Flutter and PointsBet link up with Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment
Newly licensed Ontario operators agree strategic partnership with Canadian sports franchise
Flutter Entertainment and PointsBet have agreed separate partnerships with Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE).
Flutter’s strategic partnership with MLSE will see the FanDuel Sportsbook designated official sports betting partner and the PokerStars brand becoming the MLSE’s official gaming partner.
PokerStars’ partnership with the MLSE is contingent on successful registration by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and execution of an operating agreement with iGaming Ontario.
In addition to the use of MLSE team marks in advertising and marketing, FanDuel Sportsbook, PokerStars Casino and PokerStars will be featured prominently throughout Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors games, including rink board and on-court signage.
The partnership will also allow FanDuel Sportsbook and PokerStars to collaborate on marketing integrations with all of MLSE’s teams, including the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Raptors, Toronto FC, Toronto Argonauts and Toronto Marlies.
FanDuel Canada general manager Dale Hooper welcomed the new partnership and the opportunities it would bring to the newly licensed Ontario sportsbook.
“The Maple Leafs, Raptors and Toronto FC are pioneering franchises and major pillars in Canadian sports culture,” Hooper said.
“As we bring FanDuel to Ontario, we want to collaborate with globally recognized enterprises like MLSE to bring unique content experiences to some of Canada’s most dedicated sports fans,” he added.
These sentiments were echoed by PokerStars marketing director Tom Warren, who alluded to the prime placement of the partnership in PokerStars’ impending Ontario launch.
“We have epic plans for our community in Canada and are excitedly looking forward to creating some incredible experiences in our birth country when we launch very soon,” Warren said.
“Partnering with MLSE gives us the opportunity to reach passionate fans across Ontario with a wide remit of poker and casino, heighten experiences wherever we can and be a part of some major winning moments,” he added.
PointsBet’s multi-year deal with the MLSE focuses on sportsbook specifically, and sees its Canadian subsidiary become an official sports betting partner of four Toronto-based franchises.
These include the Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL), Toronto Marlies (AHL), Toronto Raptors (NBA), Toronto Argonauts (CFL) and Toronto FC (MLS).
PointsBet Canada CEO Scott Vanderwel hailed the deal as an “historic” agreement for the firm, coming so swiftly after its Ontario launch.
“You rarely get the opportunity to partner with an organization that spans across all four professional leagues through the Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors, Toronto FC and the Toronto Argonauts, and offers year-round entertainment within the sports market in Canada,” Vanderwel said.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with MLSE on this innovative and exciting relationship,” he added.