Barstool receives theScore makeover, and Unibet finds (v)room with Honda Indy Toronto
The migration of Penn's sportsbook app this week in 16 states had a made-in-Canada stamp, while Kindred Group joins his weekend's IndyCar race. And, IBIA releases a study into women's sports/betting.
In this issue:
Barstool Sportsbook gets theScore makeover
IBIA releases study on women’s sports
Kindred Group a partner of Honda Indy Toronto
RGC, Play Anywhere execs join Gaming News Canada Show
Barstool Sportsbook platform change has a Made-in-Canada stamp on it
Two years ago next month, while your humble correspondent was hitting a few practice putts before a morning round of golf at the rather quaint Woodington Lakes course near Tottenham just north of the city below Markham, a news release landed in our inbox with the announcement that Penn Interactive was acquiring theScore for some $2 billion (USD) in cash and stock.
In the communique, Penn CEO Jay Snowden was quoted as saying: “theScore’s unique media platform and modern, state-of-the-art technology is a powerful complement to the reach of Barstool Sports and its popular personalities and content”.
Well, ladies and germs, this morning’s dispatch arrives hours after the expected completion of Penn-owned Barstool Sports migrating theScore’s technology onto its app across an unprecedented (we’re led to believe) 16 states in the U.S. of A. The timing to move theScore’s tech in and move out the platforms provided by Kambi and White Hat Gaming this week coincided with MLB’s All-Star break and a relatively quiet week (the second week of Wimbledon aside, and if you’re betting on the ESPYs you really need to find a hobby) in the wide world of sports.
There was a definite made-in-Canada stamp on the switchover with theScore’s technology team in at its Queen’s Quay offices in Toronto coordinating and collaborating with Penn’s tech types. Barstool will now be using the same platform as customers of theScore Bet in Ontario’s regulated gambling market. In an interview with Cole Rush of iGaming Business last December, theScore/Penn head honcho Benjie Levy spoke about the importance of holding your own keys to technology.
“When you control all elements of the user experience both front-end and back-end, that allows you to drive innovation, to create a seamless experience, and really do it at a speed and a pace that’s just not possible when you’re stitching together disparate systems from different vendors,” Levy told Rush then. “What’s important is the control it affords us, and the ability for us to own our roadmap. We can set the prioritisation without relying on a third party or multiple third parties.”
TheScore’s involvement in the Barstool migration reiterates the presence of a dynamic tech hub in our home and native land, including Toronto. While the expanding presence of artificial intelligence means we may all be day-to-day when it comes to playing in the working world one day (we wrote, tongue somewhat touching cheek. . . ), theScore continues to be on the lookout for new tech talent.
Want to onboard more players in Ontario? GBG, global leaders in identity and fraud prevention, are the first to give iGaming firms access to two of Canada’s main credit bureaus, Equifax and TransUnion. With access to two of the main credit bureaus in Canada, Operators can increase their player match rates, improve their acquisition rate and onboard more good players first-time. Learn more.
IBIA releases study on women’s sports, betting and integrity hurdles
To paraphrase the Bob Dylan tune, the times they continue to change for women’s sports. . . and for the better.
One week before the start of what will for sure be the most-attended and watched FIFA Women’s World Cup ever (by the by, a highly motivated Canadian side meets Nigeria in its opening match next Thursday), there have been several recent examples of women’s sport taking the next step. To wit:
A collective bargaining agreement is signed, sealed and delivered, and plans are moving forward to launch a North American-based women’s pro hockey league in January.
Last weekend U.S. Women’s Open golf major, bringing together the best female players in the world at the iconic Pebble Beach Golf Links for the first time ever, saw its highest TV ratings in almost a decade.
Tennis Canada announced at the end of last month that prize money will be equal for both men and women at the National Bank Open beginning in 2027.
The winner of the women’s singles title this weekend at Wimbledon will earn $2.9 million (U.S.), the same amount as the men’s champion.
Franchises in Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary are confirmed for the Canadian women’s pro soccer league created by former national team player Diana Matheson with a scheduled starting date of 2025.
Expansion is believed to be on the horizon for the WNBA with Toronto among the favourites to join.
