DraftKings Sportsbook, Online Casino Now Live In Ontario

DraftKings’ sportsbook and online casino offerings are now live in Ontario, the company announced Wednesday.

This gives residents in Canada’s most-populous province the option to play on one of the leading gaming brands. 

“DraftKings’ entry into Canada with our online sportsbook and online casino products is a significant milestone in our expansion efforts as we reach nearly 40% of Canada’s total population,” Jason Robbins, DraftKings’ chairman and CEO, said in a news release.

Ontario launched its new commercial gaming market on April 4. Among other operators, FanDuel, BetMGM and PointsBet Canada are live in Ontario. 

Now DraftKings Ontario Sportsbook fans will be able to deposit and play on its sportsbook and online casino. 

In addition to its sportsbook offerings that allow bettors to wager on ice hockey, baseball and more, the DraftKings online casino features more than 100 slot titles for players to choose from. 

The online casino platform also includes a live dealer section where players can participate in table games such as blackjack, roulette, poker and baccarat.

DraftKings’ DFS Departs Ontario

While DraftKings’ online sportsbook and casino platforms are now live in Ontario, its Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) operations are no longer active in the province. 

The company notified its players this week that DraftKings DFS is only eligible to players in approved Canadian provinces and U.S. states. 

“While we know this is unfortunate news for our passionate daily fantasy sports players, we will continue to work with the provincial government to try to bring daily fantasy sports back to Ontario as soon as possible,” the company said in a statement. 

Ontario’s gaming rules limit DFS pools to compete against only other players in the province. DFS operators are also required to pay $100,000 in licensing fees every year and 20% of revenue to the Ontario government.

DFS Operators Hope To Return To Ontario 

DraftKings is not the only company to end its daily fantasy platform in Ontario. 

On April 1, FanDuel eliminated its daily fantasy sports offerings in Ontario ahead of its sportsbook launch in the province on April 4. 

With Ontario limiting daily fantasy contests to just Ontario-only players, operators don’t see daily fantasy sports as a feasible option with the limitations set in place. 

“This would severely limit the size of future contests and lead to significantly smaller prizes — a product we know will not be attractive to our players in Ontario,” FanDuel said on its website. 

FanDuel said the company is hopeful the province’s DFS regulations will change soon to allow larger contests.

“Should this change happen, FanDuel plans to bring our DFS product back to our players in Ontario,” the company said.