Ontario sports betting is in line for a massive boost this year as more private sportsbook operators enter Canada's largest market.
Back in December, the ACGO announced that any operator can apply for a sports betting license who are under a contract with iGaming Ontario.
This ruling has bettors expecting an influx of new sportsbooks to become available in 2022 in Ontario.
Several sportsbook operators are expected to launch sometime in 2022 and plenty of partnerships are already underway.
As the 2022 private sportsbook launch date approaches, operators will look for ways to increase their exposure through ads.
Yahoo! Canada published an interesting look at the advertising landscape in Ontario, and how sportsbooks will compete for attention and market share.
For example, PointsBet Canada has geared up for the ad market with their recent partnerships with the NHLAA and the Trailer Park Boys. This grants PointsBet the ability to place former NHL players and the famed TV cast in their ads to increase credibility in Canada.
“The thing that Canadians love more than anything else is other Canadians,” Nic Sulsky, chief commercial officer at PointsBet Canada, told Yahoo! “We’re really dedicated to creating a brand that speaks with a genuine Canadian voice.”
American sportsbooks have enlisted A-list celebrities to represent their brands — Shaq and Ben Affleck at WynnBet, Jamie Foxx at BetMGM, and plenty more at books like DraftKings and FanDuel.
Bettors can expect to see Canadian celebrities such as Drake, Wayne Gretzky, Justin Bieber, and Ryan Gosling on billboards and tv ads in the coming months.