The U.K.-based bookmaker Fitzdares is closing up shop in Canada’s most populous province.
Fitzdares sent an email to users of its online sportsbook and casino on Monday morning informing them that “after serving our customers in Ontario for the past two years we have taken the difficult decision to exit.”
“Fitzdares Ontario will be ceasing operations effective midnight on March 31st, 2025,” the email added. “You will be able to continue to enjoy betting with us until March 31st. Full details about our closure can be found on our site.”
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario's online registry shows Fitzdares' iGaming operator license will expire on Apr. 3.
Cheerio, Ontario
All Fitzdares account balances must be withdrawn by Mar. 31, the operator said. The minimum withdrawal amount is $5, so any balances less than that require a user to deposit $5 so they can withdraw the remainder.
The operator's website says Mar. 3 will be the last day to issue bonuses and promotions. The company will no longer accept deposits in Ontario as of Mar. 11, except for any $5 transfers needed to withdraw.
Fitzdares Ontario will take no new bets in its online sportsbook or casino starting Mar. 25.
“Rest assured that your personal data will be handled securely and in accordance with applicable privacy regulations,” the email adds. “If you have any questions or require further assistance, our support team is available at canada@fitzdares.com. We sincerely appreciate your time with Fitzdares Ontario and thank you for your support.”
BORING PERSONAL INFO🚨: This Friday I’ll be stepping down as CEO of Fitzdares after 7 glorious years. After Xmas I choose to move on and I’m excited to sit on a few boards and put my bookie feet up. This sadly ends 200 uninterrupted years of my family’s involvement in racing. X pic.twitter.com/limPDaanFB
— WILLIAM WOODHAMS (@WIGWOOD) January 27, 2025
Fitzdares' departure from Ontario’s regulated market for online sports betting and casino gaming — the only one in Canada that permits private-sector operators to participate — follows the exit of the bookmaker’s longtime CEO, William Woodhams, earlier this year.
It was under Woodhams' watch that Fitzdares ("the world’s finest bookmaker") expanded from Ireland and the U.K., where it's taken bets since 1882, to the Canadian province of Ontario.
Yet Fitzdares' decision to shut down in Ontario also comes as the province’s iGaming market remains extremely competitive, with 50 operators offering online sports betting, bingo, casino gambling, and poker.
There have been a few exits since the Ontario market opened in 2022, such as Coolbet and Unibet, but for the most part the market remains well-populated, including by the likes of bet365, DraftKings, and FanDuel.
"We have loved Ontario, and made some great friends, but the cost of doing business was becoming prohibitive," said Clive Harris, Fitzdares' country manager for Canada, in a statement to Covers. "We will continue to monitor the competitive and regulatory environment closely, as we gear up for exciting times ahead."
A 'premium' player departs
Ontario requires operators to pay a $100,000 annual licensing fee and hand over approximately 20% of their revenue.
But Fitzdares also sought to bring a century-old gambling culture to a market that couldn’t quite accommodate it.
The company is known in the U.K. for its customer service, gentlemanly clubs, and ties to horse racing. In Ontario, the operator couldn't open a club with gambling inside it and couldn't take bets on horse races (at least not without partnering with Woodbine Entertainment Group).
This made it tough for Fitzdares to carry out its mission of providing a “premium element" following its launch in the province in 2023.
“Everyone's come in a little bit hard and a little bit, dare I say, American,” Woodhams told Covers in Feb. 2023. “I understand why you want to get market share, but there needs to be… a calming of the category. And hopefully when the category as a whole calms… then there's definitely an opportunity for a premium provider within that mix.”
