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Legal Ontario Betting Sites & Sportsbooks 2024

October 5, 2021 (Updated Jan 24, 2024)

With the passing of Bill C-218 in June 2021, the province of Ontario became able to move ahead with plans to develop an open & uncapped market to license online sports betting providers. The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) then formally announced the birth of iGaming Ontario, a new branch of their organisation that would oversee the licensing & operations of online gaming & sports betting sites for the Ontario marketplace (which includes esports).

These platforms are only available to people actually located within Ontario.  Interestingly however, the AGCO did not prevent their newly licensed providers from serving other Canadian provinces from the so-called 'grey market'.  This crucial decision brought dozens of formerly 'grey' brands to the Ontario table. These operators did not have to choose between serving just Ontario, or the 'grey market" - they could serve both markets.  It ensured that hundreds of thousands of existing Ontario sports betting account holders at previously 'grey' betting sites could be on-boarded to the newly regulated system, but where does that leave people in the rest of Canada?  That's what we explain next.

 

This page is about the legal Ontario sportsbook market, but it is actually meant for our audience outside Ontario

If you are outside Ontario, know that this entire page is meant for you. With the new rules in Ontario from the AGCO, we've had to exclude and block people in Ontario from reading our content here. We originally created this page in 2021 to discuss which of the world's main betting brands would enter the new legal Ontario market, and updated things as the market progressed. However, AGCO rules state that for people in Ontario, we cannot have unlicensed brands like Bodog or 1XBET mentioned alongside licensed brands like Betsafe, bet365, BetVictor or Betway. We discuss over 40 brands here and some were never going to get a license. Should we have just scrapped this valuable discussion for interested readers? No way.

Thus, for those outside Ontario, we've left this page live and update it regularly as a point of reference so that people in the rest of Canada can find the highly reputable betting brands that serve both the official Ontario sports betting market and remain open to serve the rest of Canada from the "grey market" via "offshore" sites. You can also learn which brands are for Ontario-only. Nearly all the licensed Ontario brands that we recommend also serve the rest of Canada. So if you are in BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, the other Atlantic provinces or the territories, with the exception of one operator that excludes Quebec players, all our recommended betting brands below will serve you.

As we discuss elsewhere on SNBET, many of these companies want to be licensed where ever they can be in Canada - but these companies can only apply for licenses in jurisdictions where available.  Until then, these sportsbook providers will continue to serve Canadians outside Ontario from the 'grey market'.  So if you wish to visit them and play, you may do so but your experience will take place on their international platforms. So we note again, only people that are physically located in Ontario may play at official iGaming Ontario betting sites.

 

Why is there no online information about Ontario sportsbook bonuses?

The AGCO also mandated that their licensed providers refrain from advertising their sports betting bonuses for new customers in Ontario at all, even if they actually exist on the operator's own platforms.  So no matter where you are in Canada, if searching for Ontario sportsbook or casino bonus offers, you won't find any content for the purposes of marketing or comparison, except at the operator's own site.

This rule does not exist for operators that serve the "rest of Canada." Since this page is only open to those outside Ontario, we can thus show you the Canadian sportsbook bonuses that our recommended providers wish to share with you. Some of these offers are exclusive to sites like SNBET, and are worth more than the basic sportsbook offers. (Visiting SNBET has its perks!) Our offers essentially apply for players across Canada, outside Ontario.  If you have particular questions about the offers or operators for your province, we also look at Quebec, Alberta and BC betting sites specifically.

 

Will legal Ontario sportsbooks work for the rest of Canada?

Our top legal Ontario sportsbooks that also serve the rest of Canada via offshore:
bet365 Betway Betsafe
SIA Casumo BetVictor

 

Recommended non-Ontario sportsbooks that serve the rest of Canada via offshore:
Betsson Unibet 10Bet  

 

The Ontario-only sportsbooks that are not available offshore for rest of Canada.
Bally Bet    BetMGM BetRivers
Caesars DraftKings FanDuel
PointsBet theScore Bet  

 

Non-Ontario sportsbooks open to rest of Canada, but not recommended.
CoolBet    Parimatch
VBET William Hill

 

Ontario sportsbooks available to the rest of Canada via offshore - not recommended.
888sport Bet99 Bwin
LeoVegas NorthStar Bets Pinnacle
PokerStars TonyBet  

 

Black market offshore betting sites that serve Ontario without a license & also serve rest of Canada. Not recommended.
1XBET (Scam site)    Bodog (Old platform)
Dafabet (No CAD)  

 

Sportsbooks that are fully out of Canada.
32Red Betfair Betfred
BetHard ESPN BET  
Fanatics Sportsbook MarathonBet  NetBet

 

When did the legal Ontario sports betting & iGaming market open?

Ontario's legal sports betting and iGaming opened on Monday April 4, 2022.  Most of the completely new entrants to Ontario, like PointsBet, BetMGM, BetRivers, FanDuel, theScore Bet, were ready to launch on this date, but DraftKings was late.  However, if a given company had been serving Ontario in the 'grey market' and was in the process of getting their license, like Betsafe, bet365, Betway, ComeOn!, BetVictor, Casumo among others, there was little rush to be 'licensed' on April 4. 

After all, adults in Ontario could play at any of these sites, before the market opened, and then have their account automatically shifted to the legal system once the company became officially licensed.  If you wanted to play with an Ontario betting site that you knew would become licensed, you did not have to wait until the launch date.  

 

Why is the Ontario sports betting market so attractive to igaming companies?

The answer is simple, its population size and the wealth of that population.  With a population of nearly 15 million people, if Ontario was a US state, it would rank as the 5th largest after New York, but ahead of Pennsylvania.  Included in this population is of course Toronto, by many measures, the 3rd most populous and important metropolitan area within the US and Canada, behind only New York City and Los Angeles. 

As a hub for finance, insurance, real estate, innovation and technology, the Greater Toronto Area is full of wealthy sports fans and is home to professional teams in the NHL, NBA, MLB and MLS.  These fans will be the customers, and the teams will become vehicles to market various sports betting brands through partnership deals.  Take all this together, and the Ontario sports betting handle and revenue is expected to be among the highest of any North American jurisdiction.

 

Will the Ontario sports betting & iGaming market actually be legal?: Gaming lawyer casts doubt but CGA CEO clarifies the situation

In August of 2021, noted Canadian gaming lawyer Ron Segev authored an article that was published in iGB.  In this piece, Segev suggested that the 'hands off' licensing approach by Ontario and its regulatory bodies could be viewed as illegal by federal law.  Essentially, the operation of sports betting or gaming establishments in Canada is illegal unless operated by the provinces.  The provinces must be the ones that "conduct and manage" this business.  Segev also advocates that rather than create its own regime, it should have lobbied the federal government to create a truly national iGaming regime.

