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PointsBet Online and Mobile Sports Betting Live in State of Illinois; Flagship Hawthorne Race Course Retail Location and Three Premium Off-Track Betting Sites to Follow Soon

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PointsBet, a premier global sportsbook operator, announced that it is now providing its mobile app and digital sports betting product in Illinois. Illinois marks the fourth operational state for PointsBet’s premium sports betting product, following successful launches in New Jersey, Iowa, and Indiana.

In addition to launching the PointsBet mobile app and digital product, PointsBet’s convenient retail presence in Chicago will soon debut at four sites that flank every corner of Chicagoland. Hawthorne Race Course (Stickney, IL) represents the flagship retail location, and additional off-track betting (OTB) premium sportsbooks will debut in Prospect Heights, Oakbrook Terrace, and Crestwood.

“The PointsBet team is excited to share that we are now officially live in Illinois, our fourth state of operation in the US,” said Johnny Aitken, PointsBet USA CEO. “The passionate sports fans in the state can now experience our leading online sports betting product and see for themselves why we’ve long stated that the best product experience will win. PointsBet possesses competitive advantages by owning our technology environment from end to end, such as unrivaled speed and ease of use on a personalized platform. We, together with our partner Hawthorne Race Course, are thrilled to provide the Illinois consumer with exactly what they’ve been craving.”

Hawthorne received approval from the Illinois Gaming Board in July to move forward with a $400 million redevelopment of “Chicago’s Hometown Track” to create a multi-dimensional gaming entertainment destination inclusive of a casino and sportsbook. The first-of-its-kind business in Illinois will feature slots, table games, enhanced parimutuel wagering, dining concepts created in partnership with well-known Chicago culinary leaders, and a connected multi-story parking garage. Hawthorne Casino & Race Course is expected to open in late 2021 pending final licensing approvals.

“There are a lot of good reasons why we chose to partner with PointsBet, but most importantly it’s their commitment to innovation and customer excitement,” said Tim Carey, President and CEO of Hawthorne. “They truly know the passion and needs of the player and that has always been our focus in horseracing, just as it will be in the casino that we’re developing. Illinois gamblers are going to quickly realize PointsBet provides the best sports betting experience by far.”

As a nod to Illinois sports fans, PointsBet USA CEO Johnny Aitken confirmed that PointsBet will offer the best price in market for all Chicago Bears games this season across both the pregame spreadline and moneyline bet types. Additionally, PointsBet will unveil their innovative “Crowd Booster” promotion for sports bettors in the state of Illinois for the Chicago Bears’ first three games of the 2020 NFL season. The Bears spread will be boosted five points for every 200 bets placed, resulting in an extremely favorable spread for clients. Best of all, all clients will be able to take advantage of the final spread number, regardless of where they got their bet down!

In conjunction with the official launch of PointsBet’s Illinois sports betting product, the operator also recently announced its partnership with future NFL Hall-of-Famer, Devin Hester. A symbiotic element to the partnership, a primary point of differentiation for the PointsBet mobile product is unmatched speed and ease of use. The fastest way to get down a bet in Chicago, PointsBet owns their technology end-to-end and places an emphasis on an in-house development approach, allowing PointsBet to offer clients a faster and more streamlined digital experience, exclusive product features, bet types that cannot be found anywhere else, deep Spanish language functionality, the ability to incorporate regulatory approved changes seamlessly, and so much more. In a recent interview on the partnership, Hester commented: “With the technology that these guys have, it just makes things so easy and fast. And that’s why I partnered up with PointsBet, just thinking about myself being fast, and then coming in and joining with these guys, it just makes life so easy when you want to get in bets.”

As the official, exclusive sports betting partner of NBC Sports, PointsBet will utilize the media giant’s premium television and digital assets to promote the PointsBet brand across Illinois. As part of the agreement, NBC Sports provides PointsBet with year-round, multi-platform media and marketing opportunities across its unmatched portfolio of events, including exclusive multiplatform gameday integrations across NBC Sports Chicago, regional broadcast home to the Chicago Blackhawks, Bulls, and White Sox. PointsBet’s full Spanish-language functionality will reach Hispanic sports fans via Telemundo Deportes and Telemundo broadcast stations.

 

About PointsBet
PointsBet is one of the fastest growing sportsbooks in the country and is rapidly expanding its U.S. footprint, now bringing its best-in-market proprietary technology, modernized and premium brand mentality, expert trading practices and proven growth marketing strategies to both the Illinois sports betting market and the notoriously passionate Chicago-area sports fans. Originally founded in Australia, PointsBet is a cutting-edge bookmaker that prides itself on having the quickest and most user-friendly app (iOS and Android) while also providing the best content and experience for sports bettors. PointsBet is the only U.S. online bookmaker to offer PointsBetting – a unique and innovative way to bet – and has also introduced a slew of well-received, bettor-first initiatives. PointsBet offers the most markets on all four major U.S. sports (NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL) and PointsBetting in the world, including up to 1,000 markets per NBA game.

About Hawthorne Race Course
Founded in 1891, Hawthorne Race Course is the oldest sporting venue in Illinois for America’s original sport: horseracing. For more than a century, the 4th generation family-owned and operated business has hosted racing on the border of the City as “Chicago’s hometown track,” which features traditional dirt racing and the 2nd longest homestretch in North America. Currently, Hawthorne is the only race course in the nation to host both Thoroughbred (Spring, Fall, Winter) and Standardbred racing (Summer), and operates Illinois’ largest network of off-track betting parlors. On July 30, 2020, the Illinois Gaming Board approved Hawthorne to move forward with development of the State’s first race track casino and sportsbook. For more information visit HawthorneRaceCourse.com.

