Canadian sportsbook BET99 has launched its latest responsible gaming campaign with UFC Hall of Famer Georges St-Pierre.
The new commercial is a continuation of St-Pierre’s work as an RG ambassador for the sports betting and online casino operator, which began back in 2022. The TV, digital and social commercial features the Quebecer wearing traditional karate dress and highlighting BET99’s responsible gambling tools.
“Responsible gaming isn’t a tagline for us, it’s the core of what we do,” said BET99 CEO Jared Beber. “Players trust us with their time and entertainment, and that trust means creating an experience that’s always fun, safe, and in control. RG keeps betting where it belongs: enjoyable, balanced and pressure-free.
“We also know important messages stick better when they make you smile. Humour cuts through the noise, gets attention and helps people actually remember the tools and support available to them. And don’t worry, I promise we won’t have GSP show up at your house and break your TV. What will show up is a platform built around safety, transparency and real protections: limits, tools and a team that genuinely has your back.”
A proudly Canadian gaming operator, BET99 has worked with other athletes in the past with strong connections to the country, including Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews and Toronto FC legend Sebastian Giovinco.
RG the name of the game for athlete use in Ontario
In Ontario, online gambling operators are free to sign up athletes and celebrities as brand ambassadors as long as they exclusively advertise responsible gambling initiatives.
Since February 2024, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario’s regulations mandate that active or retired athletes cannot be used in marketing, “except for the exclusive purpose of advocating for responsible gambling practices.” Ontario also has a requirement that operators must spend a certain percentage of their annual gross gaming revenue on RG-specific messaging.
Other iGaming brands licensed in Ontario have followed this playbook. BetMGM has high-profile partnerships with the likes of Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid and hockey’s “Great One” Wayne Gretzky, former Toronto Raptors player Tracy McGrady is British sportsbook BetVictor’s face in Ontario, and Super Group’s sportsbook Betway uses French former soccer star Thierry Henry for RG advertising in the province.
BET99 expanding in sports and casino
Sports is a big piece of BET99’s business in Ontario, and the operator has enhanced its sportsbook in recent times with some notable deals.
In September, it partnered with micro-betting specialists Kero Gaming to launch many more in-play betting markets. It also launched Genius Sports‘ BetVision feature, which allows users who place pre-game or in-play wagers on certain games to watch free live streams of the game in the BET99 app, as well as get real-time statistical and betting updates overlaid on the stream.
BET99 has also been building out its online casino offering in a regulated provincial market that is around 85% iCasino by wagering handle and operator revenue. It struck a deal with prominent content supplier Pragmatic Play in June to enhance its live casino selection, and subsequently added a range of online games from Cyprus-based studio Evoplay last week.
This week, BET99 surpassed 3,000 games on its Ontario casino platform, including slots, table games, live casino, instant win titles and exclusive BET99-branded titles.
“Sports may be the front door to BET99, but iCasino is where players spend the most time,” Beber told Canadian Gaming Business earlier this year. “We’ve learned that a compelling iCasino experience isn’t just about having the largest library of games; it’s about presentation, personalization and trust. Deep personalization is about building genuine relationships with players as much as delivering relevant content. It comes back to Canadian values: serving players with integrity, pride and transparency.”