In September 2021, the Canadian Gaming Association CEO, Paul Burns appeared on a podcast with gambling compliance firm Vixeo to discuss the Ontario iGaming situation.  In it, Burns clarifies that the iGaming Ontario legal framework is being constructed with great care by the Province's lawyers to ensure that it complies with Canadian federal law, and the Province is not left to be defined as an "arm's length" party in this relationship, which might make the entire construct an illegal one.

As part of the licensing process, the province will essentially be striking commercial partnerships to go into business with their iGaming licensees.  It will not be a pure licensee and licensor relationship.  Shared bank accounts will be created for the operator/provincial winnings to be deposited at regular intervals.  The Province will be able to withdraw their prescribed share of the winnings from these shared accounts on a regular basis.

 

 

 

Which will be the dominant bookmakers in the legal Ontario market?: Formerly 'grey' sportsbooks & DFS brands with existing customers

Given that the regulators of Ontario will not prevent gaming companies from serving other provinces from the 'grey market', we expect many 'grey' brands to apply for licenses to become fully legal Ontario betting sites. These bookmaker brands will be able to on-board their existing Ontario players to the legal, regulated system - while continuing to serve players in other Canadian provinces from their 'grey market' domains. 

This means that much of the 'land rush' for market share in Ontario is already over and done with, as so many Ontarian bettors were already acquired by these 'grey market' sportsbooks over the past 20+ years.  Thus, the largest of the now former 'grey market' operators will become the dominant legal Ontario sportsbooks.  These betting brands won't be starting in the legal market from zero, they will be starting with thousands, even hundreds of thousands of customers in some cases.

Daily Fantasy Sports brands FanDuel and DraftKings may also have a head start in the Ontario market.  These gaming brands already have existing databases of Ontario DFS players.  Many of these DFS customers will be excited to make the transition over to the respective Ontario sportsbook vertical, when allowed to do so.  This existing Ontario customer base plus their brand recognition in the province and large North American marketing budget will ensure they take a substantial portion of the Ontario iGaming pie. (Update here: These companies actually were told by the AGCO, since DFS was not under the new gaming rules in Ontario, they could not migrate player accounts from DFS toward their new sportsbook and casino platforms.)

 

Why formerly 'grey market' & DFS brands will win the battle for the unacquired Ontario player: Word of mouth, established affiliate marketing partnerships

Once the advertising & marketing rules are clear, all Ontario iGaming brands will be able to advertise and create marketing partnerships if they wish in order to acquire the players that have been waiting for a fully legal system of Ontario sportsbook providers.  However, the dominant incumbent formerly 'grey' bookmakers and DFS brands have a distinct advantage in two ways over the completely new entrants to the Ontario market: word of mouth advertising and existing affiliate marketing partnerships.

New brand entrants to the Ontario market (PointsBet, BetMGM, BetRivers and the like) will have almost no word of mouth marketing results, since they will have no existing customers in the market at the time of launch.  However, there will be significant word of mouth advertising results for the formerly 'grey' brands as their long-time formerly 'grey' customers will soon be able to talk to friends and family about their favourite online sportsbook now being a fully 'legal' provider.  Questions will be asked like 'which betting site are you with?  They're legal in Ontario now right?' or 'How are the odds at ______? Do you like their platform?' 

Since the incumbent formerly 'grey' and DFS providers already have so many Ontario customers, they will be named as the answers to these questions, and these operators will acquire many new customers at no cost as a result - which is a massive advantage over the new market entrants.  If various companies have 25,000 to 100,000, or even more existing Ontario customers at the time of the legal launch date in 2022, you can see how this group of operators will only continue to dominate the Ontario market with the highest rates of new player acquisitions, given the power of word of mouth marketing. 

Furthermore, the incumbent formerly 'grey' Canadian brands already have established affiliate marketing partnerships with Canada-focused online publishers that run 'sportsbook review' and 'odds comparison' websites.  These incumbent sportsbook brands will thus make quick and easy transitions onto most of the new Ontario-focused marketing pages.  Their already well-established brands will be well-promoted on these third-party publisher sites and gain new customers as a result.  The new brand entrants to Ontario like BetMGM, BetRivers and PointsBet among others will need to work fast to establish marketing deals with key affiliate publishers well ahead of the 2022 market launch in order to catch up to the leading pack in the race for whatever player acquisition 'land rush' remains. 

 

 

Which iGaming brands will struggle the most in the legal Ontario sports betting market?

Completely new brands to the legal Ontario market - those that do not even operate in the USA, or those that do so as a lower tier brand will be at a distinct disadvantage in the province, as they are starting in the market from a point of zero existing customers to on-board (meaning no revenue and no word of mouth advertising from the outset), zero brand heritage and zero relationships with affiliate marketers that can help to acquire new players.

Ontario is likely to be the most competitive legal market in the world with perhaps 50+ legal providers.  Entering the market with all these 'zeroes' does not bode well. Several brands that are essentially completely new sportsbook operators that enter Ontario in 2022, likely will not be around in 2025.

What brands fall into this category? We would point to three brands that will be entering Ontario. First, 'NorthStar Bets' is the betting brand for the Toronto Star. We break down the outlook for this venture here in its own section.

Secondly, we would say that 'MaximBet' is in this category. MaximBet is licensed in Colorado and hopes to launch in several other US states - but also from Malta. So while they say they are going to launch in Canada in 2022, we cannot be sure if they mean to get an Ontario license, or if they will serve Canada from the 'grey market' jurisdiction of Malta. Regardless, though they signed with a top B2B sportsbook provider in Kambi, MaximBet has no brand heritage in Canada, so we suspect that they will seriously struggle to acquire players. They will also bring essentially zero players from their 'grey market' operations.

Thirdly, we would say that Australian bookmaker, 'CrossBet', is a brand that will struggle in Ontario. In February 2022, a gaming supplier noted that they would be the sportsbook platform for 'CrossBet' in Ontario.  Assuming CrossBet does gain their license to operate in Ontario, they will be among the bottom-ranked brands in terms of players served and new players acquired, as they will on-board zero players from a grey-market operation, and have no relationships with key affiliates, and likely have an insignificant marketing budget.

Lastly, in the early rounds of AGCO licensing, we saw that UK-based bookie 'Fitzdares' received its license. Fitzdares has zero brand heritage in Canada and is not visible in any US broadcasts that bleed into Canada. However, they operate high-end sports betting lounges in London England, and probably have similar plans for Toronto.

 

What sports & leagues will be allowed to be covered by licensed Ontario betting sites? Is OHL betting allowed in Ontario?

The AGCO has published its sport and event betting integrity guidelines for its licensed operators.  In it we can find that betting on 'Minor Sports' is prohibited.  In particular, the OHL is named as a league for which betting in Ontario will be prohibited. We can thus also assume that WHL and QMJHL betting will also be prohibited. From the 'grey market', many of the providers that we outline below do offer this kind of CHL betting. At least within the framework of their licensed Ontario offering, they will need to remove this coverage.  Why is this the case?  One of the main points within the integrity guidelines stipulates that the majority of event participants should be 18 years of age or older, which thus rules out Canadian major junior hockey events.  We will have to wait to see if this will affect the ability for Ontarians to bet on the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship, which is largely viewed as a tournament of 19-year-olds.

