In an interesting development for Canadian golf, Coolbet has recently been announced as the official betting partner of the PGA (Professional Golfers’ Association) of Canada and the RBC PGA Scramble. The PGA of Canada is a non-profit association which represents golf club professionals throughout the country, and their decision to partner with Coolbet will allow its promotional materials to reach over 2000 golf courses across Canada, enabling the operator to promote its offering to the wider golfing community. This leading sportsbook and online casino operator will now work closely with the PGA, offering a variety of unique opportunities for members and participants, including the launch of two major contests alongside regular exclusive odds and promotional offers throughout this year’s major RBC PGA Scramble events. In this article, we’ve taken a closer look at the implications of this new partnership for both Coolbet and the PGA.
What can we expect from this partnership?
According to the PGA of Canada’s press release, this newly established partnership means that Coolbet will have a significant presence at all RBC PGA Scramble events, offering exclusive promotions for all of its members and participants. The RBC Scramble is the largest grassroots team golf event in Canada right now, with over 12,000 golfers participating every year, meaning that this new partnership with Coolbet will have a significant impact on the Canadian golfing landscape. The operator will now have a presence at various club events across the country, including RBC PGA Scramble qualifier events in the run up to the National Final (which is set to take place from October 4-8 2025 at Cabot Cape Breton). This collaboration will include the launch of two major contests available exclusively to PGA of Canada members and RBC Scramble participants, with impressive grand prizes up for grabs. Through this partnership, the sportsbook will be aiming to capture a wider market of golf players and spectators as they work to expand further amongst this demographic – with their higher amounts of disposable income and competitive interest in sport, both casual and professional PGA members could certainly be perfect customers for sportsbooks like Coolbet today.
From the perspective of the Professional Golfers’ Association, a partnership with Coolbet is a smart decision which will provide vital sponsorship funding and will help this popular association to grow even further in the coming years. Leading figures at the PGA have expressed their excitement about the deal, and are clearly hoping that partnering with this successful sportsbook will ensure the continued growth and increasing popularity of the RBC PGA Scramble in the future. By offering increased sports betting opportunities at all their major events, leaders at the association are clearly hoping to increase the engagement of their members and participants, and create a more exciting overall experience. Interestingly, Kevin Thistle, the CEO of PGA of Canada, stated that Coolbet’s emphasis on responsible gaming standards was a key reason behind the partnership decision. As the deal moves ahead, we can therefore also expect to see an increased focus on responsible gambling initiatives at these grassroots golfing events.
What does this mean for iGaming in Canada?
It is clear that overall demand for online casino and sportsbook sites is growing amongst Canadians today, as part of a wider trend which has been visible ever since Ontario opened its own legal, regulated iGaming market back in April 2022. Since then, many Canadians have been able to access some of the best real money casinos in Canada and the domestic online gambling market continues to grow at an unexpected rate. Revenue in the nation’s sports betting market is forecasted to reach over $2.2 billion USD this year, with the number users projected to reach over 17 million by 2029. Evidently, the announcement of Coolbet’s partnership deal with the PGA and RBC PGA Scramble is part of this increasing demand for gambling opportunities in Canadian sport, and demonstrates how leading sporting associations are aiming to work more closely with successful sportsbook operators in order to build mutually beneficial partnerships.
This newly-established partnership between the PGA and Coolbet has been a point of interest for many on the Canadian iGaming scene, as it raises interesting questions about the legal landscape for sportsbook and online casino operators in the nation today. Importantly, Coolbet actually pulled out of the iGaming market in Ontario two years ago back in 2023, meaning it is currently not a licensed operator anywhere in Canada. This has left the operator in a legal grey area and has raised many questions amongst those working in the gaming industry. The use of off-shore online casino sites and sportsbook platforms is a legal grey area in the country right now, which adds a layer of complexity to this deal since Coolbet holds licenses in Malta, Estonia, and Sweden – but currently has no regulated operations in Canada. Importantly, Coolbet’s regulation status does not appear to have affected the negotiations towards this betting partnership with the PGA. Some industry experts have pointed to this deal as a moment which exposes the confusing and complex nature of iGaming regulation in Canada right now.
Ultimately, the announcement of Coolbet’s new official betting partnership with the PGA and RBC PGA Scramble marks an interesting moment for golf in Canada today. It indicates that leading sportsbook operators are interested in expanding further into the golfing scene, which is largely thanks to a growing overall demand for betting platforms amongst Canadian sports fans. Due to the unusual regulatory landscape in the country, this deal has certainly raised a number of questions amongst industry experts, as it highlights the confusing nature of iGaming regulation across Canada at present. Despite this, leading figures at both Coolbet and the PGA are clearly excited about this new deal, which is poised to enable further growth for both parties in the coming years. It will undoubtedly be interesting to see how this newly established partnership progresses throughout this year’s RBC PGA Scramble events, as sporting associations and sportsbooks continue to become increasingly linked around the world.
