Fanatics Betting & Gaming cleared a major Ontario regulatory hurdle on August 11, but its sportsbook and casino cannot accept wagers until the company completes a separate operating agreement with iGaming Ontario. The approval brings the U.S. sports brand closer to entering Canada’s largest regulated online betting market, but it is not a launch authorization.

Approval does not equal launch

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, the province’s gaming regulator, approved Fanatics Sportsbook and Fanatics Casino, according to Canadian Gaming Business reporting updated on August 18.

Fanatics must now finalize commercial arrangements with iGaming Ontario, the provincial entity responsible for conducting and managing online gaming through private operators.

Ontario requires private operators to complete both stages before offering games to customers. An AGCO registration alone does not allow an operator to accept public wagers.

Fanatics has regulatory approval, but it does not yet have permission to accept wagers in Ontario.

No public launch date has been announced. The timing will depend on the operating agreement, technical integration, compliance checks and final market readiness.

A crowded market awaits

Fanatics would enter a market that had 48 regulated operators and 83 gaming websites on the iGaming Ontario directory dated August 6, 2026.

  • 48 regulated operators were listed.
  • 83 gaming websites were listed.
  • The directory included Bet365, BetMGM, Caesars, DraftKings, FanDuel and BetRivers.

The directory predates Fanatics’ August 11 approval. Fanatics was not listed in that version and cannot be treated as an active Ontario operator until iGaming Ontario adds its authorized website or websites.

That distinction matters to consumers. iGaming Ontario says regulated operators must meet requirements covering game integrity, player protection, social responsibility, anti-money-laundering controls, and the protection of deposits and winnings.

What Ontario players need to know

Ontario’s rules apply to a player’s physical location, not simply their province of residence. Players must be at least 19 years old and physically located in Ontario when placing wagers or participating in regulated online gaming.

  • Players must be 19 or older.
  • They must be physically in Ontario to place wagers.
  • They may access or manage an account while outside the province, but cannot place wagers from outside Ontario.
  • They should confirm that a website appears on iGaming Ontario’s regulated operator directory before depositing funds.

Ontario also operates BetGuard, a centralized self-exclusion tool. Eligible individuals can use it to opt out of all regulated online gaming platforms in the province. Operators must also maintain their own self-exclusion systems.

Why the entry matters

Fanatics expanded in the United States after acquiring PointsBet’s U.S. business. Its entry would add another major U.S.-based competitor to Ontario’s sportsbook market and give consumers another brand choice in sports betting and online casino gaming.

The immediate question is whether Fanatics can complete Ontario’s conduct-and-manage requirements and launch without confusing regulatory approval with authorization to take bets. Until that process is complete, Ontario players cannot legally wager through Fanatics’ sportsbook or casino.