The PointsBet Canada arm of gambling operator PointsBet has entered into a partnership with Canadian professional sports and real estate business Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE).
Under the deal, PointsBet will become an official sports betting partner of MLSE and its portfolio of professional sports teams.
MLSE counts National Hockey League team the Toronto Maple Leafs, National Basketball Association franchise the Toronto Raptors, Major League Soccer outfit Toronto FC, Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League and American Hockey League team the Toronto Marlies among its Ontario-based assets.
The partnership comes after Ontario last week opened its legal online gambling market. PointsBet was among the first operators to go live in the province, accepting its first bet just 50 seconds after the market opened.
“We happily welcome PointsBet Canada as a partner of the Maple Leafs, Raptors, TFC and Argos as they enter the Ontario market with a well-established reputation in the sports betting industry,” MLSE senior vice-president of global partnerships, Jordan Vader, said.
“We look forward to utilising our partnership to provide fans of our teams with new and different ways of interacting and engaging with the sports they love with a trusted operator in PointsBet that prioritises responsible gaming.”
PointsBet Canada chief executive Scott Vanderwel added: “You rarely get the opportunity to partner with an organisation that spans across all four professional leagues through the Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors, Toronto FC and the Toronto Argonauts, and offers year-round entertainment within the sports market in Canada.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with MLSE on this innovative and exciting relationship.”
The deal comes after MLSE last week entered into a similar partnership with Flutter brands PokerStars and FanDuel.