DraftKings has become the exclusive sportsbook and online casino integration sponsor of Wednesday Night Hockey on Prime Video in Canada, in a deal covering the 2026-27 National Hockey League (NHL) regular season and part of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
The agreement, announced in Toronto on September 28, starts on Wednesday (September 30), when the Toronto Maple Leafs host the New York Islanders at Scotiabank Arena at 7 p.m. ET. Prime Video’s Wednesday schedule runs to April 7, when the Winnipeg Jets face the Edmonton Oilers.
The companies did not disclose the value of the deal.
What the sponsorship covers
Prime Video will carry 27 national regular-season broadcasts on Wednesday nights, and every matchup includes at least one Canadian team. The playoff portion covers two first-round series and one second-round series.
DraftKings gets exclusive branded integrations across pregame coverage, live play and intermissions. The package includes pregame and intermission features, commercial spots, in-broadcast sponsorship moments tied to game events, and score clock elements.
“Live sports streaming changes the equation entirely by eliminating channel surfing and delivering unmatched levels of viewer engagement, as fans don’t want to miss a second of the action,” said Christopher Walton, head of streaming video sales at Amazon Ads Canada.
DraftKings worked on the deal with Touché!, an Omnicom Media agency. Kate Mateer, the agency’s chief client officer, said the aim was to integrate DraftKings into the live game broadcast.
DraftKings in Ontario and Alberta
Single-event sports betting has been legal in Canada since August 27, 2021, when the Safe and Regulated Sports Betting Act (Bill C-218) came into force. Provinces decide how to offer it. In most, the provincial lottery corporation runs online betting. Ontario and Alberta have opened their online markets to private operators.
DraftKings runs sportsbook and casino products in both. It launched in Ontario in May 2022, about six weeks after the province opened its iGaming market to private operators on April 4, 2022.
It went live in Alberta on July 13, 2026, the day Alberta opened its iGaming market to private operators. According to the company, Alberta is its second Canadian province and its 34th North American jurisdiction for DraftKings Sportsbook. DraftKings Casino and Golden Nugget Online Gaming are available in both provinces.
Prime Video’s broadcasts air nationally. Four of Canada’s seven NHL teams play in the two provinces where DraftKings operates: the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators in Ontario, and the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames in Alberta.
“Canada remains an important part of DraftKings’ continued growth, and this exclusive deal with Prime Video creates an exciting new way to connect with hockey fans throughout the season,” said Stephanie Sherman, chief marketing officer at DraftKings.
Advertising rules and player protection
As a registered operator in Ontario, DraftKings is subject to advertising standards set by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO). Since February 2024, those standards have barred active and retired athletes from iGaming advertising in the province, except to promote responsible gambling. They also prohibit the use of celebrities and influencers likely to appeal to minors.
Alberta banned public bonus advertising before its market opened in July.
DraftKings says it promotes the use of deposit limits, cool-off periods and self-exclusion. In Alberta, the company directs players who need help to the GameSense Info Line at 1-833-447-7523.
What comes next
The first broadcast airs Wednesday from Toronto, and the regular-season package ends on April 7. The playoff portion follows in spring 2027.
The deal as announced covers one season. It gives DraftKings national exposure during the first NHL season since Alberta opened to private operators. Its rivals in the province include PENN, which launched theScore Bet and two casino apps in Alberta in July.
Source: DraftKings
