January 2026 Highlights: Bet365 Partnership and Other Canadian Betting Updates

The beginning of the year is not always rich in news, but that is not the case for Canada’s betting industry. January brought several market-shaping updates, including new partnerships, tighter advertising rules, the launch of a provincial sportsbook, record betting figures, and a fine imposed on a major platform. In this article, we break down these developments and explore how they may affect the betting experience of Canadian players.

Bet365 expands its partnership with Incentive Games

Global bookmaker Bet365 and B2B provider of real-money games Incentive Games have announced a major expansion of their collaboration. Real-money titles from Incentive Studios, a division of Incentive Games, are now available on Bet365’s global platform, including key U.S. states and Canadian provinces.

The agreement covers all jurisdictions where Bet365 operates, including Ontario, Michigan, and the United Kingdom, where Incentive Games has recently secured licenses. The first games are already live, with additional releases planned throughout the year. The portfolio includes slots, table games, and other real-money products.

This move represents a logical next step in an existing relationship, as the companies have previously worked together in other areas. Bet365 gains access to innovative content, while Incentive Games strengthens its presence in regulated markets. For players, this translates into greater variety within Bet365’s casino section.

Ahmed Baker, Chief Commercial Officer at Incentive Games, described the deal as a natural evolution of cooperation between two teams focused on quality and long-term growth. A Bet365 representative added that expanding the portfolio would enhance the casino offering for customers worldwide.

Responsible Advertising Code ends the era of aggressive marketing

As of January 1, 2026, Canada has implemented a new Responsible Advertising Code for the Gaming Industry, developed by the Canadian Gaming Association. The document regulates the promotion of gambling, betting, and online gaming across all formats – from television to social media.

The most significant changes concern promotional offers. Operators are no longer allowed to publicly advertise welcome bonuses, free bets, or similar incentives. Such promotions may only appear on bookmakers’ websites, age-restricted affiliate platforms, and direct communications sent to registered players. Social media interactions are also regulated: operators must either disable comments or actively moderate them to remove bonus-related mentions.

Another key requirement is that all advertising materials must include a responsible gambling message, at a minimum, the phrase “Play responsibly.” Calls to immediate action, such as “Bet now!”, depictions of excessive gambling, and any association between betting and alcohol or drugs are strictly prohibited.

The new code is administered by Ad Standards, Canada’s national advertising self-regulatory body. Complaints can be submitted online and are reviewed by a dedicated panel. While compliance is voluntary, the framework complements existing provincial regulations and helps improve the industry’s transparency in the public eye.

OLG launches Kambi-powered sportsbook

On January 27, 2026, Kambi Group launched its sportsbook for the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG). The rollout followed a year of negotiations and approvals. Initially scheduled for late 2025, the launch was delayed due to the technical complexity of the migration. In one of our previous articles, we examined how the shift to online platforms is reshaping Canada’s betting market.

Kambi replaced FDJ Gaming Solutions France, which had operated OLG’s platform since the early days of Ontario’s regulated market. The new system supports both the PROLINE+ online platform and PROLINE retail betting locations. The transition required significant investment from Kambi, although the exact amount has not been disclosed.

Despite competition from around 50 commercial operators, OLG accounts for approximately 20% of Ontario’s online betting revenue. Kambi’s technology is expected to help grow that share, as the provider already partners with major brands such as MGM, Bally’s, and BetRivers.

For bettors, the upgrade means improved functionality, a wider range of markets, more flexible odds, and a refreshed interface. All profits generated by OLG are reinvested into the province, making the platform’s success directly tied to funding for regional programs.

Ontario sets new online gambling revenue record

Ontario’s iGaming market continues to expand. In November 2025, operators generated a record $406.2 million in revenue – up 10% month over month and 39% compared to November 2024. Total wagering reached $9.33 billion, marking another all-time high.

Sports betting delivered particularly strong results. Revenue exceeded $100 million for the first time, reaching $102.3 million, surpassing the previous record of $92 million set in January 2025. This performance was driven by bookmaker-friendly outcomes across the NHL, NBA, and NFL. Sports betting handle totalled $1.25 billion, with its share of total revenue climbing to 25% – the highest level since January.

Online casino games remain the dominant segment, posting $7.95 billion in handle and $298 million in revenue. This accounts for 73% of total operator income. The number of active accounts rose to 1.3 million, a 1% increase month over month. Average revenue per player reached $313, up 9% year over year.

Since the regulated market launched in April 2022, players in Ontario have wagered over $247 billion. Operator revenue has approached $9.8 billion, with nearly $2 billion collected by the province through a 20% tax rate.

FanDuel fined $350,000 for betting monitoring failures

On January 8, 2026, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) imposed a $350,000 fine on FanDuel Canada. The penalty was issued after the company failed to promptly detect and report suspicious activity linked to match-fixing in Czech table tennis events. We previously covered match-fixing issues in a separate article.

Between October 23 and November 30, 2024, FanDuel accepted 144 bets from three accounts on matches from the Czech Table Tennis Star Series. These events displayed multiple indicators of manipulation, including sharp odds movements, concentrated betting on specific players to lose, near-perfect prediction accuracy, and coordinated behaviour across accounts. The tournament had already been under scrutiny following alerts from other operators.

The core issue was FanDuel’s failure to respond to these red flags and suspend betting activity. Licensed operators are required to report suspicious patterns to Independent Integrity Monitors (IIM), which then share intelligence with other bookmakers and sports organizations. This process forms a global defence against match-fixing.

AGCO emphasized that operators serve as the first line of defence in protecting betting integrity. Ignoring warning signs undermines the efforts of regulators, law enforcement, and sports federations worldwide. FanDuel has 15 days to appeal the decision before the Licence Appeal Tribunal, though the company has not yet commented publicly.

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