 

Will there be legal Ontario esports betting sites?

This question is not as open and shut as some might have thought.  For example, in their recent bouts of sports betting regulation, both Germany and the Netherlands essentially concluded that esports events should not be treated as traditional sporting events.  The Netherlands will allow its licensed betting sites to offer esports coverage, but the given esports event organizers must demonstrate a level of governance which is on par with traditional sporting events.  As a result, if you visit sports betting websites for Germany or the Netherlands, you will notice that esports events are not currently available for wagering. (You may need your IP address to be set in either respective country to see this.) 

However, it appears that Ontario esports betting will be allowed. Esports events seem as though they will be viewed like any other sporting event.  At the top of the AGCO final sport and event standards for igaming, we can see that this is the case. So unless something changes, it appears that legal esports betting in Ontario will be available at market launch in 2022.  We have reviewed the offerings in this regard from each of the top operators that are coming to the Ontario market in order to identify the best Ontario esports betting sites.

 

Ontario sports betting payment methods: new & popular options are coming

Once the vast majority of legal Ontario betting sites are live when the market opens in early 2022, popular payment methods like PayPal will become available for use by players to facilitate account deposits or withdrawals.  Previously, since online sports betting was not fully and completely legal in Canada, PayPal would not offer its service in order to facilitate payments to offshore betting companies.  It has only been available in jurisdictions where sports betting is a completely legal activity for both the player and the operator. 

Previous to the passing of bill C-218 to allow single-event sports betting in Canada, the only sports betting platform in Canada that did offer it was the BCLC's PlayNow.com betting site that exists for players that are resident in British Columbia.  Popular bank debit methods like Interac, iDebit, Instadebit and Citadel among others will certainly continue to be available for players in Ontario as they have been for many years.

 

Why choose an officially licensed Ontario sports betting site?

There are several reasons to choose a brand that is officially licensed & legal Ontario online sportsbook.

1) Proper regulatory oversight. With an Ontario license, all providers have had to undergo significant product testing to ensure fairness and compliance with Ontario standards. Furthermore, Ontario players know for sure that they will get paid on a win and that if you have a consumer problem or concern, the AGCO and iGaming Ontario will be there to ensure your complaint is met with proper attention.  Although many of the coming Ontario brands were highly reputable brands as operated from the so-called 'grey market', as they will be licensed officially for Ontario, you should have all the peace of mind that you could need if you might not have trusted them previously. Players outside Ontario can use this as a measure for brands that might continue to serve them well from their "international" jurisdictions.

2) Licensed & legal sportsbooks remit taxes & license fees back to Ontario. The license fee for iGaming Ontario is $100,000.  All legal providers will have paid this fee, plus they must share their related gaming revenues with the province.  If from Ontario, you play with an unlicensed provider, none of that company's revenue will return to your home jurisdiction for reinvestment.  If you care about things like local infrastructure projects, healthcare, education or just about anything else, know that these officially licensed betting providers will be returning money to Ontario.  Unlicensed providers keep all the profits for themselves.

3) Player safety: iGaming Ontario will mandate that its players universally have access to robust Responsible Gaming tools like deposit limits and other tools to help you enjoy online sports betting in a safer manner and help you stay in control of your spending, when you might otherwise let your enthusiasm get the better of you. Many Ontario brands use the same tools on their "international" platforms.

 

Which online sports betting brands have talked openly about entering the Ontario market?

We outlined the brands that publicly talked about applying for licenses to become legal Ontario betting sites with links to where you can read their thoughts on the matter.  We then also provided intel, analysis and predictions about the brands for which there is little-to-no public information on their intentions regarding the Ontario legal market. (This section was originally written in 2021, and updated as news arrived.)  Note that all the companies and offers highlighted are open to players in Canada, outside Ontario.

 

What sportsbooks are legal in Ontario?

As of January 24, 2024, there are over 25 legal Ontario sportsbooks that operate with an app, website or both. In alphabetical order with our SNBET rank in brackets, they are 888sport, bet365 (#2), Bet99, Betano, BetMGM, BetRivers, Betsafe (#1), BetVictor (#4), Betway (#3), Bwin, Caesars Sportsbook, Casumo (#5), DraftKings Sportsbook, FanDuel Sportsbook, Fitzdares, LeoVegas, Neo.Bet, NorthStar Bets, PartySports, Pinnacle, PointsBet, PokerStars Sports, PowerPlay, Rivalry, Sports Interaction (#6), theScore Bet and TonyBet. Below, see the legal Ontario betting brands that we recommend for the rest of Canada as served from their "offshore" jurisdictions below.

 

Is Betsafe a legal Ontario betting site?

Betsson AB of Sweden is the parent company of Betsafe and several other significant sports betting and iGaming brands.  Betsson and its brands have been serving Canada in the 'grey market' for some time.  Given that they are interested in being regulated in their most important markets like Sweden & Denmark, we expect Betsson to apply for an Ontario license for their Betsafe brand.  After all, in August 2021, the Betsson AB CEO was quoted about the importance of the Canadian and Ontario markets as he announced an investment in a hockey media company, Slaphot Media Inc.  We fully expect Betsafe Ontario players to be on-boarded to the legal system come market launch in 2022. Update FEB 10, 2022, Betsson's CEO affirms that the Betsafe brand will apply for the Ontario license in the company's year end financial presentation. Read our Betsafe review for the rest of Canada.

 

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Is bet365 a legal Ontario betting site?

There is perhaps no other sports betting brand that has more 'grey market' customers in Ontario than bet365. bet365 has of course been marketing its brand in Canada and Ontario through all the legal channels available to it for many years now. As far back as 2013, bet365 was advertising its free to play site at Toronto Argonauts games that even included signage on the padding at the base of the uprights.

While we have not seen anything in the press about bet365 applying for an Ontario license, given the above, and with national licenses in the UK, Spain, Italy, Denmark, Sweden, Mexico, Colombia, Australia, the Netherlands and Germany, with absolute certainty, we expect bet365 to apply for an iGaming license to become a legal Ontario betting site.  We then expect all existing bet365 Ontario players to be on-boarded to the legal system upon market launch in 2022. The company will likely continue to serve its customers in other provinces from the 'grey market'. (Update: On March 15, 2022, bet365 was issued its license, so we know for certain now that if you already have an account with them before the April 4 market open, it can be made to carry over into the 'legal' system.)   Read our bet365 review for the rest of Canada.

 

        Play at bet365 across Canada
            

Is Betway a legal Ontario betting site?

