Penn Scores Win After TheScore Bet Partnership With NFL in Canada

Penn Entertainment may have struck out in the US sports betting market, but Canada has been a different story.

The operator announced it has reached a deal with the NFL to make theScore Bet the league’s official betting partner in Canada. It will have access to NFL trademarks and branding, which will apply to its sports betting and casino platforms. Penn will also have marketing rights, ensuring its gambling brand is promoted throughout the season.

Both theScore Bet casino and sportsbooks are currently available in Ontario and Alberta’s new market.

NFL Praises TheScore Bet

While Penn is the biggest winner from the NFL deal, the league made it clear why it selected TheScore Bet as its new partner. 

In a press release, NFL Canada GM Gavin Kemp shared his thoughts on the Canadian brand. 

theScore Bet is one of the most recognizable and trusted brands in Canada, with a proven track record of connecting with passionate sports fans. This partnership reflects our shared commitment to innovation and delivering exciting new ways for Canadians to engage with the NFL. We look forward to working together to create meaningful experiences for fans in Canada.

Penn Sees Growth in Canada

The NFL deal is expected to boost Penn’s presence in Canada, but the operator has already been seeing impressive growth in the Great White North.

Over the last two years, theScore Bet has seen steady growth in Ontario. Its casino and sports betting revenue continues to grow, incentivizing Penn to pursue expensive partnerships like its NFL deal.

The brand continued to grow in 2026 by launching in Alberta, Canada’s second commercial gambling market. Penn hopes the NFL deal will help it capture market share early in the province and establish itself as one of the top brands. 

Is a Return to the US Possible?

While Penn has seen success with sports betting in Canada, it has failed to gain much traction in the US.

The operator originally partnered with Barstool Sports to launch the Barstool Sportsbook. While it saw early success, controversies at the sports media giant led to fines from state gambling regulators. As a result, Barstool exited the industry and dissolved its partnership with Penn. 

Penn immediately responded to the unexpected move by partnering with ESPN to launch ESPN Bet. It simply rebranded its Barstool platform, allowing it to keep the state licenses it had acquired under the former brand. However, the sportsbooks failed to turn a profit, so Penn abandoned the effort. 

theScore Bet represents the first sports betting platform Penn has successfully run in North America. This led Penn to actually launch a sportsbook in Missouri last December, for which it had acquired an operating license under ESPN Bet. While it consistently finished at the bottom of the market, it isn’t far off from large brands like BetMGM and Caesars.

Penn’s investors have been vocal about concerns over pursuing US sports betting, but continued success in Canada could change that.