Any person or company who is
interested in being an affiliate can promote the site. HLG will
compensate all affiliates by giving them a percentage of every user that
signs up.
HLG is focused on bringing in content creators with a focus on
educational content. The mix of content includes VOD’s, coaching
sessions, and general guides that are designed to help players improve
their skills. As the company grows, it also intends to start producing
original esports content to rival the worlds best streaming platform.
Higher Level Gaming launched this week with a focus on four main
titles; League of Legends, Fortnite, Apex Legends and, Overwatch.
Creators include the likes of FaZeApex, Tarzaned, Maniac, and Chronodota.
HLG
has plans to continue adding creators and expand into new titles as
soon as possible. Users can sign up for a free trial on the official Higher Level Gaming website, once the free trial is over users will be able to activate a subscription that enables access to all content.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, May 8th, 2019
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Ventures Inc (CSE: BOG) Converting irrigated farmland to
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licensed marijuana growers. Click here for more info.
BOG:CSE —————————————
8 incredible facts about the booming US marijuana industry
The US marijuana industry is worth billions of dollars, and is showing no signs of slowing down.
Ten US states have legalized recreational marijuana use, and 33 have legalized medicinal use.
The marijuana industry is booming in the United States.
Marijuana initiatives have swept through state legislatures in recent
years. Recreational marijuana use is legal in 10 US states, while
medicinal marijuana is legal in 33. Illinois became the most recent
state to weigh the topic when Gov. JB Pritzker introduced a bill to legalize the drug on Saturday.
Now, the industry is showing no signs of slowing down.
Read on for eight interesting facts about the US marijuana industry:
The marijuana industry could soon be worth more than the GDP of 9 US states
Associated Press
Marijuana Business Factbook
estimates the legal-marijuana industry’s economic impact in the US was
between $20 billion and $23 billion in 2017. It estimates the economic
impact could reach as high as $77 billion by 2022.
Those numbers are comparable to the GDPs of Idaho and West Virginia, which were both a tick over $77 billion in 2018, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. And it’s worth more than the GDP of nine states, including Delaware, Alaska, and both North and South Dakota.
Cannabis employs five times as many Americans as coal
Associated Press
New Frontier Data, a cannabis market-research and data-analysis firm,
estimates that the US cannabis industry employs at least 250,000
people. And those are just the jobs that are directly involved with
handling marijuana plants – others in the industry are harder to
quantify, a New Frontier economist told the Associated Press.
Compare that to the size of one of the staple blue-collar industries, coal mining, which employed 52,300 in 2018.
Another study
estimated the marijuana industry would grow to at least 330,000 jobs by
2022, a higher number than the 268,000 employees at US steel and iron
mills.
The median marijuana salary is 10% higher than the US median salary
AP Photo/Steven Senne
The median salary in the marijuana industry salary was $58,511 in
2018, while the median salary for US workers as a whole was $52,863, according to Glassdoor data. That’s a difference of 10.7%.
Investors poured $10 billion into the North American marijuana industry in 2018
Investors poured more than $10 billion into the North American marijuana industry in 2018, according to the Associated Press. That’s twice the total amount invested in the previous three years.
And experts project that number will shoot up to $16 billion this year.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 8:37 AM on Wednesday, May 8th, 2019
Announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, hempSMART, Ltd., is taking steps to list on the Vienna Stock Exchange (H Smart SARL),
Intends to raise sufficient capital to expedite the rollout of its hempSMART™ product line in Europe.
Escondido, California–(May 8, 2019) – MARIJUANA COMPANY OF AMERICA INC. (OTCQB: MCOA) (“MCOA” or the “Company“), an innovative hemp and cannabis corporation, is pleased to announce that its wholly owned subsidiary, hempSMART, Ltd., is taking steps to list on the Vienna Stock Exchange (H Smart SARL), with the intention of raising sufficient capital to expedite the rollout of its hempSMART™ product line in Europe.
Marijuana Company of America plans to sell a minority interest of
hempSMART, Ltd., currently engaged in developing and marketing the
hempSMART brand in Europe, for up to $10 million. The Company expects
that all of the necessary steps to trade on the Vienna exchange will be
completed by the beginning of the third quarter of 2019.
