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FanDuel Group Announces Exclusive Multi-Year Partnership with Charles Barkley
FanDuel Group announced an exclusive content deal with Sports Emmy Award-winning analyst and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley.
This new partnership designates FanDuel as Barkley’s exclusive sports betting and daily fantasy sports partner. Additionally, Barkley will serve as the company’s brand ambassador and spokesperson and will appear in FanDuel advertising and Turner Sports promotions featuring FanDuel’s free to play contests. Barkley will also provide unique content for FanDuel Group’s social media channels and make guest appearances on FanDuel Group affiliated podcasts and television programs as part of the agreement.
“The Inside the NBA crew and I really enjoyed working with FanDuel during last season’s playoffs and I’m grateful to now be their brand ambassador,” said Barkley. “FanDuel helps our show be more informative and interactive, and they do it in a way that any knucklehead could understand. So even if your team is down by 20 in the fourth quarter, with FanDuel you’ll have a reason to keep watching.”
In July, FanDuel Group became the exclusive sports betting provider for Turner Sports’ NBA programming and Bleacher Report NBA content and Charles Barkley took the time to educate his co-hosts on Inside the NBA, along with millions of viewers, on the ins and outs of sports betting. One of the highlights of each broadcast since the integration of FanDuel Sportsbook odds, was the “Charles Barkley Guarantee.” These entertaining segments became popular on social media and will continue to be a big part of this partnership.
“Charles has been with the Turner Sports family for more than 20 years, bringing his unique flair, personality and predictions to our NBA on TNT telecasts,” said Will Funk, Executive Vice President, Sports Partnerships and Branded Content, Turner Sports. “We look forward to featuring him in engaging FanDuel brand integrations on Turner Sports’ and Bleacher Report’s NBA programming.”
‘Tis the season and the start of the NBA season, so it’s time to celebrate Christmas Week Tipoff with a special $30 million holiday delivery from “Jolly Ol’ Saint Chuck” in the form of free bets, credits and prizes for FanDuel Customers. Among the gifts that “Saint Chuck” will deliver under the tree to sports fans this holiday season are:
● A risk free bet or site credit for all sportsbook customers valid for use on 12/22 and 12/23
● A free entry for all FanDuel daily fantasy customers into an NBA daily fantasy contest between 12/22-12/25.
● Special “Barkley Boosts” on odds at the FanDuel Sportsbook for NBA Tip-Off and Christmas Day NBA games that will pay out even larger winnings to customers.
● In honor of Barkley’s retired number 34, FanDuel Group will donate 340,000 meals to Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization. The Feeding America network of food banks and partner food pantries and meal programs serve every community in the United States.
“Charles Barkley is an American sports icon, a television legend and gaming royalty, so he’s the perfect person to ring in the holidays for our customers,” said Mike Raffensperger, Chief Marketing Officer of FanDuel Group. “For the next few years, we look forward to amplifying his voice and adding Barkley’s one of a kind personality will continue to differentiate FanDuel and make sports betting fun for everyone.”
Barkley is the newest member of FanDuel’s roster of exclusive sports betting talent and influencers headlined by Pat McAfee and the PMI Team, in addition to World Wide Wob, Cousin Sal, and JJ Zachariason. FanDuel has also formed exclusive sports betting partnerships with blue chip media companies like Turner Sports, Bleacher Report, The Ringer, SportsGrid, Entercom and Minute Media. This is all in addition to FanDuel’s own sports betting and daily fantasy content offerings that includes numberFire, The Duel, an extensive podcast network with a total of seven podcasts, and More Ways to Win on TVG.
Turner Sports will officially tip off the 2020-21 NBA regular season with an Opening Night doubleheader, Tuesday, Dec. 22 on TNT: the Golden State Warriors will take on the Brooklyn Nets at 7 p.m. ET, and the LA Clippers will face the defending NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers at 10 p.m. Along with expansive portfolio-wide content on Bleacher Report, House of Highlights and social media channels, TNT will host a special two-hour pregame show with the Sports Emmy Award-winning studio team of Ernie Johnson, Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith, beginning at 5 p.m.
