BetMGM’s name carries a lot of weight with Canadian customers. So does its choice of partners.
The operator has a leading position in Ontario’s dual online sports betting and iCasino market, which was its first expansion outside the U.S. Imminently, Alberta will become the Entain and MGM Resorts International joint venture’s first new online casino market in four years; BetMGM is signing up customers in that province ahead of regulated Alberta iGaming beginning on July 13.
As both Ontario and Alberta expect and demand from their online sportsbooks and casinos, BetMGM continues to serve customers with access to a range of responsible gambling resources and tools. More than most competitors, the brand has recruited some bona fide Canadian star power to showcase the company’s commitment to player protection.
Enter Edmonton Oilers captain and Canadian hockey icon Connor McDavid.
‘Authenticity and cultural credibility’
BetMGM’s latest responsible gambling campaign, ‘Mullet Over’, is designed to connect with customers and sports fans across Canada and beyond.
The puck-themed campaign promotes BetMGM’s suite of responsible gambling tools and leverages the talents of two high-profile brand ambassadors. Featuring three-time Hart Memorial Trophy winner McDavid, ‘Mullet Over’ also enlists the talents of actor and former Montreal Canadiens left wing Terry Ryan to bring the campaign to life.
“From the start, our goal was to deliver responsible gambling information in a way people would genuinely pay attention to—and to meet fans where they are,” says BetMGM Director of Responsible Gambling Richard Taylor. “Connor McDavid and Terry Ryan were natural partners for this campaign because they bring authenticity and cultural credibility.
“The public listens to people they know and admire, and as a three‑time Hart Memorial Trophy winner and one of the most recognizable athletes in hockey, Connor has a unique ability to make sure an important message truly lands.”
Ryan also brings his own flavour to BetMGM’s responsible gambling efforts as a brand ambassador who bridges the gap between entertainment and player protection.
“Ryan complements McDavid’s credibility with his own presence and personality within hockey culture. As a former NHL player turned actor, he brings humour, relatability, and a deep connection to the sport’s traditions—including the unmistakable hockey mullet at the heart of the commercial’s concept.
“Together, their dynamic allowed us to deliver a responsible gambling message that feels memorable, culturally grounded and genuinely entertaining, without diluting the seriousness behind it.”
Know your audience
BetMGM has an all-star roster of brand ambassadors, from actors Jamie Foxx and Jon Hamm to New York Yankees hero Derek Jeter and hockey’s original ‘Great One’ Wayne Gretzky. This is a brand that recognizes the benefits of using renowned figures inside and outside sports and gaming when looking for a marketing power play.
In Ontario, specifically, gambling regulations restrict the use of athletes to responsible gambling messaging only, and Alberta will follow the same marketing policy.
“Responsible gambling messaging only works if people actually notice it … When campaigns are visible and compelling, they can drive real, positive change.”
As Taylor explains it, BetMGM understands that its existence as an operator is simply not enough to ensure that its players and potential customers are aware of its responsible gambling resources. Star power lends a weight to the messaging that can help drive home the point.
“We’re asking players to pause, reflect and make intentional choices,” adds Taylor. “The creative must be compelling enough to capture their attention and deliver a clear, memorable takeaway.
“That’s why using ambassadors, recognizable talent and humour is so effective for responsible gambling. When familiar personalities deliver responsible gambling messages with the same creative quality, production value and visibility as any other campaign, those messages are far more likely to break through. It’s not a compromise; it’s a prerequisite for effectiveness.”
The Chosen One
Gretzky might be ‘the Great One,’ but for BetMGM, McDavid has risen to the top as the chosen one.
McDavid became a brand ambassador for BetMGM in 2022, the first active athlete from North America’s four major professional sports leagues to rep an online sportsbook and casino. After finding initial success with the Oilers man as a centrepiece, the operator has built its team around him.
Taylor recalls how the initial responsible gambling push that BetMGM deployed in 2024 featuring McDavid yielded encouraging results.
“That campaign contributed to a 38% year‑over‑year increase in the use of deposit limits and a 55% increase in the use of stake limits at BetMGM,” Taylor explains. “Those are measurable shifts in behaviour — not just impressions or clicks. They show that when responsible gambling campaigns are visible and compelling, they can drive real, positive change.”
BetMGM has yet to quantify the impact of Mullet Over, but the company is optimistic that the campaign will provide the operator with similar results.
Alberta: Feels like home
While all of this is happening, BetMGM is looking ahead to what Alberta’s commercial sports betting is offering.
Like all online gaming brands that take part in Alberta, BetMGM will need to adhere to a key requirement set by the Alberta iGaming Corporation (AiGC) and the Ontario-based Responsible Gambling Council (RGC): obtain the RG Check accreditation. RG Check is an independent responsible gambling program powered by the RGC. The program evaluates the marketing practices, governance and player protection standards of licensed online casino and sports betting platforms.
“We’re committed to providing a best-in-class gambling experience that is fun and sustainable,” says Taylor. “That means sharing with Albertans the many advantages that we have to offer as an operator. Highlighting a focus on responsible gambling is at the core of who BetMGM is and what BetMGM does.”
Ontario is North America’s most saturated and competitive online gambling market across both sports betting and casino. Competition in Alberta will be fierce, too, but BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt has said he expects BetMGM’s Ontario presence and company-wide growth in 2025 to ensure a fast-paced start in what will be Canada’s second regulated iGaming province.
In McDavid, perhaps Alberta’s most beloved adopted son and certainly one of its most bankable stars, BetMGM will feel it has an MVP on board already to make the difference.
Sticking to the game plan
In the meantime, BetMGM continues to bolster its responsible gambling efforts in Canada through campaigns that appeal to regular bettors, occasional players, and sports fans across the country.
As online gambling arrives in earnest in Alberta, continues to boom in Ontario, and grows elsewhere across the country, Taylor stresses that advocating for responsible gambling in a meaningful and impactful fashion is the real game-winner.
“Legal sports betting has become part of the entertainment landscape, and responsible gambling can’t sit quietly on the sidelines,” Taylor notes. “It needs to be delivered with the same clarity, confidence and creativity as every other message competing for a viewer’s attention. That’s why BetMGM will keep leaning into humour, fresh creative ideas and recognizable ambassadors.”
A version of this story first appeared in the Summer 2026 issue of Canadian Gaming Business magazine.
