The Canadian market is slowly becoming a focal point for many content partnerships with an expanding market to appropriately welcome it all.

An Exclusive Content Partnership

The strategic content partnership will see Homestand’s content, such as the Homestand Sports Show, the Room 4-4-2 soccer show and The Parleh betting show, featured daily on SportsGrid Canada when it launches in February. The content will originate from Homestand’s Toronto studios, and the programs will be streamed exclusively on the streaming network during the weekdays.

A weekend edition of Room 4-4-2 featuring the veteran Canadian sports broadcaster James Sharman is also planned. As part of Parleh Media Group, Homestand Sports offers a variety of other informative and entertaining sports content, such as Pitch Talks, Footy Talks, Puck Talks and Hoop Talks. However, Canadians are in for a special treat.

All the Homestand content on the network will be Canadian-focused, with news and wagering data tailored to the interests of Canadian fans, bringing them maximum value from the various shows and coverage. A special event tentpole live coverage of the NHL Trade Deadline is also planned, scheduled to air on March 3, 2023.

Canada’s Market is Developing

While Homestand Sports is based in Toronto, SportsGrid is based in the US, so this marks a big step for the streaming network’s expansion efforts in Canada. SportsGrid’s Canadian channel appeared in the news in the second half of last December, with multiple strategic content partnerships and alliances paving the way to enter the new market.

Entering these alliances has been a key part of the network’s strategy, and not only for its Canada plans. It partnered with Associated Press for exclusive video distribution and other sports betting content last October. Another notable partnership was with VIDAA, enabling Homestand to launch its content on VIDAA’s smart TV OS and content platform.

So, the Homestand Sports partnership could be just one of the multiple arrangements that SportsGrid has on its roadmap. Canada seems to be a good market, budding with opportunities and potential, with Ontario frequently appearing in the news cycle with new entrants in the face of new operators, for example, or even existing operators expanding their offerings.

This sometimes happens through US-based companies expanding into the market, as is the case with Homestand and SportsGrid’s partnership. Another prime example of a US-based company wanting to enter the Canadian market was the Odds On Compliance playbook launch in Ontario.

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), isn’t focused solely on US businesses wanting to enter, of course. It’s been keeping busy with multiple operators wanting to expand their offerings, as was the case with Sports Interaction– the sports wagering and online casino gambling operator.

The regulator granted an iGaming license to Sports Interaction last summer, with multiple such stories making headlines, showing the prominence of the Canadian market.

The goal of the research is to achieve a better understanding of the fans of female sports, the betting behavior regarding female sports, women that engage in sports betting activities, and the sponsorship coming to women’s sports.

The Collaboration Will Focus on Female Sports Bettors

The collaboration between IGI, the academic research center at UNLV, and sports betting operator Gaming Society is striving to make women’s sports and betting on them more accessible, inclusive, and engaging for sports fans, sports bettors, and sponsors.

However, the main focus of the research will be women bettors as very little is known about their betting habits, motivation, and attitude toward betting and sports. This information will help better understand female bettors and will also support the sports betting industry in targeting and engaging more women sports fans.

As part of the partnership, Gaming Society and IGI will also further develop and expand educational programs on responsible betting. One of their initiatives will include working on broadening and improving the Gaming Society’s Betting Academy 101.

These educational initiatives will aim to keep bettors up to date on the new developments in the industry and to help them better understand the new opportunities technologies provide in the sector, but also the many challenges that come with innovative advancements.

Furthermore, the partnership will see the creation of a mentor program involving UNLV students and professionals from the sports betting industry, which will give students opportunities for starting a career in the sector.

Executives from Gaming Society and IGI Are Thrilled about the New Partnership

Naturally, both Gaming Society and IGI expressed their excitement about the new collaboration.
Nancy Lough, Co-Director of Sports Research and Innovation at UNLV, highlighted the importance of research on female sports betting: “Advancement of women’s sports business relies on an appreciation of the value women’s sport offers to fans and sponsors. Collaboratively we will increase awareness of the exciting business opportunities in women’s sport, while also establishing UNLV’s IGI and the Gaming Society as the go-to source for thought leadership and workforce development.”

Brett Abarbanel, Executive Director at IGI, on his part, underlined the importance of the educational programs that will be part of the partnership. Abarbanel further stressed that the research will play an important part in seeing how sports betting can help the advancement and development of female sports.

Jaymee Messler, Co-Founder of Gaming Society, was also thrilled about the collaboration, noting that innovation in the sports betting industry can only be driven by analytical research and data collection. He further elaborated that the research conducted together with IGI, which will be available by the end of this year, is going to help sports teams, sports leagues, and team sponsors gain a better understanding of their fan base.

Mariska Venter, a 26-year-old wheelchair tennis player from South Africa, has voluntarily accepted a provisional suspension for violating the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA)’s anti-doping program.

Provisional Suspension

Venter, who is currently ranked 36 by the ITF, accepted a provisional suspension effective December 13, 2022, and will be ineligible to participate in or attend any tennis event under the governing bodies of the sports until the matter is resolved.

Venter was notified by the ITIA in December that she has been charged with a violation of the 2022 Tennis Anti-Doping Programme (TADP), under Article 2.1 dealing with the presence of a prohibited substance in a player’s sample, and Article 2.2 concerning the use of a prohibited substance without a valid therapeutic use exemption.

The violation occurred at a wheelchair event in Belgium in July during which Venter was selected for a test as the analysis of the test’s A sample uncovered metabolites of Sibutramine, a substance that is classified as a stimulant and is prohibited under section S6 of the 2022 list of prohibited substances.

