One of the biggest names in online sports betting appears to be en route to taking action in Ontario.
A list maintained by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario shows "FanDuel Canada ULC" was issued an internet gaming operator registration on Friday for both an online sportsbook and casino website.
FanDuel and its parent company, Dublin-based Flutter Entertainment PLC, already have a presence in Canada with daily fantasy sports and online poker. Now, though, Flutter and FanDuel look to be preparing to legally offer internet-based sports betting and casino gambling in Ontario, Canada's most populous province.
A spokesperson for FanDuel declined to comment Friday on the AGCO registration. However, one of the gaming website addresses attached to the registration leads to a FanDuel-related webpage, which was undergoing maintenance on Friday.
Ontario is scheduled to open a competitive iGaming market on April 4, and, with the FanDuel registration, there were 13 different operators on track to participate in the market as of Friday. Coolbet is now listed as a registered iGaming operator as well.
Meanwhile, the AGCO's online service portal, iAGCO, notes that iGaming operator registrations can be effective no earlier than April 4.
"Such registrations may also be subject to additional terms that could impact this effective date, which as a result may differ from what is displayed on iAGCO," the website says.
Battleground Ontario
Internet gaming operators that want to legally do business in Ontario must register with the AGCO and execute an operating agreement with iGaming Ontario, a government agency and AGCO subsidiary. At least 30 operators have applied for an AGCO registration.
The interest in Ontario is likely because of the potential size of the market and the unique nature of the province's plan, which will allow private-sector operators of online sportsbooks and internet-based casinos to take bets from residents.
It's a big change, as Canadian provinces have long allowed government-owned entities to control legal sports betting. Ontario, however, is inviting an army of competitors to vie for sports betting and online casino gambling business alongside its provincial lottery and gaming corporation.
As a result, Ontario's approach has grabbed the attention of major bookmakers such as Flutter. In addition to FanDuel, sportsbooks such as BetRivers and PointsBet have already earned AGCO approval.
Operators may wind up in a dogfight for market share in Ontario. A recent report from consulting firm Deloitte Canada suggested the various preferences of Canadian sports bettors could mean their loyalty to any one brand or company may be fleeting.
"These findings suggest we should be prepared to witness some churn as Ontario's sports-betting market becomes the first in Canada to embrace a competitive marketplace," Deloitte said. "They also serve as an early indication that Canadian lottery organizations in provinces and territories that follow Ontario's lead may, too, experience initial customer fluctuation and turnover.”
Prep work
In the meantime, the AGCO says it continues to work with operators and suppliers ahead of the April 4 launch.
The regulator also announced on Friday that it updated its "Internet Gaming Go-Live Compliance Guide" for registered and would-be operators and suppliers.
"Not every operator will be ready to launch their services on day one," the AGCO said in an email. "Some are more ready than others. This means Ontario’s new iGaming market will steadily expand in the weeks and months following the market’s launch. Regardless of exact timing, all operators and suppliers working toward entering Ontario’s market are strongly encouraged to review the updated Guide to help ensure readiness for go-live."