SOURCE PointsBet

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ELK Studios Expands Partnership with SkillOnNet to Ontario Market

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1 day ago

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April 8, 2025

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PlayOJO, SlotsMagic and SpinGenie to carry ELK Studios’ games in Ontario

Global entertainment brand SkillOnNet and innovative Swedish game creator Elk Studios have cemented their longstanding partnership with the launch of ELK’s groundbreaking portfolio in the Ontario market.

ELK Studios is responsible for some of the industry’s most innovative and engaging online casino games. Now, players at SkillOnNet’s Ontario-licensed casinos, PlayOJO, SlotsMagic and SpinGenie, will be able to experience the feature-packed delights of hit titles like Nitropolis, Tinkerbot and Pirot, as well as new release Orbitfall, and the studio’s signature X-iter and CollectR mechanics.

The expansion marks a milestone for ELK Studios as it continues to grow its footprint in regulated markets worldwide. SkillOnNet recently successfully launched the studio’s portfolio in the Spanish and Mexican markets through its Spanish-language brands and expects the studio’s games to make a similarly immediate impact with Ontario players.

Ontario has become a hugely important growth market since the province launched regulated online gaming in 2022. It was worth $2.4 billion in 2024, with $63 billion in wagering, the lion’s share coming from online casinos.

Jani Kontturi, Head of Games at SkillOnNet said: “ELK Studios is known for its high-quality games that blend unique storytelling and humour with high levels of engagement and playability, which is why we’re delighted to introduce them to Ontario. We believe they will perform successfully, as they have in other markets around the world.”

Vaida Cirtautaite, CCO at ELK Studios said: “SkillOnNet has been an invaluable partner in our growth journey, and we are thrilled to expand our collaboration into Ontario. We’re excited to bring our innovative games to a new wave of players in this dynamic market.”

The post ELK Studios Expands Partnership with SkillOnNet to Ontario Market appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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Playnetic granted Ontario supplier license

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2 days ago

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April 7, 2025

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Global B2B iGaming content provider secures first Canadian market entry following the successful submission and approval of its gaming-related supplier application

Playnetic, the in-demand global B2B iGaming content provider known for its quality games, reliable delivery and outstanding customer service, has announced the approval of its gaming-related supplier application by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).

With the AGCO licensing process being recognised in the industry for its rigorous standards and thorough due diligence, the new certification confirms Playnetic was able to meet the high levels of integrity and regulatory compliance needed to legally distribute its content within the province.

As a result of the approval, Playnetic has now secured its first Canadian market entry and will be able to provide its library of innovative games to licensed operators in the Ontario region – with this starting point paving the way for further expansion into other regulated provinces in future.

Given signs of change emerging within the Canadian market and Alberta making progress toward a regulated online model – likely drawing from Ontario’s framework – this license positions Playnetic strongly to expand its footprint in the country and further solidifies the company’s ambitious growth plans.

In the meantime, Playnetic has already begun making groundwork with key operators in the Ontario region and is looking forward to going live with some exciting brands over the coming months. The company will also be attending SBC’s Canadian Gaming Summit from June 17-19, where both existing and new potential partners alike are welcome to stop by and meet the team.

Dan Phillips, Chief Executive Officer at Playnetic, said: “Acquiring AGCO approval for our gaming-related supplier application is undoubtedly a big step for Playnetic. The new license not only secures our first Canadian market entry, but also reaffirms Playnetic’s position as a trusted provider in iGaming and underlines our commitment to compliance and operational excellence.”

Julian Borg-Barthet, Chief Commercial Officer at Playnetic, said: “We’re very excited to now be in a position to offer our library of innovative gaming content in Ontario, and the groundwork to do that with some of the region’s biggest licensed operators is already underway. Over time, we’re confident this license will also help us expand further into current markets and emerging regulated provinces, such as Alberta.”

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BetVictor Canada launches Tracy McGrady Safer Gambling campaign

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1 week ago

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March 31, 2025

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BetVictor Canada has launched its new out-of-home advertising campaign across the streets of Toronto to promote NBA legend Tracy McGrady as its Safer Gambling Ambassador.

Two mobile digital trucks strategically targeting high-traffic areas near Scotiabank Arena, Rogers Centre, and major sporting events will provide prime audience exposure for the campaign, scheduled around Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Raptors, and Toronto Blue Jays home games.

To further enhance the campaign’s reach, BetVictor Canada has partnered with Clear Media Group to leverage digital taxi tops across Toronto, providing city-wide exposure with 100 taxis displaying key brand messaging. These digital taxi tops will run during peak evening hours (5:00pm – 9:00pm) on select dates until April 5th, 2025.

The campaign coincides with Problem Gambling Awareness Month, a nationwide grassroots campaign held each March that seeks to increase public awareness of problem gambling and promote prevention, treatment, and recovery services.

BetVictor Canada offers an array of tools and services to help its Canadian customers bet and play safely and responsibly, across a host of sports betting markets and online casino games.

Mark Harper, Head of Emerging Markets at BV Group, said: “BetVictor is delighted to be participating in the National Council of Problem Gambling campaign in March, to help increase public awareness of problem gambling and the need to promote prevention, treatment and recovery services.

“In using our Safer Gambling Ambassador, Tracy McGrady, to raise awareness about BetVictor’s safer gambling tools such as loss limits, time alerts and product restrictions we are dedicated to ensuring all players have a safe gambling experience. #PGAM2025.”

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