DAZN Bet prepares Canadian betting launch with Ontario, Alberta approval

Sports streaming giant DAZN is preparing to enter Canada's regulated online gambling sector, with its DAZN Bet sportsbook and casino brand now approved to operate in both Ontario and Alberta.

DAZN Bet has obtained an iGaming operator license from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO). The company is also listed as a registered operator by Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC), positioning it to participate in Alberta's regulated commercial online gambling market when it opens on July 13.

Expansion plans take shape

Although DAZN Bet received approval to launch in Ontario in January, the company has not yet begun accepting wagers in the province.

Its registration in Alberta indicates that DAZN is preparing to establish operations in both provinces as part of its Canadian online gaming strategy. Earlier this year, the company appointed former Sports Interaction and TonyBet executive Richard Rawlinson as its first country manager for Canada.

DAZN already operates extensively in Canada through its sports broadcasting rights portfolio. The company holds exclusive or non-exclusive Canadian rights to properties including the NFL, MLB Network, the English Premier League through an agreement with Fubo, UEFA Champions League, LIV Golf, Women's Tennis Association (WTA) competitions, boxing, mixed martial arts and motorsports.

The platform also offers original programming, including NFL Rookie Diaries, Downs 2 Business and Inside the Ring.

DAZN is set to lose Canadian rights to UEFA club soccer beginning in 2027 when those rights move to Paramount+. However, on May 28, the company announced that it will become the exclusive Canadian broadcaster of Canadian Football League (CFL) Saturday Night Football games starting in 2027. It will also stream every CFL game in markets outside North America.

Bringing betting into the viewing experience

Ontario and Alberta will be DAZN Bet's first markets in North America. The sportsbook is already live in several European jurisdictions, including the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Spain and France.

In some jurisdictions, DAZN offers a DAZN Bet feature that allows users to track odds and place bets while watching live sports on the same platform.

More than 30 operators approved

When Alberta's commercial online gambling market opens in July, DAZN Bet will join more than 30 registered operators approved to participate.

Among others, the list includes: bet365, BetMGM, Caesars Entertainment's three iGaming brands, DraftKings Sportsbook and Casino and its secondary Golden Nugget Online Gaming brand, FanDuel, PENN Entertainment's theScore Bet, AGLC-operated Play Alberta, Rush Street Interactive's BetRivers, PointsBet Canada and six Super Group brands, including Betway.

Alberta will become Canada's second regulated commercial online gambling market after Ontario.