Canada
Small, Highly Engaged Group of Largely Young Men Driving Sports Gambling Growth in America, New Ipsos Polling Finds
Ipsos released new polling ahead of the Super Bowl, the largest sporting event and biggest gambling moment on the American calendar, which finds that in the wild west of sports gambling, the industry is growing largely with a very engaged group of sports bettors who tend to be younger, men, or white. This report is the first in a series of polls from Ipsos examining American attitudes toward and participation in sports, gambling, and athletics broadly.
Despite the explosive growth in gambling revenue, rising from $1.55 billion in 2020 to $4.33 billion in 2021, a very small number of Americans are responsible for that number. Ipsos found that only about 8% of Americans say they’ve bet on sports via an app or online, and only 4% have bet on sports in-person in the past year.
“As the dollar spent on bets suggests, those who do bet on sports are very engaged in the sporting world. Compared to the general public, they are more likely to self-describe as sports fans, play fantasy sports, go to live sporting events, and watch more niche types of sports, like esports,” Chris Jackson, Senior Vice President at Ipsos, said.
Football and basketball are the most popular sports to gamble on, with bettors preferring professional sports to college sports. The NFL is by far the most popular sports league to gamble on, with 59% of bettors placing a bet on the NFL. This is followed by the NBA (34%), NCAA Football (30%), and NCAA Basketball (28%). Unsurprisingly, majorities of sports bettors tuned into major sporting events last year, like the Super Bowl or March Madness.
The polling also shows that sports bettors are more likely to be men (68%), under the age of 35 (39%), white (51%), or high-income earners (44% make over $110k).
While a small group of people is extremely engaged with sports gambling, most Americans are not tuned into the debate over legalization and display ambivalence toward the issue. Overall, only one in three Americans want to allow in-person or app-based sports betting in their state, and another one in three don’t have an opinion. In fact, the only group not ambivalent about allowing sports betting seems to be the group actively participating – sports bettors themselves.
The polling also shows that money is the main reason people do not bet on sports. When asked to select any and all reasons they do not bet on sports, half of the people who don’t bet on sports choose not to because they believe it is a waste of money. Non-bettors are also deterred from participating because they don’t know enough about sports or about betting to partake.
“While some segments of the population remain intractable, there are non-betting Americans who don’t partake because they just don’t know enough about gambling. This provides a potential new group for the industry to expand into and is likely where advertising dollars are being spent by sportsbook operators to attract new customers,” Mallory Newall, Vice President at Ipsos, said.
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Betty
Thunderkick commits to growth in Ontario with Betty partnership

Independent slots studio Thunderkick has agreed a deal with Ontario-based operator Betty to supply the rapidly growing online casino with a diverse collection of globally popular titles.
Betty, an official partner of sporting franchises Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors, has risen to prominence since its 2022 establishment, when it was built following the consultation of 300 casino players to create the optimal iGaming environment.
Distinguishing itself from North American competitors by catering specifically to slot enthusiasts rather than sports bettors, the operator has curated a portfolio of 2,800 games, hand-picked to deliver customers maximum entertainment value.
Thunderkick’s content is the latest to be integrated into Betty’s online casino, and the agreement will see a selection of its most popular titles, including The Wildos 2, Midas Golden Touch 3, and Esqueleto Explosivo 3, made available to a greater number of Ontarian players.
Thunderkick marked its debut in the Canadian province in Q2 of 2024, and has since partnered with a network of leading operators to improve its market position. The collaboration with Betty will further amplify its visibility in a key jurisdiction as the provider looks to reinforce its reputation as a global slot developer.
Svante Sahlström, CCO at Thunderkick, said: “It’s our mission at Thunderkick to go deeper, not wider, in 2025. That means forging meaningful, lasting relationships in target markets as opposed to securing as many commercial deals as possible.
“Since entering Ontario over 12 months ago, we have worked tirelessly to enhance our presence in the province, and working with leading brands such as Betty allows us to bring our unique games to a deeper pool of Canadian players.”
Paraskeva Smirnova, Casino Operations Manager at Betty, added: “Betty’s USP has always been our drive to build a slot portfolio with the very best titles from the industry’s most creative suppliers.
“Thunderkick’s passion for slot development is there for all to see, and the introduction of its games to our casino further elevates the consumer experience.”
The post Thunderkick commits to growth in Ontario with Betty partnership appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
BCLC
Save the Date: BCLC’s New Horizons in Safer Gambling Conference Returns November 2026

BCLC is pleased to announce the return of the New Horizons in Safer Gambling Conference, taking place November 2–4, 2026, at the JW Marriott Parq Vancouver.
This global event brings leading voices in research, policy and industry together to explore innovative approaches to safer gambling. Attendees can expect two days of forward-thinking dialogue, evidence-based insights and collaborative solutions to help shape the future of player health.
Sponsorship Opportunities Now Available
New to the 2026 conference, BCLC is excited to offer sponsorship opportunities to organizations that share BCLC’s passion for safer gambling. Benefits of sponsoring New Horizons 2026 include industry visibility, leadership recognition and meaningful engagement with a global audience. To learn more about sponsorship, please e-mail [email protected].
Registration and program details will be released later this fall.
The post Save the Date: BCLC’s New Horizons in Safer Gambling Conference Returns November 2026 appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Canada
absolutebet Secures AGCO Registration as an Internet Gaming Operator in Ontario

Internet Gaming Operator by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).
This significant milestone authorizes absolutebet to offer regulated iGaming services in Ontario’s legal market under the oversight of AGCO and iGaming Ontario (iGO).
The registration marks a key step in absolutebet’s mission to bring a trusted, responsible, and innovative online casino experience to Ontario players. absolutebet is committed to operating with integrity and transparency, meeting all provincial standards for player protection, responsible gambling, anti-money laundering, and game integrity.
“Securing AGCO registration is more than a milestone—it’s the start of absolutebet’s journey in one of the most exciting regulated markets in the world,” said Chen Truman, Founder of absolutebet. “We are building a brand that will grow with the Ontario community and set the stage for future expansion.”
On the regulatory milestone, Krisztina Kalla, Legal & Regulatory Compliance Advisor of absolutebet, commented: “I’m incredibly proud to see all the hard work behind this license pay off. Securing AGCO registration has taken months of preparation and close collaboration with regulators and partners. I am very happy to see the result of that work, and even more excited as we move into the launch phase and open up the absolutebet community to Ontario players in a fun and responsible way.”
Ontario is recognized as one of the most competitive and fast-growing regulated iGaming markets in North America. With AGCO registration secured, absolutebet will move forward with the final stages of its iGO onboarding process in preparation for launch.
The post absolutebet Secures AGCO Registration as an Internet Gaming Operator in Ontario appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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