TonyBet Relies on Soccer to Succeed in Ontario

The Canadian Premier League and one of its official gambling partners, TonyBet, are both trying to expand their brand exposure. The Baltic-based sports betting brand is one of Ontario’s licensed iGaming operators, allowing the company to offer legal online gambling in the province, which was followed by a partnership between the operator and the league.

Ontario’s highly competitive online casino market touts more than 70 digital operators and websites running iGaming operations. That is why European operators such as TonyBet need all the help they can find to expand, and its soccer offerings and connection to football can be the ones to make it stand out in the province and attract more punters in the Heartland Province.

Soccer is There for the Taking

Joachim Lemmens, head of social and content at the Baltic bookmaker commented that when the company looked into the market, it noticed that no one was claiming the soccer spot. He added that the brand does not wish to be the biggest, but instead wanted to have certain communities which are relevant such as Hamilton and Halifax in which the CPL operates.

The spokesperson said that soccer is already one of the operator’s top three sports by betting volume in Ontario. Additionally, European football was the second-most bet sport in the province in the first year of legal iGaming, accounting for 15% of all bets, as per data provided by the government agency legally authorized to oversee the online gambling model.

In the meantime, the company wants to keep that interest in the sport by offering other markets that other bookmakers may not provide. For instance, not every brand is offering odds on the Kuwait Premier League, but the Baltic firm is, and the operator wants to offer such a product along with some custom bets related to its media partnerships.

Canadians Get More Into Soccer

It remains to be seen whether the operator’s plans will work out, but it is involving itself in the beautiful game after it partnered with the CPL in April this year. According to the league, the reported record attendance this past season of more than 400,000 fans, with six of seven clubs and around 14,000 additional people attending the final on October 28, 2023.

After last year’s participation of the Canada National team in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which was a majority of bettors in Ontario backed the team advance. There is even more soccer for Canadians to look forward to as the country is preparing to host World Cup matches in 2026, which will most likely drive more interest in the sport

Lastly, Mr. Lemmens said that there is plenty more soccer to come in the next three years in Canada and North America. Via its brands like Footy Prime, TonyBet is hopeful to educate its would-be customers on the details of soccer wagering, as well as provide them with several suggested plays, and and explain why bettors should choose their platform.

Source: Zochodne, Geoff ”TonyBet Tapping into Growing Canadian Soccer Scene to Build Sports Wagering Business” Covers, November 24, 2023