Operators laud Ontario market on long-awaited debut
PointsBet and theScore among first to take bets from Canadian players
Ontario’s igaming and sports betting market has officially launched, just 271 days after the creation of the province’s first government-backed online gaming operator, iGaming Ontario.
The first sports bets were taken at 12:00am ET on April 4, with 25 operators currently registered with iGaming Ontario, the entity set up by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) to conduct and manage igaming and sports betting in the province.
All registered operators, once approved by AGCO, sign a contract with iGaming Ontario in which they agree to provide full access and data to the entity in exchange for the right to operate.
While there are 25 operators registered, not every operator has launched at the same time, with US market leader FanDuel, PointsBet and theScore among those launching on opening day.
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Other operators set to launch in Ontario include BetMGM, DraftKings, Bet365, Kindred Group and LeoVegas.
Ontario is Canada’s second largest province, with operators gaining access to a market of almost 15 million new players.
PointsBet Canada CEO Scott Vandewel welcomed the launch, lauding it as a “great day” for Ontario-based sports fans.
“Over the past few months, our team has been scaling and focused on building partnerships with the athletes, teams and organizations that matter to Canadians,” Vandewel said.
“We know our customers will appreciate our unmatched in-play betting, great odds, depth of offering and local Canadian support teams ready to assist when they need it. We will offer an unrivalled experience to sports bettors and gaming enthusiasts,” he added.
PointsBet’s Canadian division operates with a team of 50 employees and has concluded a number of Canada-focused marketing partnerships, as well as the potential to launch an Alberta-based tech hub.
Toronto-based theScore, owned by Penn National Gaming, has also heavily leveraged its media footprint as part of the launch of Score Bet in Ontario, including via a marketing campaign “Get Into Bet Mode” which aims to educate bettors on how to place bets and avoid gambling-related harm.
The campaign, which features comedienne Susie Essman, theScore TV-alumnus Gerry Dee and actor Rex Lee illustrates how fans can block out distractions and lock in on their bets.
“Today’s launch is significant as it expands Penn National’s online gaming business to a jurisdiction that is expected to be one of the largest regulated markets in North America,” said Penn National Gaming president and CEO Jay Snowden.
“From the outset, the Levy family and theScore team played a meaningful role in championing the legalization of single-event sports betting and the creation of Ontario’s framework.
“With its large user base, superior technology and mobile gaming expertise, theScore Bet is in a strong position and I’m highly encouraged about the opportunity ahead,” Snowden added.
The firm held a ”Home Opener” launch party in Toronto over the weekend, aiming to capitalize on publicity surrounding the launch.
Last week, fellow Ontario licensee Rush Street Interactive (RSI) named former AGCO chief legal officer Bruce Caughill as the first managing director of RSI Canada. Caughill’s chief responsibility will be to oversee the expansion of the BetRivers sportsbook in the province.
Speaking about the launch Caughill said, “RSI has a reputation for excellence, and I look forward to building on this stellar reputation and working with iGaming Ontario and the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario in this burgeoning online gaming market.
“I am especially excited to support a talented team of fellow Ontarians as we aim to operate the best platform and service available in the province,” he added.
RSI has said it expects to employ over 100 Canadians by year end across its engineering, IT, marketing, and operations departments to support it’s operations globally.
In addition, Canadian sports broadcasting Dan O’Toole has also recently joined RSI as part of an exclusive brand and content deal.
O’Toole hosts Boomsies!, a weekly podcast about sports and life, in partnership with BetRivers and was featured in a series of television ads that aired in Canada during the Winter Olympics.