While there are no press clippings to indicate that they have applied to serve Ontario, Betway is a brand that always seeks local national iGaming and sports betting licenses when available.  Betway is licensed to serve the UK, France, Sweden, Mexico, Italy, Spain and Belgium.  Given the large number of 'grey market' Ontario players that they have, with great conviction, we at SNBET expect Betway to apply for a license to become a fully legal Ontario betting site. All existing Betway Ontario players should then be on-boarded to the legal system at the time of market launch in 2022.  Betway will also continue to serve other Canadian provinces from the 'grey market'. (Update April 19, 2022: Betway received its license to operate in Ontario). Read our Betway review for the rest of Canada.

 

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        Play at Betway across Canada
 

Is BetVictor a legal Ontario sportsbook?

Although BetVictor has mainly focused on the UK and Ireland markets for sports betting, they have also served Canada for a long time and the country is one of their main 'grey' national markets.  Recognized from several past English Premier League club partnerships, they have quite a large number of existing customers in Canada. Although there is no public information on this, it is our understanding that BetVictor will in fact apply to legally serve the Ontario market with an iGaming license.  Existing BetVictor Ontario players will be on-boarded to the legal market when it is ready to open in 2022. BetVictor will continue to serve other Canadian provinces from its Gibraltar jurisdiction. Update: With their entry into Ontario, BetVictor has really stepped up their game with seriously good odds for both NFL and NBA sides (spreads & totals). You'll find odds margins 20% lower than most other big brands in the market. They are now a serious contender and option for players in and outside Ontario. Read our BetVictor review for the rest of Canada.

 

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Is Casumo a legal Ontario sportsbook?

Casumo is one of the more recent casino and sports betting upstarts on the international iGaming scene and Canada was one of its target markets.  It only opened its sports betting vertical on the Kambi sportsbook platform to a handful of national markets, and Canada was one of these.  We understand that Casumo will be applying for the iGaming Ontario license so that it may offer its unique approach to gaming in a fully legal manner. However, in Ontario, Casumo will initially only offer its online and live casino games, though they will likely look to add sports betting thereafter.  Once approved, existing Casumo Ontario players will be able to be on-boarded to the legal market at the time of launch. Casumo will continue to serve other Canadian provinces in the "grey market" from their jurisdiction in Malta, and that offering will still include online sports betting. 

 

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      Bet at Casumo across Canada
     

Is Sports Interaction (SIA) a legal Ontario sportsbook?

Sports Interaction is fully allowed to serve all residents of Canada, including players in Ontario from their servers located on Mohawk First Nations territory in Kahnawake.  As a result of this, we were initially unsure if they would apply to serve Ontario through an iGaming Ontario license, or if a legal carve-out would be developed to allow their brand to mix with officially licensed Ontario brands.  Update April 2, 2022: SIA has in fact made its application to the AGCO to be a licensed provider. They are live in the Ontario legal market, and continue to serve the rest of the country via Kahnawake. Read our Sports Interaction review for the rest of Canada.  Since they are owned by gaming giant, Entain, expect a seamless move to the Entain sportsbook and casino platform in late 2023, bringing more betting markets and more gaming options. 

 

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Is Unibet a legal Ontario sportsbook?

Although they were licensed in the province initially, Unibet no longer serves Ontario. In late 2023, their parent company, Kindred Group, announced that as a result of their strategic review, the company would be exiting all their regulated North American markets by Q2 of 2024. Thus, Unibet has now left Ontario and their various US states to focus on their regulated markets of strength in Europe.  

Kindred had filled and advertised for several roles for Unibet based in Ontario, so they did have a limited local presence in Ontario, unlike several entrants to the market.  While Unibet no longer serves Ontario, they will continue to serve the "rest of Canada" market with their top-tier offering, except Quebec, via their Malta-based "offshore" site.

 

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Is Betsson a legal Ontario sportsbook?

Well, as worded above - no. The Betsson moniker will not be a "legal" online betting or gaming brand in Ontario. However, the main corporate entity of this gaming brand is known as Betsson AB, and Betsson AB owns and operates the Betsafe brand in Ontario with a license. Betsafe has always been the one brand that Betsson AB pushed to the fore for Canada, even though several of their brands accepted Canadian players. The Betsson site is essentially the same as the "Canada version" of Betsafe, given they are both on the same new and slick proprietary sportsbook platform. The main difference is that Betsson.com uses "international" sporting terminologies, like "Football" rather than "Soccer" and "Ice Hockey" rather than "Hockey". If you are OK with this, and prefer the orange and white scheme over the black, red and white scheme of Betsafe, go for it, they are a phenomenal operator. Betsson has CAD accounts, and any offers will apply in Canadian Dollars rather than Euros. When you sign up, they will detect your location and automatically select CAD for you. Read our Betsson review for the rest of Canada.

 

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Is 10Bet a legal Ontario sportsbook?

10Bet is a very old online sports betting brand that has long had a focus on the Canadian market.  At the original time of writing, there was no news about whether or not 10Bet would look to secure a license for Ontario.  Through our contacts at 10Bet, with a significant number of Ontario-based players, we understood that an Ontario application was under consideration. In mid-February 2022, we got word that 10Bet would indeed be making an application to become a legal online sportsbook provider in Ontario.  10Bet was already licensed in the national markets of UK, Ireland and Sweden, and it had an international iGaming license in Malta.  In the subsequent weeks however, 10Bet decided to change course, stopped serving all of Canada from their Malta-based site and stopped their application process in Ontario.  There are currently no plans at 10Bet to pursue the Ontario market. In the subsequent months however, 10Bet moved their international iGaming jurisdiction from Malta to the Isle of Man, where they are now growing 10Bet as one of the world's top tier crypto sports betting sites, which now serves the so called "rest of Canada" market (not Ontario however). CAD accounts are also now available at 10Bet, but they are a top option for cryptocurrency fans that prefer to bet directly in BTC, ETH, LTC or USDT.

 

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What sportsbooks are only open to the legal Ontario market & not the rest of Canada?

Bally Bet, BetMGM, BetRivers, Caesars Sportsbook, Draftkings Sportsbook, Fanduel Sportsbook, Points Bet and theScore Bet are all for Ontario only. They do not have "offshore" betting sites that serve the rest of Canada from the "grey market". Read how this has progressed since Bill C-218 allowed for single event betting in Canada, through the opening of the legal iGaming Ontario marketplace.

 

Does Bally Bet only serve the Ontario legal sportsbook market within Canada?

Yes, Bally Bet is Ontario-only. The backstory: Our information indicated that Bally's Corporation would indeed apply to partner with iGaming Ontario and their 'Bally Bet' brand. Bally's is a licensed sportsbook partner of the NHL, NBA and MLB. Bally's was looking to leverage these league licenses in the Ontario market, in addition to their existing US state licenses. Who can blame them?  While they have limited brand heritage in Canada, the Ontario iGaming license fee is only $100,000.  With so many bricks-and-mortar casino resorts across the US under the Bally's name, there are certainly benefits to be found by entering Ontario.  They certainly will have a number of Ontario visitors to these casino resorts. Assuming they have maintained a database of these players, having an online footprint in Ontario can only strengthen this relationship with existing customers that will likely be excited to play in Bally's online sportsbook and casino offerings.  We are surprised that other big US casino resort brands have not yet announced the same strategy (like Wynn for example).  Read our Bally Bet Ontario review.

