BetMGM Ontario Announces Partnership with NFL Canada
As of August 9 BetMGM Ontario has officially announced a multi-year partnership with NFL Canada. BetMGM will become one of the official sportsbooks of the league as the upcoming season approaches. BetMGM CEO stated, “Expanding our partnership with the NFL into Canada sets the stage for amazing opportunities as we begin the upcoming football season”. Ontario sports betting first became legal back in April 2022, and this will be the first time sports betting will be legal during the NFL season.
BetMGM Ontario Looks to Grow Footprint in Ontario
Sportsbooks such as theScore and Bet365 have had a bit of a head start, especially in the Canadian sports betting world. So now that BetMGM has struck a deal with NFL Canada we can see just how competitive the Ontario sports betting market will be. Now that Ontario’s online betting market is up and running, sportsbooks and casinos have been given the go ahead. Some of the most popular online sportsbooks are available in Canada. These include DraftKings, Caesars, BetRivers, PointsBet, FanDuel, and of course BetMGM. However BetMGM Ontario is looking to grow and become the leading sportsbook for Canadian bettors.
BetMGM has announced a partnership in Ontario with the NFL. The multi-year deal will help BetMGM grow closer to becoming the NFL’s official sportsbook partner in Canada as they were one of the first operators to launch in Ontario.https://t.co/NWy1NTjBlv pic.twitter.com/cJzh3zhGNd
— iBETNetworks (@iBETNetworks) August 11, 2022
As for the details of the partnership, BetMGM and NFL Canada have agreed upon a variety of things including advertising and operations. BetMGM now has the rights to use the official NFL logo in their advertising. They can also advertise on NFL digital platforms throughout Ontario. BetMGM was one of the first sportsbooks to launch in Ontario so it only makes sense that they’re partnering up with some major franchises.
Ontario’s Strict iGaming Laws
Ever since Ontario’s sports betting launch, they have established some of the strictest gambling promotion laws in all of North America. According to the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, there is a very strict law regarding the marketing and advertising of online gambling. The exact guideline states “all public advertising of gambling inducements, bonuses and credits related to sport and event betting is prohibited, including targeted advertising of algorithm-based ads”. This essentially means that BetMGM can promote their book as well as their partnership with NFL Canada, however their advertising cannot persuade or influence viewers to gamble via bonus offers or “free-bets”.
Since there are such strict rules regarding advertising, this may influence BetMGM to come up with some more creative ideas. Especially since a lot of Ontario citizens are getting fed up with this era of sports betting advertising. Sportsbooks have advertised on just about every digital platform, but some people think it is starting to clutter up the province. These ads have been plastered all over the province. They’ve been put up in GO trains blocking the windows, windows of buildings and just about anywhere in public.
Another issue people see with the recent sports betting advertising is the lack of warning about responsible betting. Is this something BetMGM will include in their advertising? Hopefully BetMGM and NFL Canada can come up with a plan that will appease Ontario citizens. Perhaps this partnership will be what sparks some new and creative advertising ideas.