Government-owned lottery game corporations in Atlantic Canada and British Columbia are examining quotes from business looking for to offer a "national" sports betting platform that will compete with overseas and unregulated online gaming operators.

- Lottery corporations in Atlantic Canada and British Columbia released an RFP in March looking for a "nationwide" technology platform for sports betting
- The lottos are now evaluating quotes to supply that platform and plan to reveal the winner at a later date
- The winning bidder will be called on to power a single brand, PROLINE, that lottos will utilize to provide in-person and online sports betting, the latter in competitors versus overseas and uncontrolled operators

The Atlantic Lottery Corporation (ALC) and the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) released an ask for proposals (RFP) in March for a "National Sports Betting Solution."

That technology is being looked for to power a single, familiar sportsbook brand - PROLINE - that the lotteries can utilize to provide in-person and online sports betting.

Bettors might then anticipate a consistent level of service from this PROLINE, whether they remain in British Columbia or Prince Edward Island. ALC currently uses the PROLINE branding for its online sports betting efforts, while BCLC uses its PlayNow platform, which is also used in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

An ALC spokesperson confirmed to Covers on Tuesday that the RFP closed on May 5 which submissions are now being evaluated.

"The results of the RFP process will be openly published when a successful proponent has been determined," they included an email.

The winning bidder will provide ALC and BCLC, as well as Loto-Québec (LQ) and possibly other interested lotteries, with sportsbook technology the government-owned corporations can utilize to contend with the offshore and uncontrolled operators that continue to be popular in Canada.

Those "grey market" operators have actually been a thorn in the side of government-owned lottery corporations for many years, as they account for a huge piece of all online gambling in Canada. On Monday, Manitoba's lottery game was even approved an injunction against one of those offshore operators, the Antigua and Barbuda-based Bodog.

Looks like a Manitoba court has approved the regional lottery and gaming corporation an injunction versus offshore sportsbook Bodog. Potentially precedent-setting development in Canada, which has a big "grey market" for online gambling: pic.twitter.com/052Js8ZBzf

Having a single sportsbook brand name in numerous jurisdictions might also make it simpler for the lottery games to hammer home the point that PROLINE is the only authorized site in their particular provinces.

Here's the situation

Trying to make that point today can be challenging, as offshore operators are easily accessible in jurisdictions where they are not authorized to do organization. Bettors might not understand or may not care about the legal status of a site.

Complicating matters further is Ontario's launch of a competitive iGaming market in 2022 that authorized lots of private-sector sports wagering and casino gambling sites to run. Advertising by those sites can overflow into other provinces, such as B.C., where the websites are not licensed. Alberta is preparing to introduce a comparable iGaming market.

BCLC has actually voiced concerns about Ontario-licensed brands advertising themselves outside of the latter province, and is stressed over what an Alberta launch will do. It's likewise been declared Ontario-licensed websites are pushing gamers from outside the province toward associated sites that are based abroad.

What ALC and BCLC are seeking might allow them, and others, to point customers to a single authorized brand, PROLINE.

"The Operators are working together to pick a single Supplier with which they will each negotiate a contract to offer an innovation platform as well as the trading and liability management services that will enable each of the Operators to provide sports wagering through the Supplier; jointly deemed the National Sports Betting Solution," the RFP released in March stated. "This collaboration intends to use a best-in-class national sports betting product under one brand name 'PROLINE,' which numerous Canadian Lottery Corporations have actually utilized since 1992."

The government-owned Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp., which went from being the province's only authorized sports betting and iGaming operator to one of 50, is getting a new sportsbook tech company: Kambi.

OLG's transition from FDJ to Kambi anticipated to be carried out in H2 of 2025. pic.twitter.com/rPzyyh3tE0

The RFP includes that extra provincial operators will can join the "cumulative," if and when they so select.

Notably, Ontario's government-owned lottery game and gaming corporation currently uses the PROLINE brand name for its retail and online sports betting efforts.

Kambi? Could be!

Kambi Group PLC said in February that it is taking control of as the sportsbook tech supplier for the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. (OLG) from FDJ Group.