Gambling Weekly News Summary in Canada – 2026/02/21
Drake Quits Sports Betting After $1 Million Loss on Super Bowl LX
Drake has announced he is quitting sports betting following his $1 million loss on Super Bowl LX, after betting on the New England Patriots winning the same.
In a post on Instagram, Drake said he is “off sports betting” and instead “sticking to what [he] knows” while playing online roulette on crypto betting site Stake, with which he has a partnership.
It follows a post the Canadian rapper made on February 8, challenging followers to bet against him “if you dare”, showing the $1 million wager and a payout of just under $3 million if the team won.
The post received multiple replies about the “Drake Curse” theory, claiming the Patriots would lose after Drake placed a bet on them. The theory has been going strong since 2019, after fans realised Drake consistently bet on the losers of games, starting with Game 4 playoffs between Toronto and the Boston Bruins.
Lotto-Québec Responds to Calls for Opening of iGaming Market in Québec
Following the Quebéc Online Gaming Commission (QOGC) calling for the opening of an iGaming market in Québec, Lotto-Québec has hit back against the campaign, in a statement to Lottery Daily.
The Coalition states that the addition of an iGaming market in the province, featuring some of the largest US operators such as DraftKings and FanDuel owner Flutter Entertainment, with a 20% tax rate, could generate $300 million in tax revenue each year.
However, Loto-Québec is the only licensed iGaming operator in the province, offering sports betting, lottery games, and land-based casinos. It has called the companies involved in the Coalition “illegal operators” and criticized the argument that introducing a multi-licensed market would increase player protection.
Loto-Québec argued that a study by the Canadian market research firm Léger found that 81% of Québécois use its platform for online wagering. However, further research also found that those who chose to use illegal platforms spent, on average, twice as much.
“The goal of the Coalition is clear: to legalise what’s illegal and further develop a market that only benefits foreign companies—not players,” said Renaud Dugas, the Crown Corporation and provincial lottery operators’ Head of Media Relations and spokesperson, in his closing statement.
Betly Expands Toronto Sports Presence Through Two New Partnerships
Online casino Betly has partnered with Toronto FC and the Toronto Argonauts to bring game-day experiences to players, including in-game interactive experiences, concourse activations, and opportunities to win prizes.
Through the partnership, Betly will expand its presence in venues and online, with the Toronto FC partnership launching on February 21 at the start of the MLS season. The Toronto Argonauts partnership will commence on May 23 during the preseason game in Hamilton.
“For fans, this partnership means more ways to engage with the teams they love and trust,” said Dikla Revach, Chief Growth Officer at Betty. “We’re creating experiences that are exciting, rooted in the city, and most importantly, fun.”
Betly states that its increasing lineup of collaborations with Toronto Sports highlights its commitment to the province and community-driven experiences.
Additionally, it said that a key focus of the partnership will be its responsible gaming practices throughout the programming, while adhering to iGaming regulations in Ontario and ensuring fan interactions are age-appropriate.
Ziv (Steve) Chen
CEO at Major League Content
Ziv has been working in the iGaming industry for more than two decades, serving in senior roles in software developers like Playtech and Microgaming. He then followed his lifelong passion of writing and became a fulltime journalist, covering casinos, sports betting, legislation and other gambling topics and news with a specialty in North America.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ziv-steve-chen-94b01b5/
