Super Group’s sportsbook brand Betway will continue to operate in Ontario, despite the news they’re shutting down operations in the U.S., and it’s also looking at Canadian expansion.
During last week’s Q2 earnings call, Super Group CEO Neal Menasche said the company is “super ready” for the opening of an open regulated market in Alberta.
PointsBet Canada is looking hard at Alberta as well. CEO Scott Vanderwel told CDC Gaming that his company would be “thrilled” to enter the Alberta market.
A lot of industry eyes are on Alberta. In late July, Dale Nally, Minister of Service and Red Tape Reduction, Province of Alberta, told CDC Gaming that it’s full steam ahead for igaming in the province. “I can’t give you an exact date [for a launch], but I can tell you that I think people are going to be surprised by how fast we get this done … and roll this out.”
The government just completed a consultation with First Nations on a new regulatory regime, Nally said. Next up is consultation with land-based casinos. Following that will be a consultation with racetrack operators.
“Regulation is coming in Alberta,” Menasche said. “Everything we did in Ontario, we’ve learned to do it even better. So the teams are ready and waiting for when Alberta regulates. We’re optimizing everywhere. Alberta would be no different than Ontario, same as our business in Africa. Our cost efficiencies are dropping down to the bottom up.”
Added Vanderwel, “If we’re awarded the opportunity to do so, PointsBet will be thrilled to enter the Alberta market as soon as it opens. Our experience in Ontario has reinforced our commitment to expanding our presence across legal regulated markets in Canada.
“We believe that Alberta offers a unique and vibrant sports betting landscape, and we are eager to bring our premium product and localized approach to Alberta bettors. Our team is already working diligently to ensure that we can deliver an exceptional experience to sports fans and igaming fans alike in Alberta as soon as possible.”
According to Jay Snowden, Chief Executive Officer and President of PENN Entertainment, which owns theScore Bet, Alberta is too enticing to ignore.
“We expect to further increase our digital footprint with prospective launches of ESPN in New York subject to regulatory approval and theScore Bet in Alberta when the market eventually opens,” he told investors during an earnings call last week, expanding on PENN’s Q2 fiscal 2024 report. “Both with online sports betting and icasino, we expect Alberta to be a very strong market for us, given the power of theScore Bet brand in that market and the success we’ve seen in Ontario.
“We don’t have an exact date on Alberta and I don’t want to speak for the government or the regulators there,” Snowden added. “But I would say that we’re thinking sometime toward the end of this year, early 2025 [for a market launch]. We anticipate that the success we’ve seen in Ontario with theScore Bet, we would be able to replicate that in Alberta. theScore is a very popular brand throughout Canada. It’s not just a Toronto or Ontario thing. So given the success we’ve had in Ontario, and given that Alberta will have very similar tax rates as we understand it, and be both OSB and icasino, we think it’s going to be a really important North American market for us, probably a two top three or four market for us.”
Vanderwel added that PointsBet Canada’s Ontario experience has positioned them well for future expansions.
“Our Ontario launch was a tremendous learning experience. One of the key takeaways was the importance of tailoring our product and marketing strategies to the specific preferences and needs of the local market,” he said. “In Ontario, we placed a strong emphasis on understanding the unique sporting culture and ensuring that our platform resonated with local bettors, which led to strong engagement and customer satisfaction.
“For Alberta, we plan to apply the same level of dedication to understanding the market nuances and delivering a truly localized experience. Our focus will be on responsible gaming, innovation, and providing a superior product tailored to the preferences of Albertans.”