On the sports betting front, the WTA announced this week an extension of its multi-year partnership with FanDuel for North, South and Central America. And ESPN gambling scribe David Purdum sent this out Tuesday on the Twitterverse:
As the old saying goes, with reward comes risk. A point made by the International Betting Integrity Association in the Breaking Barriers: Assessing Women’s Sports, Betting and Integrity Challenges report (click here for the executive summary) it released yesterday. And echoed by IBIA CEO Khalid Ali in a news release that accompanied the results of the study.
“We are about to witness the best-attended and most-watched women’s World Cup in history, and where soccer leads, other women’s sports are rapidly following,” said Ali. “The dramatic growth of women’s sports is a hugely positive development - for fans, the sports and athletes themselves, and also for the betting market. It is creating very significant and untapped opportunities for sports betting.
“However, with increased growth, comes an increased responsibility for ensuring we get ahead of the game when it comes to sports integrity and the fight against match-fixing in women’s sport. There is no room for complacency.”
The study, produced through a partnership between IBIA, Flutter, Entain, Stats Perform, the All-in Diversity Project and German Sport University Cologne, reported that while women’s sports has been less susceptible to match-fixing over the past four years, that’s attributed to the “considerably larger market” for men’s sports. Included in the analysis of sports betting data:
Five recommendations come out of the report: strengthen monitoring and regulations; improve the public perception of women’s sports integrity; develop targeted education and awareness programs; promote fair wages and economic transparency; and improve data availability and research.
We recommend adding the 53-page report to your reading list.
Kindred Group hops on board Honda Indy Toronto
Kindred Group has, for the most part, steered clear of the sponsorship game since launching its Unibet brand in the Ontario market. The Swedish-based sportsbook and igaming is switching gears this week, however, jumping into the driver’s seat as the official online casino of this weekend’s Honda Indy Toronto at Exhibition Place.
OK, ok, enough with the lousy vroom vroom puns. Part and parcel in the partnership is Kindred landing naming rights for the Unibet Finish Line Lounge, and the Unibet Victory Circle where the race winners will receive their hardware over the weekend..
“The Honda Indy is always a highly anticipated weekend in Toronto as our historic Exhibition Place grounds transform into a race track,” Amanda Brewer, Kindred’s Canadian country manager, said in a news release earlier this week. “Kindred’s flagship brand Unibet is proud to sponsor this long-standing summer tradition, as it gives us a chance to say thank you to our customers and support a fun and exhilarating event that is celebrating its 35th anniversary in 2023.”
The sponsorship announcement comes in the same week that Kindred announced its online sportsbook and casino app is up and running in Pennsylvania.
White, Scott lend their voices to Gaming News Canada Show
Our summer hiatus from LinkedIn Audio continues, so a note to our loyal listeners to enjoy some quiet time this Thursday afternoon. Or. . . . grab your headphones/airpods, put on your walking shoes and while you’re out in the great outdoors, give a listen to the latest Gaming News Canada Show podcast presented by Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP.
This week, Responsible Gambling Council grand poobah Shelley White answered a few questions about the council’s latest annual report that was released at the end of last week. We were also joined by Peter Scott, the longtime sports and digital media dynamo with Turner Sports and Warner Media who’s now directing the strategy of Play Anywhere. The startup announced an interactive rights partnership last month with La Liga, and Scott discussed the opportunities for sports teams, leagues and bodies to make hay beyond traditional media rights.
Receive a complimentary copy of the Gaming News Canada newsletter in your inbox every Tuesday and Thursday. Upgrade to our premium subscription and unlock a multitude of curated link sections, such as "On the Home Front," "Let’s Get Together," "States Side Stories," "People on the Move," “Classified (Jobs) Information, and more.
Participate in the live Gaming News Canada Show every Thursday afternoon and become a featured guest on our podcast, released every Friday.
Stay up-to-date with the latest news by following us on LinkedIn and Twitter, ensuring you never miss out on breaking updates.
To discuss our coverage of your company's news and announcements and to become a sponsor of our newsletter and podcast, please reach out to me at steve@gamingnewscanada.ca.