 

Is BetMGM a only a legal Ontario sportsbook, or also for rest of Canada?

BetMGM is Ontario-only within Canada. They do not have an "offshore" version. The BetMGM Ontario backstory: In March 2021, online gambling giant Entain announced that it had joined forces with Responsible Gaming Council (RGC) to research and inform the regulatory approach to gaming and sports betting in Canada. While this announcement did not explicitly call out an intention to apply for an Ontario license, it did mention that Ontario is expected to become the first Canadian province to introduce online gaming licenses, likely by 2022.  In the USA, Entain owns a 50 per cent stake in the BetMGM joint partnership with MGM.  Given the investment in partnering with Wayne Gretzky and Connor McDavid as a brand ambassadors, we fully expected BetMGM to enter the market with an Ontario sports betting site and mobile app. Read our BetMGM Ontario review. People outside Ontario are not able to play at BetMGM.

 

Does BetRivers only serve the legal Ontario market in Canada?

Yes, BetRivers is Ontario-only within Canada.  The backstory: Rush Street Interactive (RSI), operator of the BetRivers online US bookmaker brand and operator of several US land-based casinos will enter the Ontario sports betting market, but they do not serve the rest of Canada from the "grey market".  While there were few if any media clippings to be posted on the matter, we had seen several job postings on sites like 'Indeed' for RSI positions based in Toronto for various online betting-related roles in advance of their market entry. (Update: On October 14, 2021, RSI announced formally that it would enter the Ontario iGaming market. January 22, 2022: BetRivers struck a partnership with former TSN anchor Dan O'Toole to run a new podcast called 'Boomsies'.)  People outside Ontario may not play at BetRivers. Read our BetRivers Ontario review.

 

Does Caesars Sportsbook only serve the legal Ontario iGaming market?

It appears so, yes, Ontario-only.  On March 9, 2022, we noticed on their main US landing page that 'Ontario' was an available option for visitors to select when asked 'Where do you want to bet?'  Once a user selects 'Ontario' they were taken to a page that collects email addresses.  Caesars has quite a recent backstory when it comes to their approach to online betting.  They bought the venerable old sportsbook brand 'William Hill', peeled out the US assets to keep, then sold the balance of the assets to to 888, including WilliamHill.com (international), where Canadians have played in the 'grey market' for years and years.  Given that they have no real brand heritage in the country, save for the Windsor casino in their name, it may be difficult to attract many new players, even though they have an interesting platform.  Caesars Sportsbook does not have an "offshore" site, so it is only available to people within Ontario.  Read our Caesars Sportsbook Ontario review.

 

Is DraftKings Sportsbook legal in Ontario only within Canada?

Drafkings Sportsbook is Ontario-only.  During his company's earnings conference call in February 2021, due to the impending legalization of single-event sports betting, Jason Robins, the CEO of US sportsbook and daily fantasy sports operator DraftKings indicated that Canada was going to be a very exciting opportunity for expansion.  DraftKings is already a legal online sports betting provider in over a dozen US states and it already serves Canadians through its DFS service, so it has an existing database of interested sports fans across Canada.  In recent company communications, the CEO indicated that he does not expect the company to lead in Ontario like it does in US state markets, given the existence of 'grey market' incumbents. Expect DraftKings Ontario Sportsbook to launch its sports betting site and mobile app in April 2022.  Read our DraftKings Ontario review. The Drafkings Sportsbook will remain off-limits outside Ontario, and they do not operate an "offshore" version for the rest of Canada.

 

Does FanDuel Sportsbook serve Ontario only within Canada?

Yes. Fan Duel Sportsbook is Ontario-only.  We always thought their entry to Ontario would be highly likely, though there was little been no corporate commentary from them on the matter of an Ontario market license application.  FanDuel is owned by online gambling and sports betting behemoth, Flutter, which is traded on the London Stock Exchange and owns other important gaming and betting brands like BetFair, PaddyPower, SkyBet, PokerStars, Fox Bet (USA) and SportsBet (Australia). FanDuel already operates its daily fantasy sports games in Canada, so it already has a database of interested sports fans and customers.  FanDuel applying for an Ontario iGaming license was assumed as a given. Update October 15, 2021: It has been reported that FanDuel will make a key hire for the role of GM of its Canadian business in former Deloitte and Rogers employee, Dale Hooper. FanDuel Sportsbook Ontario will now surely be live at market launch in 2022. Update on March 11, 2022, FanDuel was issued its Ontario license. Read our FanDuel Ontario review.  People outside Ontario will not be able to play at the FanDuel Canada sportsbook.

 

Does PointsBet serve all of Canada or just Ontario?

Yes, PointsBet is Ontario-only. Australian iGaming startup company, PointsBet, has only ever operated in legal sports betting markets - never in the 'grey' - meaning they have never served the "rest of Canada" market segment.  With Drew Brees signed-up as part owner and brand ambassador and as an official NFL-licensed sportsbook in the US where it has several state licenses, Canada was an obvious next step and PointsBet will launch in Ontario.  In June, the parent company made their first major hire for PointsBet Canada with former Monkey Knife Fight president, Canadian Nic Sulsky as their Chief Commercial Officer. They then moved to make key local hires for CEO and in areas of operations, compliance and people.  Read our PointsBet Ontario review.

 

Is theScore Bet only available in Ontario, or the rest of Canada too?

theScore Bet is available in Ontario-only.  They do not operate a "grey market" app or website. Score Media & Gaming has been perhaps the most visible local brand with an interest in entering the legal Ontario iGaming market.  On the day after Bill C-218 was passed to allow single-event sports betting in Canada, on a billboard in the heart of downtown Toronto, they announced that they would be entering the Ontario market.  Even though theScore was acquired by American operator Penn National Gaming, they have plans for an 80,000 square foot future headquarters at Sugar Beach on the shores of Lake Ontario and are constantly looking to hire for a multitude of roles within the company.  Read our theScore Bet Ontario review.  People outside Ontario will not be able to play at theScore Bet.

 

Legal Ontario sportsbook brands with "offshore" versions for the rest of Canada that we do NOT recommend.

888sport, Bet99, Bwin, LeoVegas, Pinnacle, PokerStars Sports and TonyBet are all licensed to serve Ontario, and have offshore sportsbook sites to serve the rest of Canada from the "grey market", but we do not recommend these brands for various reasons.

