FanDuel Group, a subsidiary of Ireland-based Flutter Entertainment, already scored one against its competitors in Ontario after a multi-year agreement with Canadian telecom and media giant BCE.
‘First-Of-Its-Kind’ Agreement
The agreement to enhance BCE-owned TSN sports network with betting-focused content provided by America’s #1 sportsbook operator was announced alongside the official launch of the online sports betting market in the province on April 4 which already attracted some of the major players south of the Canadian border and from the global gaming industry.
“Partnering with Canada’s most iconic and trusted media company was integral to our strategy of delivering gaming content to passionate Canadian sports fans in the most entertaining and responsible way possible.”
Dale Hooper, General Manager, FanDuel Canada
Under the “first-of-its-kind” deal between BCE and FanDuel, the Flutter-owned sports betting brand becomes an official sportsbook partner of TSN and will provide sports odds and original content across all television and digital assets of the network.
“Combining their sportsbook with our expansive portfolio of live sports properties will not only deliver the exciting content that our passionate fan base demands but will provide new opportunities to expand the TSN brand.”
Stewart Johnston, SVP, Sales and Sports, TSN
Content will feature in-game broadcasts, digital marketing, branding, and mobile apps opportunities as the sports network is looking to popularize the new single-game bets for its Ontario audience. Initially proposed at the end of 2020 Bill C-218, the Safe and Regulated Sports Betting Act, which legalized betting on single events, passed through Canada’s Senate in August 2021.
Canada’s Single-Event Sports Betting
The bill amended Canada’s Criminal Code and enabled provincial governments and licensing authorities in every province and territory to establish their own processes to conduct and manage single-event sports betting.
The first provincial gaming corporation to take advantage of the new opportunity was the British Columbia Lottery Corporation which introduced the new bets via its PlayNow website in August.
The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) followed suit by launching its PROLINE+ digital sportsbook the same month and in February, expanded its retail offering with the addition of single-event betting to the retail PROLINE platform.
PlayAlberta, the only regulated online gambling website in Alberta operated by the Alberta Gaming and Lottery Commission also introduced single-event betting in September last year.
Following the official launch of online sports betting in Ontario this Monday, the FanDuel Sportsbook is now available to residents of the Canadian province, offering them elevated betting features such as Same Game Parlay bets, Odds Boosts, Data Visuals, and Streaming options powered by IGT’s PlaySports platform and utilizing GAN’s Player Account Management.