MARKETING
BY ERIN GALLAGHER
O
ntario is quickly becoming a powerhouse in and of itself as betting companies look to make their mark on the Canadian market. Better Collective has been no exception. With a global presence already, Ontario has already presented a host of new opportunities for the company. And as more provinces in Canada look to regulate, Better Collective believes that it will be in a prime position to educate bettors on making well-informed gambling decisions. SBC: Over the past three years Better Collective has established its North American publishing network. How important will the Canadian market be to its long term regional growth plans? JDM: At Better Collective, we view the Canadian market as an exciting part of our long-term growth plans for North America. Canada’s most populous province, Ontario (~15 million people), would be the fifth largest US state; its most populous city, Toronto (~2.6 million people), would put it right alongside Chicago as the third largest city in the US. These markets, along with the rest of Canada as it regulates, will be an integral part of our activities in the region. SBC: You’ve acquired Canada Sports Betting recently – what made it such a good fit for the Better Collective business? JDM: Canada Sports Betting is a good fit for Better Collective because it is exactly the type of site BC thrives in operating and growing – a site that educates bettors and empowers them to make well-informed decisions. Secondly, it has a really strong foothold in the Canadian market, which we are entering in earnest. It really is a great match for us and we’re excited to have CSB in the portfolio as our Canadian flagship.
WE VIEW THE CANADIAN MARKET AS AN EXCITING PART OF OUR LONG-TERM GROWTH PLANS FOR NORTH AMERICA
SBC: How do you intend to use the acquisition, along with support from your existing North American business, to grow your foothold in Canada? JDM: As mentioned, we intend to use CSB as our flagship Canadian brand. Our goal is to educate and inform prospective sports bettors in the regulated Ontario market and the rest of Canada, where we’ll also track and monitor regulatory activity. We aim to position Canada Sports Betting as a place where both media and consumers come for insights and perspective on the market, with the ultimate goal of becoming a more visible brand in Canada. SBC: What do you think are the key differences between American and Canadian sports bettors and how important is it to tailor your approach to meeting their needs?
OUR GOAL IS TO EDUCATE AND INFORM PROSPECTIVE SPORTS BETTORS IN THE REGULATED ONTARIO MARKET AND THE REST OF CANADA JDM: We know hockey over indexes among the Canadian general population vs Americans, so we expect one of the main differences in Canada will be more people betting on hockey/the NHL than in the US. Beyond that, we want to stress our ability to cater to our audience in Canada. We’re a Canadian site, with a Canadian domain, which is being run from Canada by a core team of Canadian employees. We’re truly local, and we understand the Canadian sports betting scene.
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