Is FanDuel legal in Canada?

The FanDuel sportsbook and casino has arrived in Canada and is attracting new users by the day. However, many Canadians are still confused over the rapidly evolving nature of the legality of sportsbooks. So, bettors are left wondering, is FanDuel legal in Canada? The answer to that is not as easy as a yes or a no. In this guide, we're going to peek beneath the surface, looking at the FanDuel Canada license, breaking down its safety, and answering the question, can you use FanDuel in Canada? Ready? Let’s get started.

FanDuel is one of the most popular betting sites in the world. Unfortunately, there aren't many parts of Canada that will allow users to wager on their website. There are two primary components to FanDuel sports betting. There is the FanDuel Sportsbook and FanDuel Daily Fantasy. The FanDuel Sportsbook is currently only available in Ontario. The FanDuel Daily Fantasy is available in every other province except Ontario. Since the primary thing people use the betting site for is the sportsbook and casino, the only province it is primarily legal in is Ontario.

While the FanDuel sportsbook is hugely popular, it is not the only part of this website. In fact, there is another aspect of this betting site that has its own legality to consider. The FanDuel casino is also a part of this operator. The FanDuel casino includes a wide range of betting games, like poker, blackjack, and roulette. Bettors who want to enjoy this aspect of the betting site might find themselves restricted by their location. Currently, the FanDuel casino is only available in Ontario. So if you reside outside the province, you will find yourself unable to wager on the FanDuel casino.

If you had asked is FanDuel legal in Ontario only two years ago, the answer would've been no. While it hasn't become legal in other parts of the country, what changed that made FanDuel legal in Ontario? The biggest thing that changed was the Canadian betting laws. When the government struck down Bill C-218, gambling was no longer federally prohibited in Canada. This gave provinces the freedom to determine their own gambling laws, and Ontario moved first, implementing iGaming to regulate the industry. This caught FanDuel’s attention, and by April 4th, 2022, they had arrived in Canada via Ontario. FanDuel had been established in other provinces for years as a Daily Fantasy provider.

FanDuel is an operator that is quite new to the scene in Canada, and bettors likely won’t have too much familiarity with it. There might be some confusion, depending on the province you’re in, about whether or not you can use FanDuel. However, at BettingTop10, we are always happy to help. Below is a table showcasing where FanDuel Canada is legal in Ontario and where it isn’t.

Is FanDuel legal only in Ontario?

Ontario is currently the only province where FanDuel can be classified as legal. Ontario is the only province that has implemented a full regulatory body that oversees the gaming industry, with iGaming Ontario. That has allowed operators from outside the country, like FanDuel Canada, to establish themselves in the province. Other provinces allow single-game betting, but only through provincial sportsbooks run by the province's lottery.

FanDuel was launched in 2009, and they have rapidly grown to become one of the most significant sports betting sites. FanDuel's original calling card was their Daily Fantasy, where bettors could enter tournaments and win prizes by betting on players' performances. However, before long, they had launched into the full-fledged gaming industry, and they quickly became one of America's biggest betting companies. They are valued at more than $20 billion right now.

FanDuel was founded by a group of entrepreneurs and has undergone several acquisitions in its history. Right now, their parent organizations are Flutter Entertainment and Fox.

So, what sets FanDuel apart? Firstly, they are known for having world-class bonuses and promotions. Their websites have excellent interfaces, and they provide great odds for users. Their website is state-of-the-art, and they have mobile betting apps for Canadian users in Ontario. FanDuel’s dynamic features have led to it being a favourite for experienced and beginner sports bettors alike, and they have carved out substantial space in the market in just 15 years of running.

FanDuel launched in Ontario as its first foray into the Canadian market on April 4th, 2022. They brought their sportsbook and casino for bettors. In a short period of time, they have attracted a substantial number of users and partnered with major Canadian sports brands like TSN. They appear poised to be a big part of the future of Canadian betting.

Is FanDuel Legit?

The question most bettors always want to know, first and foremost, is: Is FanDuel legit? Plain and simple, the answer to this question is a yes. FanDuel is one of the world's most successful sportsbooks, with millions of users and a valuation in the multi-billion-dollar territory.

How sportsbooks are defined as legit or not legit is their licensing. The different licenses a sportsbook has define whether or not they are legal for bettors, as well as what kind of safety standards they are upholding.

So, is FanDuel safe? Once again, the answer is yes. FanDuel has procured an iGaming license. That means it is fully legal to use in Ontario and is regulated by state authorities. The authorities are there to ensure safety standards are met, and there are stringent standards to get this license. FanDuel must uphold cybersecurity and payment safety standards to have this license.

What the FanDuel license means is that bettors can feel comfortable when using the sportsbook. They can trust that the betting site is legal and safe, and this license extends to both the sportsbook and casino aspects of the betting site.

There has been a long, complicated road to FanDuel arriving in Ontario. The answer to is FanDuel legal in Canada has been changing rapidly for several years now, and in order to fully understand how everything has happened how it did, we need to take a look back at the history of FanDuel and betting in Canada.