 

888sport is a legal Ontario sportsbook, that also serves the rest of Canada from Gibraltar

Even though 888sport had never offered Canadian Dollar accounts, they do have a significant number of players across Canada.  The good news for any of these players is that if 888sport were to look to get an Ontario license, they would finally have to offer their players the ability to play in their native currency.  Given that 888sport has many national licenses in Europe and is expanding in the US with several state licenses through their partnership with SI, we fully expect 888sport to apply for an Ontario sports betting license.  With this, all 888sport Ontario players will likely be shifted into the legal system soon after market launch. Update March 3, 2022: 888 confirms it has secured its iGaming Ontario license. Read our 888sport Ontario review.

 

Bet99 is a legal Ontario betting site that also serves the rest of Canada via Kahnawake

Bet99 is already able to serve all of Canada through their license with the Kahnawake Gaming Commission on Mohawk territory in Quebec. While we have no indication that they will move to invest in an additional license to be an officially 'legal' Ontario provider, this piece in the Toronto Star notes that it is 'expected' that Bet99 will become one of many sports betting and iGaming providers applying to serve Ontario. In a Twitter Spaces event held by 'The Parleh' on March 3rd 2022, a guest speaker, the Canada Manager for Kindred Group, noted that several months beforehand, she had been connected to the owner of Bet99 because he wanted to sell it.  Update October 11/2022: Bet99 is licensed by the AGCO and live with their iGaming Ontario offering.  Read our Bet99 Ontario review to see how their offering compares to other Ontario operators. (Not great we're afraid.)

 

Bwin is a legal Ontario betting site that serves the rest of Canada via Kahnawake

While part owner of 'BetMGM', Entain is also the full owner of leading international betting brand 'Bwin' (pronounced 'bee-win').  They also own UK brands 'Ladbrokes' & 'Coral', Australian brand 'Neds', and the international iGaming brands of both 'PartyPoker' & 'PartyCasino'.  Bwin has international brand recognition, especially for soccer fans in Canada that know them from their past Real Madrid kit sponsorship. Combine this with the fact that Bwin currently holds national licenses in Spain, Italy, France, Belgium, Denmark and Sweden, it is certainly possible that Entain could seek an Ontario iGaming license. Update April 2, 2022: Bwin has secured its iGaming Ontario license. Read our Bwin Ontario review. Bwin continues to operate in the Canadian "grey market", now from Kahnawake.

 

LeoVegas is a legal Ontario sportsbook that serves the rest of Canada via Malta

Swedish iGaming brand LeoVegas has been marketing to Canadians from the 'grey market' for many years. They even employed a famous retired Swedish Toronto hockey player as their brand ambassador for use in its TV ads.  Given that LeoVegas still markets its free-to-play site heavily in Canada and it has a history of gaining licenses in its key markets where ever they are available, like in the UK, Spain, Italy, Denmark and Sweden, we fully expect LeoVegas to apply for an iGaming Ontario license.  This will allow LeoVegas Ontario to on-board all their existing players to the legal market.  We also expect them to continue serving other Canadian provinces from the 'grey market' through their international iGaming jurisdiction in Malta. (Update on November 11, 2021: LeoVegas confirms in their 2021 Q3 release that they are in discussions on how the regulations for the Ontario market may be structured. Update March 15, 2022, iGB reported that LeoVegas has achieved its Ontario licensure)  Read our LeoVegas Ontario review.

 

Non-gaming brands also look to enter the legal Ontario iGaming market: Torstar launches online sportsbook & casino "NorthStar Bets" in Ontario & "rest of Canada"

The Toronto Star has also talked about getting into the gambling business in Ontario.  On March 1, 2021, the parent company of the Toronto Star newspaper indicated that it would look to apply for an iGaming license in Ontario so that it could launch an online casino and sports betting operation in order to help fund its journalism.  While we wish them luck, we do not see a bright future for this venture.  Given the level of competition in Ontario, both from new and existing formerly 'grey' providers, we think that the Star's eventual gaming operation will be starved for players. 

Why do we say this?  It is not unprecedented for a newspaper brand to start an online betting operation.  Look to the UK, where the most popular tabloid, 'The Sun' opened 'sunbets.co.uk' through a joint venture with Australian gaming giant, Tabcorp.  After only 18 months in 2018, even with 300,000 registered player accounts, the Australian gaming operator of 'sunbets' was losing so much money on the venture that it decided to pay a significant fee of £39.5 million to Rupert Murdoch's media company in order to exit the agreement.

While one could point to Spanish sporting newspaper 'Marca' and the modest success of their 'MarcaApuestas' brand, we would point out that the number of operators in Spain is far less than the number that serve the UK.  The UK is the most mature market for online betting in the world.  With the way that Ontario will open their market, with perhaps 50 or more 'legal' operators, most of which will be able to bring their existing players to the legal market - we would suggest that the coming Ontario iGaming market looks a lot more like the UK market than the Spanish one. 

Furthermore, thestar.ca is a partly paywalled online newspaper now, which could be a further limiting factor in moving readers to become players.  These tabloid papers, Marca and the Sun have no paywall and are completely free for anyone to read, which means anyone could then see the ads to move to play at their co-branded iGaming operations.  In general, we see a very, very tough environment for The Star's iGaming venture, but at a minimum, they will need to keep their sports content as free to access, in front of their paywall. 

The Star would likely be far better-served acting as an iGaming affiliate marketer, partnering with established brands and taking a portion of proceeds on referred players, rather than trying to compete against these same brands, all while accepting the risk and overhead expenses that come with being an actual operator. Update 2023: Torstar has created a compelling Ontario betting and casino platform to step into these headwinds. It subsequently struck a deal to acquire "Spreads.ca" to bring the NorthStar Bets brand to the "rest of Canada" market via Kahnawake. Their dot-ca site will be for their Ontario-regulated offering, while their dot-com site will serve all other jurisdictions in Canada. Read our NorthStar Bets review.

 

Pinnacle is a legal Ontario betting site that serves the rest of Canada via Curacao

Pinnacle has been serving Canada, including Ontario from the 'grey market' since the late 1990s. With their unique approach to sports betting, they have generally eschewed opportunities to gain national or sub national gaming licenses in many jurisdictions, preferring to stay fully in the 'grey' from Curacao. The lone recent exception to this is their entry into the regulated market of Sweden - so entry into the Ontario regulated market now appears likely.  Pinnacle has so many Ontario players, so it makes sense for them to get a license and pay local taxes, so they can keep these players as customers. (Update September 8, 2022, Pinnacle has indeed gained their Ontario license.)

 

PokerStarsSports is a legal Ontario sportsbook that also serves the rest of Canada via Malta

PokerStars is one of the world's most recognizable gaming brands. Run by Toronto-based 'The Stars Group', the company merged in an all-stock deal with Flutter in 2020.  Though Flutter brand FanDuel will be the main sportsbook brand in the Ontario market in terms of the acquisition of new customers, PokerStars has an immense book of existing poker players across Canada.  To leverage their database of players fully, PokerStars has added casino and sportsbook verticals to its .com site.  To ensure that its large book of Ontario players can have access, we fully expect PokerStars to apply for all the iGaming Ontario licenses that apply to their business lines. (Update June 30, 2022, PokerStars indeed has achieved its license.) 

