You probably know that one of the most popular types of entertainment today is gambling. Millions of people from all over the world love this action. We have known for a while that most nations throughout the world have not regulated this aspect, particularly when it comes to the online component. Canada and the businesses that might do business there in the gaming sector are two very fascinating topics.
But if you’re into sports, you’ve probably heard of Fanatics, a major player in the global market. But the question is often asked, could this giant company consider a move into the Canadian gaming industry? Is there a possibility of Fanatics opening a sportsbook or casino in Canada? Continue reading this article to find out the latest answers on this controversial topic.
About Fanatics in Canada
In just over ten years, Fanatics has become the benchmark for articles in the colours of a sports league, championship, club, or team. It now has more than 900 partnerships, mainly with the four major American professional leagues, but also with many prestigious European football clubs.
Its CEO, Michael Rubin, who gave birth to the group in its current configuration in 2011, proposes to make it a diversified digital platform with sports as a link. As for Fanatics, a sports merchandise company, launching a sportsbook or casino in Canada, it would depend on various factors including:
- the legal framework for online gambling in Canada
- licensing requirements
- regulatory approvals.
If online casinos are legal in a certain province, such as Ontario, Fanatics could explore the possibility of launching a casino or sportsbook there, of course, ensuring compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. Big part of following the regulations is having software and games that are fair and unable to be manipulated and corrupted.
The biggest brands in the North American markets are always using the best and biggest software and game providers. Caliente is the top dog in Mexico, Bet365 is the market leader in Canada and Fanduel is still leading in terms of market share Draftkings in the licensed US states. The betting and casino offering of these brands is of the highest quality so that they can best serve their sports bettors and casino players. Kambi is the best known provider of sportsbook solutions in the US. When it comes to casino games the competition is a lot bigger. Scientific Games (now Light and Wonder), Aristocrat and IGT are the biggest names in the industry as they are coming from the land based slot game cabinets market. On the other hand when it comes to the online offering Evolution Gaming (EVO) is the standout leader locally and globally. The competition is a lot closer when it comes to online slot games where traditionally European brands dominate including Pragmatic Play, Playtech, NetEnt (part of EVO) and EvoPlay. Pragmatic Play has been making a name for itself in the past few years by launching 1 (and sometimes even more) slot games per month with exception quality. NetEnt on the other hand is launching less games as they focus more on some game mechanics and specific. They are the creators of the legendary Gonzo`s Quest and Starburst as you can see by visiting games.netent.com.
The greatest choice would be to think about working with NetEnt or other respected casino game providers to offer a varied and alluring range of games if Fanatics were to start an online casino in Canada.
Remember that the online gaming sector is heavily regulated, and Fanatics should make sure that it complies with all Canadian rules and regulations before entering the market.
Canada Casino Laws
Although many would think that there is blanket gambling legislation that operates across the country, this is not the case. Instead, we can observe the existence of numerous provinces and all of their laws. We can observe that there are greater variances among them even if they all share certain commonalities.
If you look at the country, you will see that there are eleven provinces. For this industry, I say Ontario is the most important. As a result, third parties may offer online gambling services. However, it is only possible by registering with AGCO, which is the list of local government service providers. They issue the certification and thus govern mark the legal ones of those who cannot be treated as such.
Therefore, you should note that online casinos are not legal in Canada, except in some provinces such as:
- Ontario
- British Columbia
- Quebec
- Manitoba
They have provincial online gambling platforms operated by their respective provincial governments. These platforms only provide a small selection of online casino games, and provincial licensing laws may differ.
The way things operate is extremely remarkable when you consider the circumstances in the nation. There are no laws that directly allow anything. In contrast, gambling is not allowed in the country.
However, we can note that there are exceptions to this law, each member state can decide for itself and create legislation. So this is where Fanatics could certainly launch a sportsbook or casino. Online gambling law in Canada falls into two main categories: provincial law and First Nations law. Canadian law allows each province to regulate its online gambling law. Most of them have chosen to run their own gaming and lottery websites.
Final Words
As you can see, Canada is an exceptionally fascinating case in the field of betting. We have detailed the key points you should be aware of about local gaming sites in this article. We also learned how Fanatics could open a casino or sportsbook in Canada.
Online gambling is extra m popular in Canada. Since Canada is such a technologically advanced nation, it goes without saying that online versions of all the games described below are available and popular among Canadians.