About FanDuel Group
FanDuel Group is an innovative sports-tech entertainment company that is changing the way consumers engage with their favorite sports, teams, and leagues. The premier gaming destination in the United States, FanDuel Group consists of a portfolio of leading brands across gaming, sports betting, daily fantasy sports, advance-deposit wagering, and TV/media, including FanDuel, Betfair US, and TVG. FanDuel Group has a presence across all 50 states and 8.5 million customers. The company is based in New York with offices in California, New Jersey, Florida, Oregon, and Scotland. FanDuel Group is a subsidiary of Flutter Entertainment plc, the world’s largest sports betting and gaming operator with a portfolio of globally recognized brands and a constituent of the FTSE 100 index of the London Stock Exchange.
Internet Gaming Operator by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).
This significant milestone authorizes absolutebet to offer regulated iGaming services in Ontario’s legal market under the oversight of AGCO and iGaming Ontario (iGO).
The registration marks a key step in absolutebet’s mission to bring a trusted, responsible, and innovative online casino experience to Ontario players. absolutebet is committed to operating with integrity and transparency, meeting all provincial standards for player protection, responsible gambling, anti-money laundering, and game integrity.
“Securing AGCO registration is more than a milestone—it’s the start of absolutebet’s journey in one of the most exciting regulated markets in the world,” said Chen Truman, Founder of absolutebet. “We are building a brand that will grow with the Ontario community and set the stage for future expansion.”
On the regulatory milestone, Krisztina Kalla, Legal & Regulatory Compliance Advisor of absolutebet, commented: “I’m incredibly proud to see all the hard work behind this license pay off. Securing AGCO registration has taken months of preparation and close collaboration with regulators and partners. I am very happy to see the result of that work, and even more excited as we move into the launch phase and open up the absolutebet community to Ontario players in a fun and responsible way.”
Ontario is recognized as one of the most competitive and fast-growing regulated iGaming markets in North America. With AGCO registration secured, absolutebet will move forward with the final stages of its iGO onboarding process in preparation for launch.
The post absolutebet Secures AGCO Registration as an Internet Gaming Operator in Ontario appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Alex Malchenko Head of Sales at Evoplay
Evoplay strengthens Ontario presence in partnership with Caesars Entertainment
Evoplay, the award-winning game development studio, has partnered with Caesars Entertainment to expand its footprint in the Canadian market, following its initial entry earlier this year. The partnership integrates 20 of the studio’s top-performing titles onto Caesars Palace Online Casino, Horseshoe Online Casino and Caesars Sportsbook & Casino in Ontario, including fan-favourites such as Hot Triple Sevens, Triple Chili, and The Greatest Catch Bonus Buy.
Having announced its official entrance into Ontario in March, the collaboration with Caesars marks a significant step in Evoplay’s local strategy. Further standout releases, such as Inner Fire Bonus Buy and Hot Volcano, also launched as part of the initial package, with additional player favourites, including Fruit Nova and Ice Mania.
The collaboration underlines Evoplay’s commitment to working with leading operators to deliver high-quality content tailored to regional audiences.
Alex Malchenko, Head of Sales at Evoplay, said: “Launching with Caesars in Ontario marks a key milestone in our North American strategy.
“It reflects both the strength of our portfolio and our commitment to providing innovative, high-performing content to operators of the highest caliber.”
Ricardo Cornejo Rivas, Vice President of Online Gaming at Caesars Digital, said: “Evoplay brings a fresh and dynamic approach to online gaming, which we’re excited to offer to our players in Ontario. This portfolio of standout titles adds to our growing content library and furthering our ongoing goal of delivering top-tier entertainment experiences to our players.”
The post Evoplay strengthens Ontario presence in partnership with Caesars Entertainment appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
The iGaming Ontario Board of Directors has announced Joseph Hillier as the organization’s new President and Chief Executive Officer, effective September 8, 2025. Joseph’s depth in the Ontario igaming market combined with successful public and private sector careers make him the ideal President and CEO at this critical point in iGaming Ontario’s growth.
Joseph was most recently Chief Strategy Officer and Corporate Secretary at the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), where he delivered significant strategic and regulatory initiatives across the province’s alcohol, cannabis, gaming, and horse racing sectors. Prior to the AGCO, he served as Chief of Staff to Ontario Attorney General Hon. Doug Downey and led the development, launch and implementation of Canada’s first private sector-driven igaming market and the creation of iGaming Ontario. Joseph also spent more than a decade working in the financial and legal services sectors.
The Board expressed its sincere thanks to David Smith for serving as Interim President and Chief Executive Officer since Martha Otton’s retirement.
The post iGaming Ontario Appoints Joseph Hillier as its New President and CEO appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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