Canada
Betting operators make substantial investment in Canadian athlete education
CA$300,000 committed over three years
The International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) and its member operators bet365, Betway and FanDuel announced a commitment to establish and fund a best-in-class Canada-wide athlete education program. The funding partners have pledged to invest at least CA$300,000 over three years in the program to address the potential threat to athletes, sport and the regulated market from sports betting related match-fixing and fraud.
The announcement was made at the high-level âSymposium on Competition Manipulation and Gambling in Sport” taking place in Toronto, an event co-sponsored by IBIA, bet365, Betway and FanDuel. It was launched in front of a distinguished audience including representatives of major Canadian and US sports, such as the CFL, CPL, Hockey Canada, NFL, NBA and NHL, and national and provisional governments and licensing and regulatory authorities, such as the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario and Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission.
The project funding partners are in active discussions regarding a delivery body, with the intention to finalise it in the coming weeks. The program will then be rolled out over the second half of this year and is intended to include face-to-face athlete training, an e-learning portal, anonymous reporting app and awareness raising material.
Jean-Francois Reymond, IBIAâs Education Ambassador and a former professional basketball player and Vice-President of the World Players Association, who has been a pioneer of sports integrity education since its inception, announced the project during his opening keynote speech. He informed the Symposium that: âProtecting the integrity of sport means protecting the integrity of athletes. Most often through a lack of awareness, it is the athletes who are risking their careers and livelihoods. Our objective is to build a best-in-class program for all athletes that serves to protect the integrity of Canadian sport and the careers of Canadaâs athletes.â
Anthony Werkman, CEO of Betway, said: âProtecting the integrity of sport is key to what we do, so weâre delighted to be giving our commitment to working with our partners to fund and develop an effective athlete education program in Canada. As a global brand, we have a commitment to combatting any form of betting corruption, both globally and locally, and we look forward to working with the other members to help shape a better future for both sports organisations and regulators.â
Dale Hooper, GM, FanDuel Canada, said: âMaintaining the integrity of sport is essential to playersâ safety and enjoymentâthe pillars of what we do at FanDuel. As a newly-regulated market, we are committed to supporting educational programs in Ontario that will help increase understanding and protections for athletes, bettors, and beyond.â
Khalid Ali, CEO of IBIA, the leading global voice on integrity for the licensed betting industry, said: âIBIA is delighted that our members, such as bet365, Betway and FanDuel, are so committed to sports betting education and are prepared to invest in such an important initiative. All of the partners are excited to see the positive impact this project will have on maintaining the integrity of Canadian sport and the players themselves. For IBIA, sports integrity, and investing in the people that make sport happen, matters.â
A not-for-profit association, IBIA is the largest operator-run betting integrity monitoring body in the world, with over 120 sports betting brands generating approximately CA$185 billion (over US$137 billion) in total wagers placed per annum. It represents the majority of the betting operators licensed in Ontario, including the project co-financers bet365, Betway and FanDuel.
Stats Perform, the global leader in sports AI, data and technology, has announced an official data partnership with the Northern Super League (NSL). The partnership will allow world-leading Opta data to be collected live from every NSL league game for the next three years.
Beginning this month, the Northern Super League (NSL) establishes a new era in Canadian sport as the countryâs first professional domestic womenâs soccer league â an ambitious and transformative initiative co-founded by former Canadian international and Olympic medallist Diana Matheson. Its inaugural season kicks off on April 16 and will feature six teams who have assembled multinational player rosters with extensive club and international experience, including 100-cap Canadian internationals Desiree Scott and Quinn.
Once the action begins, detailed data from every on-ball event, including advanced AI-powered Opta Analytics metrics such as Expected Goals (xG) and Expected Assists (xA), will be captured and distributed via feeds and Stats Perform products, including OptaAI Studio. This will enable various broadcasters, publishers and rights holders to generate stories and insights throughout the NSL season and provide them straight to the leagueâs fans in real time.
As part of the agreement, the NSLâs League Office and every NSL club will also have access to Opta Search, part of OptaAI Studio. This will allow their content creators to leverage all Opta data collected during the NSL season in the creation of data-led stories on the stand-out performers, and will help them generate key talking points for publication on official league and club platforms. Opta Search will also empower the NSLâs media team to create a range of data visualizations, including player shot maps and touch maps, to visually illustrate the impact of different playersâ on-field performances.
