Which Brands Have Succeeded in Ontario’s Regulated Gambling Market

After over a year of regulated gambling, Ontario has become established as one of the most lucrative provincial markets in North America. Sources indicate that Canadian gamblers have wagered more than $3 billion (CAD) in the year since the regulatory framework was implemented, and it has been further reported that Ontario’s government has acquired over $1 billion (CAD) in revenue.

Some of the biggest brands in gambling have entered the market, but stakeholders may be surprised with regard to which brands have performed best in this new landscape. Bet365’s continued dominance as market leaders was to be expected, but Penn Entertainment’s the Score.bet brand, and Flutter’s Fanduel and Poker Stars brands have done extremely well. Brands such as DraftKings and Caesars, which have established significant market shares in the US, have not quite been able to replicate this in their respective first years in Ontario.

The remainder of this article will discuss the top 3 brands in terms of market share, the products they offer, along with whether they had been active in Ontario’s unregulated grey market before the fourth of April 2022 (the day Ontario waved the green flag of sportsbooks to operate in the province).

Bet365 Set the Standard as Market Leaders

Bet365 was founded in 2006 in the UK, and has since become a global powerhouse within the iGaming industry. In Canada, Bet365 cruised to dominant market share for offshore bookmakers in the years that gambling remained unregulated, so their dominance in the now, still fledgling, legal online gambling market in Ontario comes as little surprise.

As far as search data goes, searches for the word “bet365” have decreased between the 11-month periods before and after the legalization of online gambling in Ontario, however, searches for this phrase still significantly outweigh the number of other branded bookmaker searches.

In Ontario, Bet365 make their world renowned sportsbook available, with an Ontario twist of course, along with a full stack online casino, that includes slots and online table games, as well.

Penn Entertainment’s Unanticipated Success

Penn Entertainment have been active in the US through Barstool Sportsbook, Hollywood Casino, and PennPlay Casino. Their acquisition of an existing Canadian sports media brand turned online sportsbook app theScore has been a tactical masterstroke during their endeavours to establish traction in the Ontario market. The Score had not been accepting sports bets before the launch of regulated online gambling in Ontario.

Searches for the phrase “thescore bet” and other iterations have skyrocketed after Ontario’s legal sportsbook launch, and according to CDCGaming.com, they have bagged a 15.5% market share (the metric used in this case being app downloads over the first year of regulation).

theScore.bet offers users a sportsbook app, but no sports betting site, which has been a unique  approach in a mobile first market. The operator also offers a casino, as do most sportsbooks active in Ontario.

Flutter Entertainment Seals a Top 3 Market Share Spot

Flutter Entertainment’s Fanduel Sportsbook was one of the most anticipated brands to launch in Ontario, after an impressive start as a leading sports betting provider in numerous US states. Poker Stars is another brand that belongs to Flutter Entertainment, which has supplemented the company’s success in Ontario.

Searches for the phrase “fanduel sportsbook” have also increased significantly according to Canadian Gaming Business , and is showing no signs of slowing down. If we take the same CDN Gaming source as mentioned above, Flutter currently owns a 13.7% market share in Ontario.

Flutter has a more diverse profile when it comes to brands. Users can bet on sports, and play online casino on Fanduel sportsbook, while Pokerstars offer separate platforms for sports betting, casino, and poker.

Closing thoughts

The brands that have garnered the most attention in Ontario all have a heavy background within offering services related to sport. Bet365 has been a global market leader for sports betting, while Penn Entertainment’s theScore brand has offered sports media to Canadians for decades. Flutter’s Fanduel has developed a well respected reputation after having Daily Fantasy Sports to users across North America, so a sports background appears to be a key to success in the market. While this is the case after the first year, plenty will unfold as more brands enter the mix.