NorthStar Bets was designed and built for Ontarians and, as an Ontario-based company, we’re excited to launch in our home province. We hope to inspire a sense of home team pride amongst our customers
NorthStar Gaming announced that it has launched NorthStar Bets, its online casino and sportsbook product, in Ontario.
The Toronto-based company’s custom-built platform includes a comprehensive sportsbook plus casino games, including live dealer blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and progressive slots.
“NorthStar Bets was designed and built for Ontarians and as an Ontario-based company, we’re excited to launch in our home province,” said NorthStar Gaming CEO Michael Moskowitz. “We hope to inspire a sense of home team pride amongst our customers as they discover and engage with our platform and NorthStar Bets content.
“We’re confident Ontarians will enjoy the unmatched user experience that NorthStar Bets’ immersive betting and gaming platform provides.”
Busy Year for NorthStar Gaming
Tuesday’s launch of NorthStar Bets represents the culmination of what has been a busy year for NorthStar Gaming.
In January, NorthStar Gaming formed a partnership with Playtech. The agreement called for Playtech to launch its IMS platform, which supports casino, live casino, poker, and bingo software. The next month, it formed a separate long-term partnership with Kambi to power its online sportsbook.
NorthStar Gaming entered into an agreement with Parleh Media Group in February, under which Parleh would produce sports-betting themed videos, podcasts, and social media content. The deal calls for NorthStar to syndicate and post the content across its platforms and those run by third parties, including Torstar Corporation.
Torstar is a Canadian mass media company whose assets include the Toronto Star, the largest newspaper in Canada in terms of circulation. It also owns several other daily and community newspapers.
The NorthStar Bets brand for online casino and sports betting was unveiled on February 24. That same day, NorthStar Gaming launched an omnichannel advertising and marketing agreement with Torstar. The agreement allows sports betting and wagering content created by NorthStar Bets to be available on the website of the Toronto Star, thestar.com.
Legendary Canadian sports broadcaster Rod Black agreed to become a host and brand ambassador for NorthStar Bets on March 24.
“NorthStar Gaming is uniquely positioned to become a convergence leader in the intersection of sports media and sports wagering thanks to our partnerships and agreements with leading media companies,” Moskowitz said. “This is a unique position for our brand and something we expect will resonate with consumers.”
One of Four Canadian Sportsbook Operators
Although NorthStar Bets is one of the later online sportsbooks to launch in Ontario, it could have home-field advantage since it is one of only four Canadian sportsbooks in the province.
NorthStar Bets will go head-to-head with the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG), Score Media and Gaming, and Rivalry Corporation, which have already launched their sportsbooks. Respectively, these are the PROLINE sports betting platform, theScore Bet, and Rivalry. While Score Media and Rivalry are based in Toronto, OLG is headquartered in Sault Ste. Marie.
Last April, a website for iGaming Ontario (iGO) briefly had a list of operators posted that had pending applications for an internet gaming license. The list included NorthStar Gaming. At the time, NorthStar Gaming was in the process of securing licensure with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and concluding an operating agreement with the iGO — both prerequisites for an operator offering online poker, casino gaming, or sports betting in Ontario.
To learn more about Ontario online casinos and Ontario sportsbooks, check out the comprehensive guides on pokerfuse »
