Fitzdares Exits Ontario Online Gambling Market After Two Challenging Years
UK-based bookmaker Fitzdares is set to exit Ontario’s online gaming market by March 31, 2025, citing unsustainable operating costs and tough competition. The decision concludes its brief two-year venture in Canada.
Rising Costs Force Fitzdares’ Withdrawal
Fitzdares, a UK-based betting operator will cease operations in Ontario at midnight on March 31, 2025. The company attributed its decision primarily to escalating business costs that outweighed potential benefits in Ontario’s crowded online gambling landscape.
Clive Harris, Fitzdares’ Country Manager for Canada, explained the company’s decision clearly, stating:
“We have loved Ontario, and made some great friends, but the cost of doing business was becoming prohibitive.”
The Ontario online gambling market, regulated by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), has proven challenging for operators due to high licensing fees, taxes, and fierce competition. Fitzdares struggled to carve out a profitable niche amidst these pressures.
Ontario’s Alcohol and Gaming Commission has confirmed Fitzdares’ license expires on April 3, 2025, shortly after operations end.
Operational Challenges in Canada
Unlike its successful UK business model, Fitzdares faced specific regulatory restrictions in Ontario. Notably, the company couldn’t independently offer betting on horse racing without partnering with local firm Woodbine Entertainment Group. Additionally, Fitzdares was unable to replicate its exclusive private club model—one of its distinctive features in the British market.
The company’s departure coincides with leadership changes after former CEO William Woodhams stepped down earlier this year. Woodhams had been instrumental in guiding Fitzdares’ expansion into international markets, including Ontario.
Ontario’s gambling market continues to attract major global operators, including FanDuel, DraftKings, and Bet365, intensifying competition and reducing profit margins for smaller or niche-focused companies like Fitzdares.
Despite Fitzdares’ initial ambitions, the absence of independent horse-race betting operations and difficulty establishing a physical private betting club further limited growth opportunities.