Government-owned lottery corporations in Atlantic Canada and British Columbia are evaluating bids from companies looking for to supply a "national" sports wagering platform that will take on overseas and unregulated online gaming operators.

- Lottery corporations in Atlantic Canada and British Columbia published an RFP in March seeking a "nationwide" innovation platform for sports wagering

- The lottos are now evaluating quotes to provide that platform and strategy to reveal the winner at a later date

- The winning bidder will be called on to power a single brand, PROLINE, that lottos will use to use in-person and online sports betting, the latter in competition versus offshore and unregulated operators

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

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

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

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

"The outcomes of the RFP process will be publicly posted when an effective advocate has been identified," they added in an e-mail.

The winning bidder will provide ALC and BCLC, along with Loto-Québec (LQ) and potentially other interested lottos, with sportsbook innovation the government-owned corporations can utilize to complete with the overseas and unregulated 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 several years, as they represent a huge piece of all online gambling in Canada. On Monday, Manitoba's lottery was even given an injunction versus one of those offshore operators, the Antigua and Barbuda-based Bodog.

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

Having a single sportsbook brand name in several jurisdictions might likewise make it easier for the lottos to hammer home the point that PROLINE is the only authorized site in their respective provinces.

Here's the scenario

Trying to make that point right now can be tough, as overseas operators are easily accessible in jurisdictions where they are not authorized to do service. Bettors might not know or may not care about the legal status of a site.

Complicating matters even more is Ontario's launch of a competitive iGaming market in 2022 that licensed dozens of private-sector sports betting and gambling establishment gaming websites to run. Advertising by those sites can spill over into other provinces, such as B.C., where the sites are not authorized. Alberta is preparing to introduce a comparable iGaming market.

BCLC has actually voiced concerns about Ontario-licensed brand names promoting themselves beyond the latter province, and is stressed over what an Alberta launch will do. It's also been declared Ontario-licensed websites are pushing players from outside the province towards associated websites that are based abroad.

What ALC and BCLC are seeking might enable them, and others, to point consumers to a single authorized brand name, PROLINE.

"The Operators are teaming up to pick a single Supplier with which they will each work out an agreement to provide an innovation platform along with the trading and liability management services that will make it possible for each of the Operators to use sports wagering through the Supplier; jointly deemed the National Sports Betting Solution," the RFP launched in March stated. "This joint effort aims to provide a best-in-class nationwide sports betting item under one brand name 'PROLINE,' which different Canadian Lottery Corporations have utilized since 1992."

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

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

The RFP adds that extra provincial operators will have the right to sign up with the "collective," if and when they so select.

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

Kambi? Could be!

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