Probably the most eye-opening of what was a day full of news on the Ontario sports betting front was the FanDuel Group and TSN announcement of a multi-year partnership.
The arrival of private online gaming and sports betting companies — some of the biggest brands in the industry — into a new open, regulated Ontario market is going to be a boon for a lot of media companies. A lifeline for some.
FanDuel Ontario will be the official sportsbook partner of The Sports Network, starting first in the most-populated province.
Monday, of course, was the rollout of legalized Ontario online casino and sports wagering in the province, where private operators are now competing with the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp.’s PROLINE platform on the sports betting front.
You have to wonder where Sportsnet is going to land on this. Last fall, it brought back Cabral “Cabbie” Richards from a gig at Bleacher Report Betting in Las Vegas to take on a role as executive producer of sports betting content, to build its betting portfolio and social media platform on the topic.
The TSN/FanDuel agreement extends to all Canadian provinces and territories pending regulation there. That is the next question for sports betting in the country — which provinces will follow Ontario’s path and open up their territory to private operators?
FanDuel Ontario Launches
As of Monday afternoon, 888 Sport, Bet365, BetMGM Ontario, BetRivers, Caesars, Coolbet, LeoVegas, PointsBet Canada, Rivalry, Royal Panda, theScore Bet, Unibet plus FanDuel were all fully registered and approved operators for the province, according to iGaming Ontario.
The province established iGaming Ontario in 2021 to conduct and manage internet gaming in Ontario when provided through private gaming operators.
Most of the registered and approved operators launched on Monday. There are 14 others that have been approved, but are waiting on signed operating agreements with iGaming Ontario. One big operator that hasn’t launched is long-time FanDuel rival DraftKings Ontario.
FanDuel Odds on TSN
FanDuel and TSN are going to collaborate on content, with FanDuel bringing expertise in mobile sportsbook and casino operations across TSN platforms, according to a news release. FanDuel Sportsbook will be the exclusive provider of sports odds across TSN programming.
TSN is going to highlight a bunch of FanDuel’s online gaming formats, like its Same Game Parlay bets, the release said. There will be other wagering integrations across TSN in-game broadcasts, mobile apps, and digital marketing.
"FanDuel delivers an entertaining, customer-centric, responsible gaming experience with attractive odds that Canadian sports fans will want to engage with,” TSN senior vice president Stewart Johnston said in the release. “We believe that 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.”