Christina Litz, NSL President, said: âWe are thrilled to have Stats Perform on board as our official data partner. When we talk about detailed performance data in soccer, Opta is the gold standard, so we are delighted to have it powering each of our official digital channels. As the season progresses, we want to put the spotlight on all the on-field heroes who emerge and having access to world-class data will help us tell their stories and inspire a new generation of Canadian soccer fans.â
Steve Xeller, Chief Revenue Officer at Stats Perform, said: âStats Perform has been a huge supporter of expansion leagues around the world, so we are very pleased to be partnering with NSL in the lead-up to their first domestic campaign. Seeing a fully professional womenâs soccer league launch in Canada is an incredibly exciting development for the sport in North America and we see considerable potential in working proactively with the Leagueâs Head Office to help the competition grow, using the power of AI and data-led storytelling to build fan communities across the continent.â
With the Ottawa Senators securing a playoff spot in the NHL, ToonieBet will be there every step of the way, engaging fans with exclusive giveaways, premium entertainment, and a casino experience that mirrors the teamâs energy and excitement.
The Ottawa Senators and Tooniebet, an online casino for players across Ontario, announced a partnership that will make Tooniebet the NHL teamâs Official Online Casino Partner.
Tooniebet, which launched in 2024 is part of Soft2Bet – one of the worldâs fastest growing iGaming turnkey solutions providers with iGaming brands around the world with a portfolio of 19 global licenses, including Ontario.
Additional highlights of the Ottawa Senators and TonnieBet partnership will include:
- In-Arena & Broadcast Branding: Digitally enhanced dashboards for home and away games
- In-rink board signage for home games
- Virtual slot signage for various games
- Digital inventory throughout the Ottawa Senators site on NHL.com
- Direct Fan Engagement: Social contests and promotions hosted on Senatorsâ digital platforms
- Television Broadcast Branding: Digitally enhanced rink boards for home and away games
- In-arena rink board signage for home games
Martin Ballard, VP Corporate Partnerships, Ottawa Senators stated:Â âWe are thrilled to welcome ToonieBet as an official partner of the Ottawa Senators. Cooperating with a brand that shares our commitment to providing fans with an exceptional and trusted experience is incredibly exciting. Together, we look forward to delivering memorable moments and engaging our passionate fanbase in new and innovative ways.â
Oksana Tsyhankova, Chief Marketing Officer at Soft2Bet, commented:Â “Partnering Soft2Betâs ToonieBet brand with the Ottawa Senators is a significant milestone that reinforces our strong brand presence in Ontario. In a short period, we have achieved impressive performance and retention results, with a primary focus on localised, engaging experiences for Canadian players, which makes ToonieBet truly set itself apart.”
By tapping into the Senatorsâ digital platforms and in-arena presence, ToonieBet will stay close to the action and connect with fans in real, engaging ways while continuing to offer a top-quality online casino experience.
ToonieBet offers a fast, localised online casino experience for players in Ottawa and across Ontario. Through this partnership, fans will have the chance to win Senators merchandise and tickets while ToonieBet grows its presence in a competitive Ontario market. With in-arena branding, regional broadcast coverage, and digital promotions, ToonieBet will be highly visible to the teamâs loyal supporters.
PENN Entertainment announced that it has launched theScore Casino, a new stand-alone iCasino app in Ontario. The dedicated online casino experience leverages the popular theScore brand, which has been a mainstay in the Ontario market for decades. Now available on Android, iOS, and desktop, customers can login using their existing theScore Bet credentials, allowing for a seamless experience across online gaming platforms.
theScore Casino operates on the same cutting-edge proprietary technology platform as PENNâs online Hollywood Casino, which launched as a standalone product in the US in December. The product was recently ranked by Eilers & Krejcik as the #2 overall iCasino product in the US.
theScore Casino, also available within theScore Bet app, offers a variety of online slots, table games, and live dealer content, including original titles from PENN Game Studios, the companyâs in-house game development studio. theScore Casino also includes bespoke live dealer tables and exclusive games such as Blue Jays Blackjack, an original title leveraging theScore Betâs partnership with the Toronto Blue Jays.
âWeâre excited to introduce our dedicated iCasino product in Ontario under the well-known and trusted theScore brand. Weâve built a strong online gaming foothold in the Ontario market and are primed to deliver an even better casino experience with our proven stand-alone app. Our customer-friendly platform features more than 1200 games, dozens of original titles and intuitive game play that distinguishes our product and positions us for even greater success,â said Aaron LaBerge, Chief Technology Officer and Head of Interactive at PENN Entertainment.
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