Below, we’ll take a look at the core events that have led to FanDuel being legal in Ontario through a timeline format.

July 2009 - FanDuel is Launched: FanDuel launched in 2009 and was founded by a team of innovators, including Nigel Eccles, Lesley Eccles, Chris Stafford, Tom Griffiths, and Rob Jones. The group was pivoting to a new business model from a previous company that hadn't had the success they hoped for, and the business first launched in Edinburgh, Scotland. The original heart of their business model was fantasy sports, but while they still keep this aspect of their business, there is a lot more to what they offer. FanDuel expanded to become a sportsbook and casino, raised a ton of capital, and eventually went on to become a global sportsbook with headquarters in New York City. 

February 2020 - Bill C-218 is Introduced: A big event going on that would have major implications for the future of FanDuel in Canada was the introduction of Bill C-218. The purpose of Bill C-218 was to repeal a part of the Canadian criminal code that had federally prohibited single-game sports betting. The goal of the bill was to change the legal gray area that Canadian gambling had long been in, where bettors could wager on offshore betting sites but couldn’t place single-game bets on provincially-ran operators. The bill would give provinces the ability to launch and regulate their own gambling industry and dictate whether or not betting sites like FanDuel would be allowed.

June 2021 - Bill C-218 is Passed: In June of 2021, the bill passed through the Canadian parliament on its third reading. It received widespread support on multiple sides of the aisle and was mostly encouraged by the general public. It became clear at this point that the gambling industry in Canada was beginning to take shape and that betting was right around the corner. 

July 2021 - iGaming Ontario is Launched: The first province to spring into action to embrace the changes from this bill was Ontario. In July 2021, just a month after the bill was passed, Ontario formed iGaming Ontario. iGaming Ontario is a regulator that is a subsidiary of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario. Their job is to oversee the industry and create standards that new sportsbooks, such as FanDuel, would have to uphold. They are there to create a safe environment and ensure the gambling industry isn't harmful. iGaming Ontario made significant strides straight away.

April 4th, 2022 - Laws Come into Effect, and FanDuel Arrives in Canada: On April 4th, 2022, the laws that everyone had been talking about came into effect. The result was dramatic. Instantly, the gambling industry in Ontario changed. FanDuel arrived for Ontario users the same day the law came into effect and immediately began offering juicy bonuses to Ontario users. FanDuel opened an office in Toronto and began hiring. It was all systems go. Companies could advertise to Ontario users through TV and billboard ads, and FanDuel and other brands took full advantage. FanDuel partnered with leading media company TSN as their official advertising partner.

Future: FanDuel Spreads to Other Provinces?

Imagining what the future holds for FanDuel in Canada is no easy exercise because there is still much to be done. Other provinces like Alberta, British Columbia, and Quebec are likely to follow Ontario's lead and open up to FanDuel and other gambling operators. The question remains when.

Getting started with FanDuel Canada is, thus far, something only people based in Ontario can do. Because the FanDuel sportsbook and casino have not been made available in any provinces outside of Ontario, this section will not apply to users based in other parts of the country.

If you are wondering how to use FanDuel, the process is straightforward and simple for eligible Canadians. There is a sign-up process that should not take too much of your time, and once it is finished, you will have yourself a brand new account with one of the top new Canadian operators.

Let’s take a step-by-step look at how you can secure your very own FanDuel Canada gambling account.

Step One: Visit the FanDuel Canada Website and Click on the Sportsbook and Casino Tab. Clicking on this will redirect you to the primary registration page. If you are worried about safety and security, don't be. FanDuel has a very strict privacy policy that keeps users safe and secure.

Step Two: Enter Your Contact Information. FanDuel will require you to enter your full name, your phone number, and your email. 

Step Three: Enter Your Personal Details. The required details the sportsbook needs include your job title, the industry you work in, your home address, postal code, and the city you are currently residing in. 

Step Four: Create Your Account Details and Confirm Info. You will then need to create your account details, which include a username and password, and input your date of birth. Lastly, FanDuel will require users to confirm that they are over the legal gambling age in Ontario and that they are fit to gamble, as well as several other things. They will then have to click Continue to create their account. 

Step Five: Add Funds. Once you've created an account, you will have to add funds. FanDuel will provide you with an option that takes you directly to their banking portal. You can then browse the options on their website for depositing. This includes online banking, credit or debit cards, Interac, or PayPal. Bettors can choose how much to deposit and should factor in the FanDuel Welcome Offer. Bettors should not have concerns about their financial safety, as FanDuel has a pristine reputation.

Step Six: Start Betting. Once you have funded your account, you are free to start wagering with FanDuel. To do this, visit their sportsbook, and you will see live odds, upcoming games, and different sports that are available to be gambled on. Bettors can simply click on a game and click on the line they want to bet on to open a bet slip. They will then input how much they want to wager to fully place their bet.

FanDuel is a sportsbook that has been available for Canadians for a very short period of time. That means there is plenty bettors don’t know. And considering that the status around legal betting in Canada can be incredibly confusing, there is a lot bettors need to know.

If you have questions about FanDuel, we are here to help. Below are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about legal betting with FanDuel.