The List Is Growing

Venter is the latest tennis player to receive a sanction, albeit temporary, from the ITIA as the sports integrity body is determined to clear the sport from manipulation and unfair competition.

Just days ago, the sports integrity body sanctioned two professional tennis players from Algeria for multiple match-fixing offenses and one of them was slapped with a lifetime ban.

In December, ITIA banned for nine months Chinese player Baoluo Zheng for a match-fixing attempt during a tournament in Egypt in October and slapped Chilean tennis player Bárbara Gatica Avilés with a three-year ban for losing a match in exchange for payment in 2016.

Also in December, the integrity body issued lifetime bans to two French tennis players, Jules Okala and Mick Lescure, over match-fixing offenses going back to 2014 as both were found guilty of purposefully losing matches or influencing the outcome of games.

Bulgarian umpire Stefan Milanov, who was found in breach of ITIA’s Tennis Anti-Corruption Programme (TARP) by placing wagers on tennis games on multiple occasions one of which he was officiating, received only a six-month suspension.

Operating as the delegated party under the World Anti-Doping Code of the International Tennis Federation (ITF), ITIA is responsible for the management and administration of anti-doping policies and procedures in professional tennis, in accordance with the 2022 TADP, and is determined to protect the integrity of the sport.

The terms of the new deal see the company expand its data distribution for licensed sports betting operators.

Tennis Australia Inks Data Distribution Deal with Stats Perform

Under the terms of the new deal, Stats Perform was designated as the exclusive distributor of data and live video streaming for Tennis Australia’s tournaments. Thanks to the collaboration, the company will deliver unique insights and data for its partner operators. Stats Perform explained that the multi-year deal covers Australian Open and Australian Open Qualifying, among other Tennis Australia tournaments.

“We are honored to have been chosen to work with Tennis Australia – an organization which shares our goal of protecting and elevating the fan experience, for new and existing tennis audiences across the globe.“

Carl Mergele, CEO at Stats Perform

Carl Mergele, Stats Perform’s CEO, explained that one of the main goals of the company is to offer unique entertainment. This entertainment, according to him, helps elevate the experience and engagement of customers of sports businesses. Mergele pointed out that the company is delighted to team up with Tennis Australia. Last but not least, he said that Tennis Australia shares a vision with Stats Perform as the duo seek to offer exciting experiences for fans and engage with new audiences around the world.

The Collaboration Helps Expand Tennis’ Audiences, Boost Integrity

Tennis Australia’s chief revenue officer, Cedric Conelis, added that Stats Perform is a respected and trusted company that uses innovative methods. This unique combination, according to the chief revenue officer, made the company the perfect fit for Tennis Australia.

“Stats Perform has a reputation for trust and innovation, making them a clear choice and providing more opportunities for us to reach and engage with our fans.“

Cedric Conelis, chief revenue officer at Tennis Australia

The new deal with Stats Perform will enable Tennis Australia to leverage the company’s leading tools such as PressBox Graphics and Opta Facts, among other solutions that help expand the audiences of the sport.

What’s more, the collaboration sees Tennis Australia team up with Stats Perform’s integrity division to help monitor matches and boost the integrity of the sport. Consequently, Tennis Australia will be able to leverage Stats Perform Integrity’s core services as well as other solutions that focus on integrity monitoring and analysis.

Aruze Gaming, a globally-operating company that produces slot machines and gaming devices for the casino gaming industry, has unveiled a new agreement with the leading operator BetMGM. The new agreement will see the supplier power the gambling giant with some of its best games.

Aruze Gaming Will Add Four Titles to BetMGM’s Platform

As per the deal, Aruze Gaming will provide BetMGM with a small selection of some of its best gaming titles. Those will include four hits, namely Ultra Stack Showgirls, Ultra Stack Lion, 8 Wealthy Lions and Wolf 500g.

Under the agreement, BetMGM will launch these games in New Jersey, engaging local audiences with Aruze’s premium gaming content. The deal will also help the supplier grow its presence in the region and make its name known among local players.

As outlined in the partnership, Aruze will power BetMGM’s New Jersey offering with more of its games in the future. Titles such as Rock Paper Scissors Instant Win are expected to go live on the operator’s platform in the state within the next weeks.

BetMGM, meanwhile, will now also offer Skillzzgaming content to its fans, it was announced. Thanks to Pariplay’s aggregation platform, the operator was able to augment its portfolio with Skillzzgaming fan favorites, including the beloved Fruit Blast.

However, not everything has been great for the operator as it opened the year with a fine from the Ohio Casino Control Commission.

Hansen Shared Aruze’s Excitement about the Deal

Aruze’s vice president of iGaming, Kurt Hansen, spoke about the agreement with BetMGM. He labeled BetMGM as a “trusted and beloved operator,” saying that Aruze’s team is very happy to be able to provide it with games.

Hansen continued, noting that Aruze will be focusing a lot of its efforts on expanding its iGaming footprint in 2023. According to the VP, the developer values the convenience of mobile devices and wants to bring more of its award-winning games to the virtual world. This, Hansen said, would allow players to enjoy them anytime, anyplace.

Aruze, which is already popular among land-based operators, hopes to conquer the digital sector as well. Hansen believes that this will attract many new customers toward the developer’s products, especially players who do not have an accessible casino nearby.

Kansen joined Aruze in July 2022, leveraging his experience to execute and implement the company’s online growth strategy. A month later, the company was also joined by Lesley Hodges who was designated as senior director of marketing.