 

TonyBet is a legal Ontario sportsbook that serves the rest of Canada via Kahnawake

TonyBet is an Estonia-based sportsbook & casino brand that decided to enter the Canadian 'grey market' very late, just as bill C-218 had been passed to allow single-event sports betting.  With significant media buys on TV and radio in the Fall of 2021, if you ask them, they are serious about the Canadian market.  TonyBet failed to tailor their site interface to Canadian tastes & offers really uncompetitive odds margins. We were wrong, when we asked ourselves "Will TonyBet apply for an Ontario license?" we had no expectation that TonyBet would apply to serve Ontario legally - but here they are having gained their license 7 months after the Ontario market opened.  This is TonyBet's first move toward a regulated market outside of the Baltic region. Steer clear either way or read our TonyBet Canada review for more - terrible platform with terrible odds on the sports you love most. 

 

Sportsbooks NOT in the legal Ontario market, but that serve the rest of Canada (not recommended by SNBET)

Of the largest or most familiar or visible online sportsbook brands in Canada, Coolbet, Parimatch, VBET and William Hill have not entered or maintained Ontario licenses, but do remain open from their offshore jurisdictions to serve the rest of Canada. These brands stopped serving players within Ontario, so they are complying with Ontario rules and regulations. 

 

Will CoolBet become a legal Ontario betting site?

CoolBet has been operating its free-to-play site in Canada for several years. With significant recent investment in the advertisement of the CoolBet brand on Canadian radio and billboards and through various sports team partnerships, they had a significant number of Ontario-based players on their real-money betting site.  Given that these marketing relationships appeared to be ongoing, and the importance of the Canadian market to those that operate CoolBet in Canada, we fully expected their parent company to apply for an Ontario license so that it will be ready at the time of market launch in 2022. This will allow existing CoolBet Ontario players to be on-boarded to the legal system, while Canadian players outside Ontario may continue to play at the CoolBet main domain as regulated from Malta. Update 2023: CoolBet has pulled out of the legal Ontario market, though they continue to serve the "rest of Canada" from their "offshore" site. Read our CoolBet Canada review.

 

Will Parimatch be a legal Ontario sportsbook?

Founded in the Ukraine in 1994, Parimatch is now an international betting brand with numerous past and current big-name soccer club partnerships including Juventus, Chelsea FC and Ukrainian powerhouse FC Shakhtar Donetsk. They have also had partnerships with fighters Conor McGregor and Mike Tyson. Parimatch.com was the first company to become licensed in Ukraine itself. The Parimatch brand also operates in the UK with a .co.uk domain in partnership with BetVictor. Our information was that Parimatch intended to apply to become a licensed Ontario sportsbook. Developments in Ukraine however, may have changed this, as they have not gained a license to this point in September of 2023.  Parimatch.com however already has a 'Canadian' version of their main site that will continue to serve the rest of Canada from the 'grey market' gaming jurisdiction of Curacao. We do not recommend Parimatch however. 

 

Is VBET a legal Ontario betting site?

No, VBET is not legal in Ontario. The parent company for VBET has increased brand awareness through several past and current soccer club sponsorship deals in Europe, which is something that is visible in Canada. Although VBET has moved to apply for licenses in the UK, France, Germany and elsewhere in Europe, and they serve the Canadian 'grey market', they have stopped serving players in Ontario in order to respect that market's regulations. VBET will not apply for an Ontario iGaming license.  Thus, if you were a VBET customer in Ontario prior to the market launch in 2022, you will not be on-boarded to the legal market on their site. Any remaining funds would have been available for withdrawal only, not for further play.

 

Is William Hill going to be a legal Ontario sportsbook?

William Hill has been undergoing some upheaval lately. US casino operator Caesars purchased William Hill in 2021 for US$3.7 billion.  However, it seemingly did this only for the US portion of the business.  In just a few months, Caesars then agreed to sell the non-US holdings of William Hill to 888 Holdings.  This sale included the William Hill UK land-based and online sportsbook operations and European-based online operations.

Despite this period of change, William Hill as an online bookmaker has significant brand heritage in Canada through its years in operating from the 'grey market'.  (Update October 11, 2022: William Hill indicated that it had indeed applied for a license to become a legal Ontario sportsbook so that existing William Hill Ontario sports betting players could be on-boarded to the legal system once they are fully licensed. However, new owner of William Hill, 888 Holdings has seemingly been moving slowly on this, or they have changed their minds, as William Hill has stopped accepting new Ontario players as of H2 2022.)  Read our William Hill Canada review.

 

Black market sportsbooks that serve Ontario without a license

1XBET, which is a total scam site, Bodog, and DafaBet all serve Ontario as black market brands, without local licenses. Since there are no regulations in other Canadian provinces, these brands also serve the rest of Canada from their "offshore" gaming jurisdictions.

 

Is 1XBET a legal Ontario sports betting site?

1XBET originated in Russia and rarely looks to serve any country through a local license. Though the UKGC revoked their UK license and Spurs, Chelsea and Liverpool backed out of lucrative partnerships deals due to this and related controversy, 1XBET remains highly visible as principal betting sponsor of FC Barcelona as well as the entire Italian Serie A.  Given this, we fully expect 1XBET to continue to serve Canada solely from the 'grey market' through their Curacao jurisdiction. They will not apply to serve the legal Ontario market with a license. If you have an account with 1XBET, you will not be on-boarded to the legal Ontario system come 2022.  If you do NOT have an account with 1XBET, but are considering one, do not sign up with them.  Given all the controversy surrounding this brand, from not paying winners, to various other violations, we would recommend that Canadian players avoid 1XBET at all costs, and look beyond sporting partnerships they do have and look to the clubs that backed away from them as partners.  Read our 1XBET Canada review if you need more reasons to avoid them.

 

Will Bodog be a legal Ontario sportsbook?

Bodog has been serving Ontario and all of Canada since the late 1990's from their jurisdiction in Antigua & Barbuda.  Given they have no history of applying for local market licenses for any of the national markets that they have served in the past, we do not expect them to apply for an Ontario iGaming license.  However, Canada is now essentially the only market that Bodog serves.  While we do not expect them to apply to serve Ontario at the moment, or any provinces that might follow, if the regulators close the loopholes with regard to advertising in Ontario, Bodog may make an unprecedented decision to go the legal route and apply for a license.  For us, this remains a slim possibility. As such, Bodog Ontario players will not be migrated to the legal market in 2022.

 

Is Dafabet a legal Ontario sports betting site?

