Canada
The lowdown on March Madness
With this year’s college spectacular set to break new betting handle records in the United States, Checkd Group’s Callum Broxton takes an overview of the scene.
With sports betting legislation accelerating since last year’s tournament, what sort of betting volumes can we expect from March Madness 2022?
Callum Broxton: A total of $4.6b was wagered in March 2021, comfortably surpassing all projections. In 2022, with the combination of gambling becoming more mainstream alongside three major gambling states in Arizona, Louisiana, New York going live, there’s no doubt the $5bn barrier will be broken – it’s really a case of how close to a total handle of $10bn it will be.
Which types of bets are most popular with March Madness and why? Do you envisage any changes in betting behaviour for this year’s event?
CB: Simplicity wins out during March Madness. Team-focused betting will take centre stage with spreads and moneyline dominating. The beauty of the tournament and the reason it’s universally popular is that it’s simple. It’s all about the teams and who will progress to the next round. While player props have huge popularity in the pro leagues, they don’t resonate as much with college bettors; the players at college level aren’t nationwide stars (with some notable exceptions) and the books don’t offer anywhere near the range of player-centric market choices. By 2023 we may well see big changes in this respect with names, image and likenesses (NIL) deals allowing players to grow, establish and monetize their own brands and as more states go live there will be a much larger in-state fanbase where the college players are stars.
What role can a sports betting supplier play in protecting the integrity of collegiate sports and identifying irregular betting patterns?
CB: It’s interesting to observe the different approaches to betting on college sports, with Oregon outlawing it completely and some states, such as New Jersey, not allowing wagers on in-state teams. The NIL deal, though, could well be huge here. Players now have a long-overdue and legitimate way to make money during their time in college which, in theory at least, reduces the threat of match fixing or points shaving scandals as seen in the past, with the lure of a payday from such schemes now drastically reduced. The Arizona State points shaving scandal in 1994 was identified by Vegas sportsbooks. If they were able to spot irregular patterns back then, sportsbooks in 2022 should spot any irregularities almost instantly with their dedicated teams and immense software capabilities.
ComeOn Group announced a significant milestone in its sportsbook expansion journey with the addition of sportsbook to their offering in Ontario following the successful acquisition of the required permits. This addition represents a strategic advancement in the Groups sportsbook growth trajectory where they are set to double its sportsbook business in the coming years.
ComeOn Group is one of 51 active operators in Ontario. The Ontario market has experienced robust growth since its launch, reaching C$6.7 billion in revenue in 2023.* By 2029, the market is forecasted to grow by a total of 29%, with 2024 expected to close with a 20% increase.
ComeOn keeps investing in its sportsbook business acceleration that is powered by its proprietary sportsbook platform and in-house risk management and trading team. As a multi product vertical operator, ComeOn is striving to give its customer base a safe and exciting entertainment destination and this approach is now expanded to their Ontario audience.
Juergen Reutter, Chief Executive Officer at ComeOn Group, said: “We are very excited about the opportunities this new milestone opens up for us. As a casino-led operator it represents a key part of our sportsbook strategy to double our business in the coming years. Like in any of our other markets, we are striving for a differentiated sportsbook entertainment experience that is powered by our in-house technology. Our goal is to deliver top-tier entertainment to our players while fostering safe and innovative gaming experiences.”
*Source – H2GC H2 Ontario Data 25.10.2024 (excl. Lottery)
BCLC
INTRALOT Announces New Project with the British Columbia Lottery Corporation for Online Lottery Platform
INTRALOT S.A. has announced the undertaking of a new project between the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC), the sole lottery operator for the Government of British Columbia in Canada, and INTRALOT Inc., its US subsidiary, for the provision of an online lottery platform. The project also includes the digitalization of the existing land-based network.
The solution will be based on the Player X platform, part of the Lotos X ecosystem, and adds to the company’s overall partnership with BCLC, which has been extended until 2028.
INTRALOT is a leading player in a changing world of gaming. With significant experience in looking forward and anticipating emerging trends, the company provides future-proof solutions to regulated lottery and gaming operators around the world.
Relax Gaming, the iGaming aggregator and supplier of unique content, has significantly enhanced its presence in the Ontario market through an agreement with leading Canadian operator, PointsBet.
This partnership reinforces Relax Gaming’s aim to become a standout provider across North America, having already gained early success in Ontario. Relax became one of the first suppliers to deliver content to the region’s players in March 2022, debuting with over 120 games across multiple operators.
PointsBet pride themselves as one of Canada’s leading operators offering unmatched speed, ease of use, and a comprehensive array of pre-game and in-play sports betting options. This is complemented by a top-tier online casino which will now be boosted with the integration of Relax’s portfolio of slots and live dealer options.
With its authentic Canadian approach, PointsBet prioritises technology that minimises external dependencies to maintain control over its platform and has a commitment to responsible gambling best practices, ensuring a safe and secure environment for all players.
Martin Stålros, CEO at Relax Gaming, said: “Since we launched in Ontario we have enjoyed tremendous success, with our content hitting the sweet spot for the broad range of players in the Canadian province. This partnership with PointsBet will strengthen our presence in the market as the region’s leading operator integrates our rich content portfolio which will engage its player base.”
Scott Vanderwel, Chief Executive Officer at PointsBet, added: “Relax Gaming has established a strong reputation across North America and in Ontario in particular. The impressive range of content that will be integrated into our platform will increase engagement within our online platform and we are delighted to be able to provide more immersive experiences to our audiences.”
Established as one of the industry’s leading B2B suppliers, Relax Gaming was awarded GGA’s Product Launch of the Year in February 2023 for Dream Drop Jackpots. Money Train 3 names the 2023 CasinoBeats Game Developer Awards amongst its 6 Slot of the Year titles, while the brand also won the award for Skill Games Supplier at the 2023 EGR B2B Awards along with the Innovation in Mobile award at the 2023 SBC Awards.
Relax Gaming provides more than 4,000 online casino games, from its high-performing proprietary slots to a significant, varied library of content from hand-picked third-party studios via its partnership programmes.
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