Sports betting and igaming service provider FSB and content provider Relax Gaming have both secured approval from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) to launch in the Canadian province’s legal market when it opens next week.
FSB’s gaming related supplier licence will enable it to work with approved operators in the province, including providing its omnichannel sportsbook product and online casino aggregation.
“This hugely exciting news is a landmark moment for FSB and adds further fuel to our aggressive, forward momentum in the North American region,” FSB chief executive Dave McDowell said.
“The pre-market opening approval from the AGCO pays a huge tribute to the quality of our technology, services and people as we push forward in global regulated markets in 2022.”
FSB’s vice-president of operations for North America, Bob Akeret, added: “Being licensed as a gaming related supplier as the market opens puts us in a strong position to play a leading role in Ontario and build further and faster on the major growth we have achieved in North America over the last 12 months.
“This is an opportunity we look forward to embracing.”
Meanwhile, Relax Gaming’s supplier licence will also allow it to work with licensed operators in Ontario.
The provider estimated that it will launch an initial 130 games across a number of operators in the province, with almost half of these games coming from 16 of its partner studios.
“The opening of the Ontario province marks the long-awaited debuts of regulated operations in Canada and is truly a turning point for the industry in the region,” Relax’s chief regulatory officer Alexia Smilovic Rønde said.
“Relax Gaming is delighted to be part of this journey from the very beginning, as well as offer its compliant portfolio and suite of partners under our regulatory umbrella, to make an equally swift and brilliant entry on the local scene.”
Ontario’s regulated online gambling market is due to launch on 4 April with a number of major operators having secured approval in the province.
Licensed operators include Bet365, Flutter Entertainment-owned FanDuel and Unibet, the latter of which gained approval earlier this week.