BetMGM is making its way to the Ontario sports betting starting line.
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario added BetMGM to its list of approved operators Monday. The AGCO also added the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. to its list, bringing the total of approved operators to 16.
With the commercial Ontario sports betting launch slated for April 4, the AGCO is steadily rolling out operator approvals.
“We’re continuing to work closely with all who have applied to join the market,” an AGCO statement said last week. “Not every operator will be ready to launch their services on day one. Some are more ready than others. This means Ontario’s new igaming market will steadily expand in the weeks and months following April 4.”
BetMGM Ontario sports betting aspirations
BetMGM executives briefly mentioned the Canada sports betting market in a January business update, highlighting the upcoming online sportsbook and iGaming launch in Ontario. The operator plans to be among the first to launch in the province.
“We’re gearing up to launch with our BetMGM product offerings in Ontario once the regulated market opens,” BetMGM Head of Communications and Public Relations Elisa Richardson told LSR last month.
BetMGM has added two big hockey names to its ambassador portfolio: NHL Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky and current star Connor McDavid. The sportsbook also has a partnership with The Hockey News.
Entain plans in Ontario
A joint venture between MGM Resorts and Entain, BetMGM will not be Entain’s only touchpoint in Ontario. During a recent investor call, Entain executives said they plan to apply for an Ontario license with the Party brand.
The company also recently acquired Sports Interaction, a major Canadian gray-market operator run by Mohawk Online and regulated by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission.
There are no plans to seek an Ontario license for Sports Interaction, according to Mohawk Council of Kahnawake Chief Mike Delisle.
Ontario operator list growing
BetMGM joins a list of approved operators that already includes sportsbooks like bet365 and FanDuel. This week, the AGCO also added Kambi to its approved supplier list.
The AGCO began rolling out online operator approvals in January building a list that includes:
- BetRivers
- Coolbet
- Fitzdares
- LeoVegas
- LottoGo
- PointsBet
- Rivalry
- Royal Panda
- theScore
- Unibet
- WSOP
- 888
While the AGCO added the OLG to its list Monday, OLG’s ProLine+ began offering single-event sports wagering along with several other provincial lotteries in August 2021.
