Super Group has signed up soccer icon Thierry Henry as a worldwide ambassador for its Betway brand.
The company announced on Tuesday that the former Arsenal, Barcelona and France striker will become “the globally recognized face of Betway’s soccer product.”
Betway offers sports betting in numerous markets across the world, including in Europe, Super Group’s leading market of Africa, and Canada. It is a licensed sportsbook in Ontario’s regulated market, along with several Super Group online casinos such as Jackpot City and Spin, and also has a sizeable presence in other provinces.
Henry is Arsenal’s all-time leading goalscorer and a two-time Premier League winner with the club. He later won six trophies including the UEFA Champions League with Barcelona, and he is a FIFA World Cup and UEFA European Championship winner with France. These days, he has dabbled in coaching and is a high-profile soccer analyst for Prime Video in the UK and for CBS Sports in the U.S.
“Thierry Henry is a true soccer legend and sporting great, and it is with immense pleasure that we welcome him into the Betway family of ambassadors and partners,” said Super Group CEO Neal Menashe. “Our deal with Thierry’s former club Arsenal has been a flagship part of our marketing strategy over the last two years. We look forward to sharing his expert insights and exclusive content with our customers across the world.”
The deal marks the start of domestic football leagues in Europe, in a season which will culminate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be held next summer across North America including in Toronto and Vancouver.
“Football’s always been about action and excitement, and that’s what Betway brings to fans in a unique way,” said Henry in the Super Group release. “I’m really looking forward to being part of something that connects people to the game they love.”
Any Ontario marketing must have RG focus
Super Group’s release referenced global use of Henry in Betway marketing. Canadian Gaming Business reached out to the company to ask about specific Canadian plans.
In Ontario, the only province in which commercial online gambling operators are recognized and regulated by the government, any use of Henry will have to be centered on responsible gambling measures. As of February 2024, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario’s (AGCO) rules stipulate that active or retired athletes cannot be used in advertising and marketing, “except for the exclusive purpose of advocating for responsible gambling practices.”
“We will stick to the regulations and ensure he’s only used in safer gambling messaging in Ontario,” a Super Group spokesperson told Canadian Gaming Business.
Since Ontario’s change, operators have continued to partner with sports stars via a shifted approach in which the collaborations are entirely based around RG measures. BetMGM prominently uses Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid in this way, and will also do so with New York Yankees legend Derek Jeter via a new ambassadorial deal announced last month. BetVictor, as another example, enlisted former Toronto Raptor Tracy McGrady to serve as its face in Ontario.
What about other provinces?
While some Ontario-licensed operators’ only Canadian business is in that province, Betway has a large footprint across the country.
Super Group is reputedly the Canadian market leader outside Ontario, per H2 Gambling Capital data shown to Canadian Gaming Business. The parent company divulged this week that while its Ontario revenue grew 5% in the three months ended June 30, 2025, its revenue in the rest of Canada climbed 22%.
“This performance highlights the continued strength of all of our brands across Canada,” the CEO told Canadian Gaming Business in June. It has advertised prominently in Alberta for years, including at Oilers’ home games, and intends to apply for a license there when that province launches regulated iGaming in early 2026.
As an operator with a presence outside Ontario, Super Group will theoretically have more flexibility in how it uses the Henry deal elsewhere in Canada. “Elsewhere, we’ll adapt the consumer messaging in line with local regulations, as we do with all deals,” the spokesperson told Canadian Gaming Business of the Henry deal.
Menashe added to Canadian Gaming Business in June that while more than 80% of Super Group’s revenue is from iCasino brands, online sports betting “has an important role to play and brings a fundamentally different customer compared to our online casinos.”
Although Super Group shut down Betway in the U.S. last year and is now pulling out of the States entirely, Betway’s sports wagering will continue to be an important part of its offering in Ontario. The company will hope that Thierry Henry’s worldwide name recognition will help it capitalize on Canada’s soccer fandom and the World Cup excitement heading into 2026.
