Thanks to the continuous evolution of technology, we were able to witness the tremendous rise of online casinos over the last two decades. While the rise of the online casino industry could be said to be owed to technological advancements, the online platforms in the industry also played an important role in ensuring its rise by offering bonuses, promotions, incentives, carrying out extensive digital marketing, and sponsorships.
Online casinos are even more popular in Canada than in other countries as over 70% of the country’s population partake in gambling activities. The emergence of the coronavirus pandemic also played a role in pivoting the popularity of online casinos to a new height as residents of the country were stuck at home with nothing to do aside from playing their favourite casino games on their phones. As if the popularity isn’t enough, the online casino industry is now eyeing the sports teams in Canada to improve their brand awareness and visibility in the country. Sponsoring sports teams means that online casinos will have the chance to display their commercials on the playing field and on the TV screens while the game is ongoing. It also makes the online casino trustworthy for the fans at the game.
With the laws and regulations around gambling in Canada being slowly relaxed by the government, the online casino industry is now exploring its options in Canadian sports. Several online casino platforms have already started sponsoring sports teams in the country, and in this article, we will be listing out few of them.
The Canadian Premier League &ComeOn!
Canada’s professional men’s soccer league Canadian Premier League (CPL) signed a partnership deal with the online gaming site ComeOn! back in 2021 to name the site as its “Official Sports Betting and Online Casino Partner.” This partnership deal saw the ComeOn! logo being printed on CPL club jerseys at the beginning of the 2021 season.
In the deal between CPL and ComeOn!, the online gaming site’s name will be appearing more often in the content of the CPL Predictor game, which will also be offering the audience a chance to predict the result of league matches to claim a prize.
Ottawa Redblacks Football Team &PointsBet Canada
Having obtained its operator license in Ontario, PointsBet Canada took a step further into the Canadian market to sponsor the Canadian football franchise, Ottawa Redblacks, for the 2022 season. PointsBet Canada’s branding will be appearing on the team’s kit and around TD Place, which is the team’s home stadium.
This deal will also see the stadium’s VIP section being rebranded as the PointsBet Sideline Club, as the operator becomes the official presenting sponsor for the Ottawa franchise. This deal was signed by the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group, owner of the Redblacks franchise.
Ottawa Atletico &ComeOn!
In the same year ComeOn! signed a partnership deal with the Canadian Premier League, it also entered a sponsorship deal with Atletico Ottawa. However, it will be featuring as a kit sponsor for Atletico in the long run, but not much was disclosed aside from that for the deal. But we should be expecting to see its commercials fly around while the Ottawa franchise is playing a soccer game.
Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE) &PointsBet Canada
In April 2022, MLSE announced PointsBet Canada as its official sports betting partner after signing a multi-year deal with the online operator. MLSE is the parent company of the NBA’s Toronto Raptors, NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs and MLS’s Toronto FC, CFL’s Toronto Argonauts.
The deal will cover each franchise in their different leagues, which is quite an amazing deal to pull off for PointsBet Canada. This deal happened after the online casino and sports wagering operator finally entered Ontario’s newly regulated iGaming ecosystem.
Edmonton Elks & Sports Interaction
Edmonton Elks who plays in the Canadian Football League signed a partnership deal with Sports Interaction to become its official online casino and sports gaming partner in 2019.
Conclusion
While there are several other online casinos that have partnered up with other Canadian sports teams, the ones listed above are the most popular deals. Online casinos use sponsorship deals to create more brand awareness and visibility which also translates to getting more users to place wagers or play their casino games.
