DraftKings and FanDuel pull the plug on Ontario daily fantasy sports
Prospective Ontario sportsbook licensees provoke ire of DFS users as province moves to regulated environment from April 4
Daily fantasy sports (DFS) heavyweights DraftKings and FanDuel have both committed to withdrawing access to paid for and free fantasy sports contests to players in Ontario as preparations for the regulated market launch continue.
Confirming the move via a change its customer support page, FanDuel revealed its decision to close down DFS operations in Ontario due to a change in government regulations.
“Ontario residents can participate in daily fantasy contests while physically located in other provinces and within US states where daily fantasy is permitted,” FanDuel said.
“Additionally, Ontario residents will be able to utilize the FanDuel Sportsbook and Casino products launching in Ontario beginning April 4th.
“All entries submitted prior to April 1 will run as normal and any winnings are fully eligible for withdrawal. Any tickets and Championship League entries won or entered on or prior to April 1 will also run as normal,” FanDuel added.
Fellow DFS contest pioneer DraftKings has said it will also discontinue its fantasy sports content offering as part of efforts to obtain an igaming and sports betting license in the province.
In a statement provided to EGR North America, DraftKings reiterated its intention to enter the Ontario regulated sports betting and igaming market “in the near future” but declined to confirm if this would be from April 4, the market launch date.
“Until shortly before we launch sports betting and igaming in Ontario, customers can continue to play DraftKings daily fantasy sports as normal,” DraftKings said.
“Upon our sports betting and igaming launch, customers physically located in Ontario will not be eligible to play in paid or free daily fantasy sports contests.
“However, customers can continue to play on DraftKings as permissible when located in other Canadian provinces or US states,” DraftKings added.
The decision by DraftKings and FanDuel to discontinue DFS in Ontario provoked condemnation on social media from affected users.
Shout out to @Ontario who has decided my DFS career is over with @FanDuel and @DraftKings as they prioritize their sportsbooks over their loyal DFS clients.
— Gavos (@gavosworld) March 26, 2022
Can't believe @DraftKings and @FanDuel are pulling dfs from Ontario. I absolutely will not be giving either sportsbook any of my money. #dfs #DraftKings #FanDuel
— Brian Vilaranda (@Villy17) March 26, 2022
Others laid the blame at Ontarian premier Doug Ford and provincial authorities for treating DFS as a game of chance rather than skill, suggesting the move would kill the DFS market in the province.
Still can’t believe Ontario is going to be one of the few places where DFS is illegal 😂 Doug Ford is the worst man.
— Brock Seguin (@Brock_Seguin) March 28, 2022
DFS operators spent so many years pushing the "this is a legal game of skill" argument in Canada. Well, make the argument! Or would you rather operate traditional gaming & betting in the regulated Ontario market and continue to offer DFS to the rest of the (grey?) Canadian market
— Jack Tadman (@bettorlaw) March 29, 2022
The move comes as part of preparations by the duo to launch igaming and sports betting operations in the Canadian province under its new regulatory framework, overseen by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).
In Ontario, so-called ‘pay-to-play fantasy sports’ contests are considered to be gambling under Canada’s criminal code and are permitted as part of AGCO standards for igaming, released to operators in 2021.
Those regulated operators who have entered into an agreement with AGCO’s conduct and management entity for igaming and sports betting are permitted to offer pay-to-play fantasy sports contests once they go live in the regulated Ontario market.
However, when this happens, Ontario players utilizing DFS operators are limited to playing against other players located in Ontario.
AGCO has said that choosing whether or not to offer paid for DFS contests is an “individual business decision” which rests with registered operators.
Free-to-play fantasy sports have been and will continue to be allowed to be offered after the new igaming market launches on April 4, 2022.