Saskatchewan will become the third Canadian province to launch online sports betting when the market goes live Nov. 3, according to government officials.
In addition to sports betting, citizens in Saskatchewan will also be able to play casino games. The offerings will come from PlayNow.com, through the auspices of the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority. It will operate on a platform provided by the Saskatchewan Gaming Corporation.
PlayNow also serves as the lone gaming platform in British Columbia and Manitoba. It’s expected to be similar in Saskatchewan, where PlayNow.com will be the exclusive online provider of sports betting and gaming, under management and authority of the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA).
There have been no announcements yet concerning pre-registration with PlayNow.com, or if there will be any signup bonuses or promo codes for new users in Saskatchewan. Sports bettors in the province will use the PlayNow.com website, which will automatically detect which geographic region the user is in and serve the appropriate sportsbook page.
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PlayNow.com Will Debut in Third Canadian Province
“We are excited to be the exclusive provider of Saskatchewan’s first and only legal online gaming site, which will provide a safe and secure option for residents to play their favourite casino games and bet on their favourite sports teams online,” said Zane Hansen, president and CEO of SIGA.
In Saskatchewan, proceeds from online sports betting and casino gaming will be shared between native tribes in the province and SIGA, which by law must use its funds within the province. This is the first regional funding sports betting and gaming arrangement of that type in Canada.
The debut of online sports betting in Saskatchewan, the sixth-most populous province in Canada, will make the activity available to more than 1 million residents. Currently, Ontario, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Quebec, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia have all legalized online sports betting and gambling.
In Canada, each province has the ability to offer a state-sponsored or run gaming platform or sportsbook, and many do so in competition with privately owned sports betting operators. But in Saskatchewan, only PlayNow will be available, at least initially.
Sports betting will be available in the province in time for the Canadian Football League playoffs. The most popular sport in Canada is ice hockey, and the National Hockey League season began earlier this month. More wagers are placed on the NHL in Canada than any other sport.
PlayNow earlier announced a sports betting partnership with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League, which will result in the PlayNow.com logo appearing on the jerseys of the team, which missed the CFL Playoffs this season for the first time in six years.
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