Bodog was founded in 1994 by
Calvin Ayre as an
online gambling company. In early 1996 a business plan for this venture was prepared by Allan Williams, a specialist in proposal writing and a former Vice-President of TTA,a Vancouver based (BCIT-owned) internationally-focused corporation which remains to 2010. His business plan was accepted by BoDog (Calvin) and serious investors who saw a significant potential in the concept presented. BoDog later diversified with
bodogFight, a mixed-martial arts promotion business as well as record label
Bodog Music. Those projects were both shut down in 2008.
In 2008, the business model was changed and the company claims to have ceased operation of all gambling related sites directly. The new business model has Bodog licensing its name to a third party company for the rights to run those sites under the Bodog brand name to various licensees. Bodog founder,
Calvin Ayre, describes the
BodogBrand.com licensing model “not unlike the Virgin-branded venture capital organization founded by
Richard Branson”.
[1]
BodogBrand.com's main licensee is
Morris Mohawk Gaming Group, which runs Bodog.com, the online gambling services within the United States. Morris Mohawk’s CEO is
Alwyn Morris is a recipient of the
Order of Canada. In a May 2009 interview, Morris describes the brand licensee relationship with Bodog as "a kind of franchise".
[2] Morris Mohawk is based in
Kahnawake, a native reserve in Quebec, Canada, pursuant to its online gaming license granted by the
Kahnawake Gaming Commission.
Bodog Europe, operates Bodog.co.uk in Europe and Bodog.ca in Canada. Haydock Sports, runs Bodog88.com serving
Asia.
[3] Haydock is headquartered in
Manila and run by former Managing Director of Asia for
Victor Chandler International, operating pursuant to its own remote gaming license granted by First Cagayan in the
Philippines.
In September of 2009, BodogBrand.com announced a fourth online gaming brand license arrangement with Patrik Selin, former CEO of the Ongame Poker Network. Selin indicates that he has acquired the source code to the proprietary poker product and commitments from Morris Mohawk Gaming Group, Bodog Europe and Haydock to join the Bodog Network and provide a liquidity base upon the launch of the network in 2010.
[4]