Once listed, hempSMART, Ltd. will be one of the first U.S.-based
hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) companies to do an initial listing on a
European exchange, as most cannabis and hemp public companies opt to
list in Europe as a secondary listing. This is a result of the Company’s
commitment to prioritizing its marketing efforts in the burgeoning
European cannabis, hemp and CBD markets, with future plans to expand
further.
“We are very excited to do an IPO of hempSMART, Ltd. on such a
reputable European exchange,” said Don Steinberg, CEO of Marijuana
Company of America. “This is a huge leap forward to obtain the necessary
capital to bolster our European launch and become a top hemp brand in
Europe. Europe’s cannabis and hemp markets are undergoing a critical
phase in their growth and this is the optimum time to establish our
brand as a leader. To date, we have exceeded expectations at our London
event in March. In order to capitalize on this positive market momentum,
we have planned two additional events in England, with two more
following in Liverpool and Birmingham.”
hempSMART, Ltd. is expected to enter Portugal later this month, with
future plans to extend further in France, Germany and Austria.
hempSMART, Ltd. markets and sells the Company’s hemp and hemp-based
personal wellness products, including the U.S.-patented hempSMART
Brain™, an effective wellness product formulated with proprietary
composition of natural ingredients and CBD to enhance brain function.
Jesus Quintero, CFO of MCOA, stated, “This offering on the Vienna
exchange will help to strengthen the worldwide valuation for our
hempSMART brand. We are highly optimistic about the prospects of this
offering and the financial success of hempSMART.”
Ian Harvey, COO of hempSMART, Ltd., commented, “The U.S. patent
issuance is indicative of the advances the Company achieved, and is a
testament to the Company’s continued commitment to produce unique
products of the highest quality, which distinguishes hempSMART as a
leader of hemp-based CBD products.”
About Marijuana Company of America, Inc. MCOA is a
corporation that participates in: (1) product research and development
of legal hemp-based consumer products under the brand name “hempSMART™,”
which targets general health and well-being; (2) an affiliate marketing
program to promote and sell its legal hemp-based consumer products
containing CBD; (3) leasing of real property to separate business
entities engaged in the growth and sale of cannabis in those states and
jurisdictions where cannabis has been legalized and properly regulated
for medicinal and recreational use; and (4) the expansion of its
business into ancillary areas of the legalized cannabis and hemp
industry, as the legalized markets and opportunities in this segment
mature and develop.
About Our hempSMART Products Containing CBD The
United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not recognized CBD
as a safe and effective drug for any indication. Our products containing
CBD derived from industrial hemp are not marketed or sold based upon
claims that their use is safe and effective treatment for any medical
condition as drugs or dietary supplements subject to the FDA’s
jurisdiction.
Forward-Looking Statements This news
release contains “forward-looking statements” that are not purely
historical and may include any statements regarding beliefs, plans,
expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such forward-looking
statements include, among other things, the development, costs and
results of new business opportunities and words such as “anticipate,”
“seek,” intend,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,” “plan” or
similar phrases may be deemed “forward-looking statements” within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual
results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking
statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among others,
the inherent uncertainties associated with new projects, the future U.S.
and global economies, the impact of competition, and the Company’s
reliance on existing regulations regarding the use and development of
cannabis-based products. These forward-looking statements are made as of
the date of this news release, and we assume no obligation to update
the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual
results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking
statements. Although we believe that any beliefs, plans, expectations
and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can
be no assurance that any such beliefs, plans, expectations or
intentions will prove to be accurate. Investors should consult all of
the information set forth herein and should also refer to the risk
factors disclosure outlined in our annual report on Form 10-12G, our
quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and other periodic reports filed from
time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. For more
information, please visit www.sec.gov.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 8:14 AM on Wednesday, May 8th, 2019
Sims Resource has grown its subscriber base to 61,000 monthly registered users.
The increase of 11,000 users represents a 20% increase in subscriber base from the initial definitive agreement (see press release announced January 5, 2019). Â
TSR’s subscribers pay on average C$5 per month to access its VIP features growing the recurring revenue stream from paid subscriptions to over C$3.5 million on an annual run rate.
TORONTO, May 08, 2019 — Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc. (TSXV: EGLX) (OTCQB: EGHIF), (“Enthusiast†or the “Companyâ€) is excited to announce that its digital property,  The Sims Resource (“TSRâ€) has grown its subscriber base to 61,000 monthly registered users. The increase of 11,000 users represents a 20% increase in subscriber base from the initial definitive agreement (see press release announced January 5, 2019).  TSR’s subscribers pay on average C$5 per month to access its VIP features growing the recurring revenue stream from paid subscriptions to over C$3.5 million on an annual run rate.
