Canada
Ontario: opportunity knocks
The newly regulated market of Ontario, Canada, is rich with possibilities, with a customer base that is passionate about the world of sports and a demand for betting to match. Antonis Karakousis, Director of Operations at Altenar, discusses the potential of the province and how the company is setting out to provide the market with a best-in-class sports betting offering.
Congratulations on Altenar’s Ontario licence and your debut in Canada! Can you talk us through the licensing process and how long this has been in the works?
We had to meet a list of standards and a variety of requirements, as well as auditing our sportsbook with an independent test lab, but the potential of this province means it was more than worth the challenge. We continue to make worldwide progress as a company and going live in Ontario is proof of that.
Looking to the Canadian market – how do you see the development of Ontario as being a platform for kick-starting regulated online betting across the rest of the country?
Ontario has set the standard for how the rest of Canada can move into regulated gaming. The potential is clear to see: iGaming Ontario, a subsidiary of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, has reported that Ontario’s igaming revenue for the quarter ending June 30 came to CA$162m (£106.1m/€123.9m), the first quarter on record after the market opened in April this year. There were also 492,000 active player accounts within the quarter, which spent an average of $113 per month. There’s a robust, fair regulatory regime in place, along with a knowledgeable sports and betting audience. I am sure the rest of the country will follow Ontario’s example.
On entertainment and engagement – what’s Altenar got in store for Canadian players? What are your team planning to bring to the table to really start making a difference for operators?
Ontario’s sports fans and bettors deserve the best betting opportunities, and we’re excited to now offer them Altenar’s tier 1 product, which includes: competitive parlays and teasers, a bet builder, a variety of player props, boosted odds, official data of North American Leagues, and a native mobile application.
From your experience, which verticals are going to be key for the Canadian market? How popular are the likes of virtuals and esports compared to the more mainstream NHL?
I believe that esports is the next big thing. The NHL and NFL will remain the kings of traditional betting activity, but we have noticed huge growth in esports and this is where the greatest potential lies. It represents a great way to reach a younger demographic and tap into a new audience. It is being taken seriously on all fronts – esports has been mentioned as a possible Olympic sport and was included as a demonstration event at the 2018 Asian Games, which has previously served as a gateway for judo and taekwondo to become Olympic sports.
Talk us through the next 12 months for Altenar – how do you see yourselves getting going in Ontario?
Betting with a licensed provider always means peace of mind and added security. We are proud to be one of the first igaming sports betting providers regulated by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario and we look forward to applying our expertise to help build a trusted and competitive Canadian sportsbook.
The Ottawa Black Bears announced an extensive partnership agreement with PowerPlay Online Sportsbook and Casino that will see the company’s logo featured on the club’s home and away jerseys.
In addition to the jersey partnership, PowerPlay will also have branding elements inside the goal crease, behind the bench, on the LED display ring, and along the rinkboards for Black Bears home games at Canadian Tire Centre. As part of the deal, PowerPlay also becomes the exclusive sportsbook and online casino partner for the Ottawa Black Bears.
“We are thrilled to have PowerPlay on board for our inaugural season with such a comprehensive partnership agreement. Their investment with the Black Bears represents a foundational agreement for our lacrosse club. And we’re proud to wear their logo alongside ours as we launch our franchise,” said Chelsea McDermott, Vice President of Business Operations for the Ottawa Black Bears.
“We are excited to bring PowerPlay’s bold, community-driven spirit to Ottawa-Gatineau, partnering with the Black Bears as they establish themselves as a force in lacrosse. This partnership celebrates a sport deeply tied to Canada’s heritage and competitive energy. Together, we’ll ignite passion, energize fans, and deliver excitement all season long,” said Thomas Vermeulen, Marketing Director for PowerPlay.
Rising iGaming brand Titanplay is entering the mobile market powered by Delasport’s turnkey solution. The solution includes the possibility of quickly launching iOS and Android apps, in this case – for the Ontario player base.
Mobile users will get the full sportsbook and casino experience of Delasport’s product, and even more: features like the proprietary Booster Panel for Casino games and ‘Combo of the Day’ for sports are also available for them.
Titanplay’s app is already available for iOS, and it will soon arrive on Google’s Play Store for Android devices.
The Ontario-focused brand is taking full advantage of what Delasport has to offer, thus providing the best player betting experience possible. Their platform has been live for a few months now and it has been thriving the whole time.
Aside from the mobile-only cutting-edge features, gamblers enjoy Player Engagement missions and tournaments, unmatched personalization capabilities with My Sportsbook, My Casino, My Combo, and My Event Builder, and much more.
“Having a mobile-first approach when developing products is a must in today’s iGaming industry”, Delasport’s CEO Oren Cohen Shwartz comments. “Data shows that mobile users are now more than 70% of the whole player base, so we make sure to be prepared to bring our partners to this thriving market at any point. This is the case with Titanplay who’ve had an incredibly successful launch in Ontario last year and are now ready to win even more players.”
In addition to a comprehensive sportsbook and casino experience, the Delasport mobile app includes innovative customization, and gamification features to boost user engagement and differentiate the company from its competitors. Cross-product Tournaments, Missions, Badges, Spin & Win, and other gamification elements are also available to Titanplay’s players.
As soon as the app is downloaded and installed on a device, it provides convenient and quick access. Titanplay’s team may communicate with their players in real-time using the built-in push notifications feature on their devices. The software also addresses current security demands by providing biometric login and facial recognition on supported devices.
More about this key step can be learned from Delasport during ICE 2025 – Barcelona. Visit Stand 5M20 and draw insight directly from the source
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