With Ontario sports betting live, FanDuel and PointsBet secured partnerships with a major sports organization in the province.
On Friday, FanDuel Sportsbook announced its status as an official sports betting partner of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment. PointsBet followed that announcement by revealing a similar MLSE partnership Monday.
The deals come on the heels of the commercial Ontario sports betting market opening last week.
Major Ontario sports brands
The agreement allows FanDuel and PointsBet to integrate with multiple major league sports teams in Ontario, including:
- Major League Soccer‘s Toronto FC
- National Hockey League‘s Toronto Maple Leafs
- National Basketball Association‘s Toronto Raptors
- Canadian Football League‘s Toronto Argonauts
“The Maple Leafs, Raptors and Toronto FC are pioneering franchises and major pillars in Canadian sports culture,” FanDuel Canada General Manager Dale Hooper said in a release. “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.”
FanDuel grabs major Ontario partnership
It is the first North American partnership for Flutter Entertainment that includes two of its brands, as PokerStars also is now an official gaming partner of MLSE. The two Flutter brands can use MLSE team marks throughout their advertising and marketing.
FanDuel, PokerStars and PokerStars Casino also receive signage throughout the venues of the MLSE teams. The partners plan to work on various marketing campaigns as the relationship evolves.
“We are thrilled to partner with Flutter Entertainment, a global leader and one of the most trusted operators in the sports betting industry,” MLSE SVP of Global Partnerships Jordan Vader said in a release. “As the Online Gaming markets open in Ontario, we have worked hard to find partners who aligned with both our vision for innovation and our values, including a shared commitment to responsible gaming.”
FanDuel stays busy in Ontario sports betting
FanDuel debuted last week in Ontario, but PokerStars has yet to go online. PokerStars will launch once the operator receives approval from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario.
The MLSE agreement is not the first Canada sports betting partnership for FanDuel since the market launch, as last week it began a significant deal with Canadian sports network TSN. The sportsbook is the exclusive odds provider for TSN’s programming, websites, radio and mobile apps.
On Thursday, the NHL added Canada to its existing partnerships with FanDuel and BetMGM.
PointsBet strikes another Canada deal
Like FanDuel, PointsBet also is an official sports betting partner of MLSE, receiving various benefits, ranging from in-venue signage to digital assets.
“This is a historic deal for PointsBet Canada,” PointsBet Canada CEO Scott Vanderwel said in a release. “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. We are thrilled to be partnering with MLSE on this innovative and exciting relationship.”
PointsBet continues to build out an expansive partnership portfolio in Canada, from Curling Canada to the fictional Trailer Park Boys. Last month, PointsBet aligned with the CFL’s Ottawa Redblacks.
