In a crowded Ontario iGaming market that hosts all sorts of operators, big and small, DAZN hopes that tying together its sports streaming platform and DAZN Bet Sportsbook & Casino will prove to be a winning strategy.
DAZN Bet launched in the province on June 30 and entered Alberta’s new regulated online gambling market on day one two weeks later. It brings with it the cachet of a global sports streaming giant and the iGaming experience of an established European operator.
Using its Pragmatic-powered platform and Altenar’s sportsbook technology across both provinces, tailoring its existing attributes as a sports and gaming company for a Canadian user base is next on the agenda.
“One of DAZN Bet’s advantages in the market is the trust and affinity that’s already been built through DAZN with sports fans,” Managing Director of DAZN Bet Canada Richard Rawlinson told Canadian Gaming Business recently. “Combined with our focus on product quality, responsible gaming, and local relevance, we believe that makes DAZN Bet a very compelling proposition.”
Canada marks DAZN’s iGaming debut outside Europe
Former Sports Interaction affiliate leader and ex-TonyBet Canadian chief Rawlinson brings his own Canadian gaming experiences to the role. He is charged with helping DAZN Bet capitalize on its renown as a sports streaming service in North America and setting it up to compete with the 80-plus other operators that are live and taking bets in Ontario, as well as the almost 30 already up and running in Alberta.
“Ontario appealed to us because it is one of the most sophisticated and well-regulated gaming markets in North America, with a strong sports culture,” Rawlinson explained. “Alberta is similarly attractive as a newly regulated market, creating an opportunity to establish a presence early and build for the long term.”
The quickfire double launch in Canada’s two regulated iGaming provinces represented DAZN Bet’s first expansion outside of Europe, where it is active in several markets, including:
- Austria
- France
- Germany
- Italy
- Spain
- United Kingdom
DAZN Bet launched only its website in Ontario to start, not a mobile app. The operator intends to extend its iGaming platform to mobile devices in Canada before long, but that does not appear to have happened yet as of the time of writing.
Targeting a local feel through sports
As for DAZN’s streaming platform, that is available in more than 200 countries as an app, website, over-the-top subscription, or as a channel on other streaming services such as Amazon Prime and FuboTV.
In Canada, the company holds rights to stream various sports, including NFL RedZone, MLB Network, some major European soccer competitions, major boxing events, LIV Golf, various tennis competitions and more. Notably, it also recently signed a deal to take over the Canadian broadcast of some CFL games from TSN, including becoming the exclusive broadcaster of the league’s Saturday Night Football.
Rawlinson added that although every market is unique, DAZN Bet’s experience of operating across multiple regulated jurisdictions has provided it with deep expertise in how to stick the landing. Operators entering the Canadian market often tend to speak of their desire to provide a user experience that feels tailored to Canadian tastes. DAZN Bet is no different.
“We bring those learnings to Canada, but with a strong commitment to local relevance,” Rawlinson said. “The overall brand and customer experience will remain consistent, while the execution will be tailored locally. Our sportsbook offering reflects Canadian interests, including North American leagues, Canadian teams, and the sports and events that resonate most strongly in each market.”
Online casino a ‘growth area’ for sports-rooted operator
And, though the DAZN brand is rooted in sports, DAZN Bet leaders know that, unlike in some of its European markets, online casino is a huge part of the online gambling landscape in Ontario and Alberta.
DAZN Bet offers a range of slots and live dealer games from various renowned suppliers, and Rawlinson noted that iCasino will be “an important growth area for the brand in Canada, alongside its natural sports positioning.
“This includes not only the popular games but also unique DAZN Bet titles,” he added. “Ontario and Alberta customers will share many interests, but messaging, promotions and product emphasis may differ based on provincial regulations, market maturity, customer behaviour and the competitive environment.
“Our focus is on delivering a strong product and customer experience and building the operational foundation needed to scale sustainably. Early results and customer behaviour will determine where and how quickly investment in marketing campaigns is scaled.”
Watch on DAZN, wager on DAZN Bet
Still, while online casino is huge in Ontario and will likely be similarly important in Alberta, sports are DAZN’s bread and butter.
Recent years have seen the lines blurred between sports viewing and sports betting. Companies such as Genius Sports and Sportradar offer products that facilitate in-stream wagering while people watch along online, and major leagues like the NBA have experimented with allowing online sportsbooks to directly integrate odds alongside streams of their games.
DAZN has something that no other commercial iGaming operator in Canada has: a ready-made sports streaming service and global renown as somewhere to subscribe to watch a range of live sports. It intends to use it. As DAZN CEO Shay Segev said at ICE in January: “They can only watch it on DAZN, so they should be able to bet on DAZN.”
While the company currently does not facilitate betting transactions directly within the streaming service, DAZN intends to create a strong association between that and its separate betting platform. More integrations between streaming and betting could follow in the future for sports and leagues for which DAZN holds the Canadian rights.
The ultimate idea is that as people in Ontario or Alberta watch sports, track live scores, and read sports news and insights on DAZN, they will be able to bet along with the games (or spin online slots, perhaps) on DAZN Bet on mobile.
“We are focused on creating a seamless second-screen experience,” he explained. “While users watch live sports on DAZN, they can use DAZN Bet on their mobile device. With our roots in sports, we understand what fans care about, and we’re bringing that insight to a sportsbook and casino experience tailored to Canadian customers.”