Though it is mainly focused on the Asian market, Dafabet has been a highly visible brand for those that watch English or Scottish soccer with several past and current club kit sponsorship deals.  While they serve Canada from the 'grey market' (without CAD accounts), Dafabet has no history of gaining individual licenses for local iGaming markets. Thus we do not expect Dafabet to serve Ontario legally.

 

With the new Ontario regulations, some online sports betting brands have stopped serving all of Canada, or never entered

With a seemingly now more complex situation in terms of regulation, with Ontario's new market and more potentially on the way, several online betting brands that once serve Canada from the "grey market" have moved to exit this space, and have stopped serving customers in Canada. They are 32Red, BetFair, BetHard, MarathonBet and NetBet.

 

Is 32Red going to be a legal Ontario iGaming brand?

Early indications were "Yes", but since those whispers, the Kindred Group has only brought Unibet to the legal Ontario market, which then subsequently exited all North American regulated markets. 32Red has not yet applied for a license and appears to have stopped serving the "rest of Canada" from their main site. (Sibling brand Unibet does still serve the "rest of Canada" market.)  

 

Will Betfair look to serve the legal Ontario sports betting market?

For a period, Betfair actually served Canada from the 'grey market'. You can even find its old Betfair Canada Twitter handle online. A lot of time has passed since Betfair stopped serving Canada. You can see the last tweet on that account is from 2012.  There have been no media releases about the potential for a return of Betfair as a licensed provider for the legal Ontario market.  Could Betfair return?  There is a chance, but at this point, we would estimate it to be a slim one.  While the Betfair brand still carries a good deal of weight in Canada, its parent company, Flutter, is also the owner of DFS and US sportsbook provider FanDuel.  Given the investment in the marketing of FanDuel brand in North America by Flutter, FanDuel will certainly be the #1 Ontario brand in the Flutter stable. While we would argue that the Betfair brand would also be warmly welcomed by Ontario bettors that know it well, we do not expect Betfair to gain an Ontario license.   

 

Will Betfred apply to become a legal Ontario betting site?

Ontario sports fans could be familiar with this UK bookmaker brand through several past partnerships in the Premier League and as the current betting partner of Manchester United.  More recently, Toronto Wolfpack Rugby League fans will be familiar with Betfred as the title sponsor of the Super League.  Thus, there is at least some level of brand familiarity in Ontario and Canada with Betfred.  More recently, Betfred has moved to legally serve some of the US state markets, as well as the regulated market of Spain.  However, Betfred has since pulled out of Spain, and is pulling out of several US states. Betfred never served Canada from the 'grey market', so it had no existing players to on-board to the legal Ontario system at the time of launch.  Given this, and the amount of competition that Ontario has seen, we did not expect Betfred to apply to serve Ontario, and we've been proven correct.

 

Will BetHard become a legal Ontario sportsbook?

BetHard started its story as a Swedish upstart iGaming brand in 2012. One of its initial owners was actually Swedish soccer icon Zlatan Ibrahimovic.  However, that group recently sold out to Esports Entertainment Group, which now holds several sports betting brands.  Despite their past interest in the Canadian market and their history of seeking national European licenses, BetHard will not apply for the iGaming Ontario license, and will no longer be active in seeking new players in Canada at all - across the country.

 

Will ESPN BET become a legal Ontario sportsbook?

There is essentially no chance that ESPN BET brand comes to Ontario. Their parent operator company is Penn Entertainment, which operates theScore Bet in Ontario already. Given the added licensing cost, the heavy competition in the province and the brand dilution that this would create, it makes no sense for ESPN BET to ever operate in Ontario.

 

Is Fanatics Sportsbook available in Ontario?

With many US-based ads visible for this upstart operator, many may ask if Fanatics Sportsbook is coming to Ontario. As of January 2, 2024, they have not been granted a license by the AGCO. So no, they are not yet a legal Ontario sportsbook.  Will Fanatics enter the Ontario igaming market?  We suppose it is a possibility that Fanatics looks to apply for a license to serve Ontario at some point. We cannot rule it out given their ambition, the relatively low cost of the Ontario license, the low tax rate and their low-cost approach to player acquisition, as compared to other operators.  However, to date, we have seen no indication that they plan to operate outside of various legal US markets.  Given the saturation of the sportsbook market in Ontario, we don't expect Fanatics to enter that market to compete.

 

Is MarathonBet going to become one of many legal Ontario sportsbooks?

Although MarathonBet has served Canada from the 'grey market' through its jurisdiction in Curacao, it has never focused very hard on the Canadian sports betting market.  While MarathonBet has gained national licenses in markets like Denmark, Italy and Spain, we do not expect MarathonBet to apply to serve Ontario as a licensed sportsbook provider.  It will likely continue to serve Canada, excluding Ontario, from the 'grey market'.  Update 2023: MarathonBet has stopped serving all of Canada.

 

Will NetBet apply to become a legal Ontario sportsbook?

NetBet is a sports betting operator with a history of gaining national licenses in its most important markets including the UK, France and Romania.  A long time casino and sports betting provider to Canada from the 'grey market', the country has been one if their most important markets.  While there is no public news on the intentions of NetBet in Ontario, our understanding is that NetBet will indeed apply for a license to serve Ontario legally.  The large amount of competition in the market may change this.  We'll see if this comes through, or if they change plans. Update: At last check in early October 2022, NetBet had stopped serving players in the rest of Canada. In early November 2022, they received their AGCO license, but have yet to actually go live on the iGaming Ontario platform, so NetBet is currently completely out of the Canadian market.

 

Which US sportsbooks do we expect to stay out of the Ontario legal market?

At this point, with no industry news linking the Ontario market to various US online sportsbook brands, we do not expect that WynnBET, TwinSpires, Fox Bet, Sugar House, Borgata and Hard Rock among others to apply for licenses to serve the Ontario iGaming market. 

This is merely our expectation given the lack of news related to these brands entering the legal Ontario market and the fact that so many formerly 'grey' sportsbook operators with brand heritage in Canada will be allowed to apply and on-board their existing players.  Many US brands like those listed just above likely already know that much of the battle for customers in the legal Ontario market, or the 'land rush' for market share has already been won by incumbent brands that will be able to instantly turn their existing 'grey' customers into 'legal' customers when they gain a license.

 

Will Spin become a legal iGaming Ontario operator?

Spin has been marketing its casino brand in Canada for many years now.  Of course the ads pointed to free-to-play websites, but their main dot-com sites always served Canada.  Although the sports vertical has now ceased, its casino brand continues. With a significant number of Ontario-based players, Spin Casino will be applying for an Ontario license.  Other related Casino brands like Jackpot City, should also gain their Ontario license. (Update August 22, 2022 Spin Casino, JackpotCity and other related casino brands have received their AGCO license to operate in Ontario.)

 

What is the legal age for sports betting in Ontario?

You must be 19 or older to wager legally in Ontario, whether online, or at a sportsbook location.

 

Did we miss a sports betting brand about which you are curious?  Contact us via X (Twitter).

 

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