When Enthusiast announced the acquisition of TSR, the largest female
gaming website in the world, the site had 50,000 monthly subscribers
representing 40% of the annual revenue. The increase further validates
the engagement of the TSR community and the demographic’s willingness to
pay for exclusive content and features.
Women drive 70% to 80% of all consumer purchasing(1), through a
combination of their buying power and influence. TSR’s significant
network of female gamers, which is ranked #7 on Quantcast’s Top 25
websites with the highest concentration of female audience in the United
States (behind Oprah.com and Bravotv.com), positions the network as a
leading destination for advertisers looking to target the female
demographic.
Menashe Kestenbaum, CEO of Enthusiast commented, “All
of the digital properties we have acquired have grown since inception,
which supports our growth strategy though accretive acquisitions.One
of the leading factors for our decision to acquire TSR was their
successful subscription model. The continued growth of their registered
user base, further validates the engagement of their audience and also,
the significant opportunity to growth recurring monthly revenue. We see
great potential for this model and are currently looking at
opportunities to adopt it across our entire network.â€
The TSR subscription model was one of three key revenue drivers for
Enthusiast. The current subscription model allows registered users to
have access to premium features and a simplified download experience.
The subscription model has the potential to add considerable revenue
across Enthusiast’s entire portfolio as it introduces it across its
network of owned sites. In addition to the subscription model,
Enthusiast sees an opportunity to drive revenue through direct sales. To
date, TSR’s advertising revenue has been largely based on organic,
programmatic advertising, and the addition of a direct sales strategy
would allow the optimization of advertising revenue to contribute to the
existing programmatic revenue.
TSR is the largest female video gaming content site in the world
generating in excess of 2.5 billion page views per year and Comscore’s
Gaming Information category currently ranks TSR in the top 5 independent
video game websites. With the rapidly growing female video game
segment, TSR provides Enthusiast immediate reach into this valuable
audience.
Founded in 2014, Enthusiast Gaming is the largest vertically
integrated video game company and has the fastest-growing online
community of video gamers. Through the Company’s unique acquisition
strategy, it has a platform of over 80 owned and affiliated websites and
currently reaches over 75 million monthly visitors with its unique and
curated content and over 50 million YouTube visitors. Enthusiast also
owns and operates Canada’s largest gaming expo, Enthusiast Gaming Live
Expo, EGLX, (eglx.ca) with approximately 55,000 people attending in 2018. For more information on the Company, visit www.enthusiastgaming.com.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Investor Relations: Julia Becker Head of Investor Relations & Marketing [email protected] (604) 785.0850
This news release contains certain statements that may constitute
forward-looking information under applicable securities laws. All
statements, other than those of historical fact, which address
activities, events, outcomes, results, developments, performance or
achievements that Enthusiast anticipates or expects may or will occur in
the future (in whole or in part) should be considered forward-looking
information. Such information may involve, but is not limited to,
comments with respect to strategies, expectations, planned operations
and future actions of the Company. Often, but not always,
forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such
as “plans”, “expects”, “is expected”, “budget”, “scheduled”,
“estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “anticipates”, or “believes” or
variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or
statements formed in the future tense or indicating that certain
actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will”
(or other variations of the forgoing) be taken, occur, be achieved, or
come to pass. Forward-looking information is based on currently
available competitive, financial and economic data and operating plans,
strategies or beliefs as of the date of this news release, but involve
known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors
that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of
Enthusiast to be materially different from any future results,
performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking
information. Such factors may be based on information currently
available to Enthusiast, including information obtained from third-party
industry analysts and other third-party sources, and are based on
management’s current expectations or beliefs regarding future growth,
results of operations, future capital (including the amount, nature and
sources of funding thereof) and expenditures. Any and all
forward-looking information contained in this press release is expressly
qualified by this cautionary statement. Trading in the securities of
the Company should be considered highly speculative.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services
Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture
Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this
release.
The securities of the Corporation have not been and will not be
registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended
and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration
or an applicable exemption from the registration requirement. This press
release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an
offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any
jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be
unlawful.
