The Responsible Gambling Council (RGC) has dropped the puck on a new partnership with the Ottawa Senators that focuses on increasing awareness of and access to responsible gambling resources for hockey fans in Canada’s capital.
The Canadian independent non-profit organization’s prevention messaging is now featured during the NHL team’s home games via in-arena activations and digital signage at the Senators’ Canadian Tire Centre arena.
The RGC and the Sens are also running a social media campaign and contest across Ontario and Quebec. The council sponsors a “Great Saves” in-game feature at select home games, provides content through the team’s social media channels and offers promotional contests designed to engage fans while also sharing responsible gambling information.
Meeting sports fans where they’re at
The partnership runs through June 2027, with the option to extend.
“Sports and sports betting are increasingly connected in today’s entertainment landscape,” said RGC CEO Sarah McCarthy. “This partnership allows us to reach people when they’re getting in the game with their team, in those moments when emotions are running high and provide them with practical information about how to keep gambling safe and enjoyable.”
“The Ottawa Senators organization is excited to partner with the Responsible Gambling Council,” added the Senators’ VP of Corporate Partnerships, Martin Ballard. “This collaboration supports our commitment to fan wellbeing and aligns with our core values and beliefs.”
RGC signs up roster of sports partners
The RGC has worked with regulators, operators, treatment providers and other stakeholders for decades to promote safer gambling in Canada and beyond. Its work is rooted in evidence-based research and emphasizes prevention education and access to supports.
It has added the Senators to a group of sports partners that also includes Toronto sports ownership conglomerate Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE), the owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Toronto Raptors, Toronto FC and the Toronto Argonauts, as well as the NFL.
The RGC also recently struck a deal with the Responsible Online Gaming Association (ROGA) to develop a first-of-its-kind U.S. certification for responsible online gaming. ROGA’s eight members include bet365, BetMGM, DraftKings, FanDuel, theScore owner PENN Entertainment and Bally’s, all of whom are operational in Ontario’s iGaming market. Its other two members, Fanatics Betting and Gaming and Hard Rock Digital, are exploring possibly expanding north of the border.
