Thunderkick and PointsBet announce partnership in Ontario

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2025/09/11: Betty partners with Thunderkick in Ontario 2025/10/23: Playson strengthens Ontario footprint with PointsBet partnership 2025/02/13: Thunderkick launches in Colombia with Rushbet 2025/07/08: Mixi secures Ontario regulatory approval for PointsBet acquisition

The Backstory

Ontario’s maturing market sets the scene

Ontario’s regulated online gambling market, launched in April 2022, has evolved into a testing ground for content-led growth strategies as operators diversify beyond sports betting to keep players engaged. That shift has reshaped how suppliers and casinos collaborate, with slot libraries and exclusive launches now driving acquisition and retention. PointsBet, which went live in the province in 2022, has leaned into that trend by expanding its casino portfolio alongside its sports footprint. Thunderkick, established in Australia and licensed by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario in 2024, has been building its presence through targeted partnerships aimed at depth over breadth.

The alignment is not accidental. Ontario’s open-license framework favors operators that can differentiate on user experience, while suppliers see a chance to stand out with mechanics and branded series that travel across regulated markets. Both sides are pursuing scale without diluting product identity, a balance that has rewarded curated portfolios and recurring franchises over one-off releases. In that context, content deals are less about headline numbers and more about recurring engagement from recognizable series that deliver predictable performance.

The broader Canadian landscape underscores why this approach matters. Provinces outside Ontario still largely channel play through government-run platforms or monopolies, putting a premium on Ontario’s competitive dynamics for commercial operators and studios. As the market matures, the winners tend to be those that stitch together sports, casino and local partnerships tied to community identity and teams.

PointsBet doubles down on casino content

PointsBet’s casino strategy in Ontario has been methodical. Earlier this year, the operator added Playson’s Hold and Win franchise through Light & Wonder’s aggregation platform, bringing titles such as Coin Strike: Hold and Win and Thunder Coins XXL: Hold and Win to its lobby. The Playson partnership with PointsBet in Ontario signaled a push to broaden the operator’s catalog with proven, retention-focused mechanics that already resonate with provincial players.

The move fit a pattern. Rather than chase volume for its own sake, PointsBet has stacked content in categories where it sees strong repeat play and time-on-device. Hold-and-win titles typically deliver sticky engagement, and layering them with other high-recognition series helps diversify session length and volatility preferences. This content cadence also dovetails with live operations and promotions, giving PointsBet levers to run events around series drops and seasonal themes.

For suppliers, PointsBet offers distribution and a brand halo in a crowded field. For PointsBet, each new slate is another step to narrow the gap with casino-first competitors while leveraging its sports audience and local partnerships with marquee teams. The direction is consistent: build a premium, curated library that can scale loyalty without fragmenting the user experience.

Thunderkick builds depth with selective deals

Thunderkick has mirrored that focus from the supplier side by prioritizing fewer, deeper relationships. After obtaining its Ontario approval in 2024, the studio moved to expand its footprint with operators positioned to showcase its franchises. That included a tie-up with local operator Betty, which markets itself squarely to slot enthusiasts rather than sports bettors. Through that pact, Betty secured titles including The Wildos 2 and Midas Golden Touch 3, emphasizing a portfolio strategy that resonates with slot-forward demographics. The Thunderkick partnership with Betty in Ontario reinforced the studio’s “go deeper, not wider” mantra in 2025.

Betty’s positioning made it a logical showcase for Thunderkick’s franchises and iterations, while the supplier leveraged a platform that touts more than 2,800 games and ties to the Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors. For Thunderkick, the partnership validated its approach to pair with brands that can amplify a curated lineup, rather than dispersing launches across too many outlets at once.

The result is a stronger feedback loop on game performance, faster learnings for future releases and clearer marketing hooks around sequel titles. As Thunderkick adds more of its library in Ontario, it benefits from cross-operator recognition that can lift discovery and help sustain the momentum of its franchises.

Cross-border momentum from Latin America

Thunderkick’s strategy extends beyond Canada. The studio debuted in Colombia via Rush Street Interactive’s Rushbet, initially rolling out Sword of Arthur, Midas Golden Touch 2 and the Esqueleto Explosivo trilogy. The Thunderkick launch with Rushbet in Colombia broadened its audience in Latin America and aligned with Rush Street’s longer-term push across the region, including expansion into Peru with the Rushbet brand.

That cross-border growth matters to Ontario for two reasons. First, a wider footprint increases the value of franchises that can travel, creating network effects for brand familiarity. Second, Latin American learnings on volatility, session pacing and feature frequency can inform Ontario road maps, particularly for operators looking to balance casual and core segments.

For Rush Street, early market positions in Colombia and later Peru underscore a thesis that regulated markets across the Americas will reward suppliers with identifiable IP and reliable iteration. Thunderkick’s move into those channels supports that view and helps the studio diversify revenue away from any single jurisdiction.

Deal backdrop: changing ownership at PointsBet

Strategic content decisions at PointsBet are unfolding as the company navigates a potential change in control. Japanese entertainment group Mixi has secured the gaming regulatory clearances it needs for its acquisition offer, including written confirmation from Ontario’s regulators. The deal’s fate now hinges on shareholder acceptance after a prior scheme fell short of the 75% threshold. The updated, all-cash proposal values PointsBet at nearly AU$402 million. The Ontario regulatory approval for Mixi’s PointsBet bid moves the transaction closer to completion, though investor backing remains the final hurdle.

For partners, the ownership question is less about immediate operational change and more about capital allocation and product priorities post-transaction. Content partnerships that deepen customer engagement become more, not less, important during transitions, providing a bridge of continuity for players and a hedge against volatility in the sports calendar.

If the Mixi deal proceeds, PointsBet could gain additional resources and strategic latitude to scale casino content alongside sportsbook. If it stalls, the operator’s recent content additions still serve a defensive and offensive purpose in a competitive Ontario field.

Stakes for Canada’s competitive map

Ontario’s open model exists alongside provinces that favor state-run offerings, a split that highlights different playbooks to reach customers. In Alberta, for example, the government-operated platform is leaning into local sports to extend its reach. A recent multi-year pact between the Edmonton Elks and Play Alberta made the state-run brand the football team’s official sports betting partner and renamed the field at Commonwealth Stadium. The Edmonton Elks–Play Alberta agreement shows how provincial operators use sponsorships and game-day activations to cultivate loyalty without the same third-party supplier dynamics seen in Ontario.

For commercial operators and studios, that contrast underscores why Ontario is central to Canadian expansion. It is the province where content curation and IP strategy can move share, where partnerships with teams and locally resonant brands can shape acquisition funnels, and where suppliers can test series longevity across multiple operators.

As Ontario’s market enters its third year, the through line is clear: operators want recognizable, high-performing series and suppliers want platforms that can showcase them. Content deals that stack franchises, leverage aggregation pipes and align with local brand equity are likely to keep setting the pace. The interplay among portfolio depth, cross-border learnings and corporate ownership decisions will determine who pulls ahead as the province’s growth normalizes and competition sharpens.