Court Decision Opens Door for P2P Gamblers to Play Outside Canada
Posted on: November 12, 2025, 06:23h.
Last updated on: November 12, 2025, 06:27h.
In a landmark decision today, the Ontario Court of Appeal, in a 4-1 ruling, decided that Ontario can legally offer international liquidity, a ruling that will shake up the igaming industry in the province.
The legal question for the court was whether legal online gaming and sports betting remain lawful under the Criminal Code if its users were permitted to participate in games and betting involving individuals outside of Canada.
The decision means that there’s now a legal pathway for Ontario-based DFS and poker players to compete against peers abroad, a significant victory for the industry in Ontario, said Canadian Gaming Association President and CEO Paul Burns, bringing back a valuable option for consumers who enjoyed pooling gaming activities.
DraftKings and FanDuel Had Shuttered DFS in Ontario
“The majority decision … affirmed this authority,” said Burns. “However, many operational aspects of the Proposed Model remain undefined. Additionally, no timeline has been provided for when Ontario may initiate the model.”
DraftKings and FanDuel shut down their DFS operations in Ontario in 2022 after the province’s new igaming laws kicked in, which cracked down on unlicensed fantasy sports platforms.
The Canadian Lottery Coalition (comprising British Columbia Lottery Corporation, Lotteries & Gaming Saskatchewan, Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries and Atlantic Lottery) argued against allowing for the pooling of players of peer-to-peer games.
No Timeline on Rollout
The CLC has 30 days to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court. Casino.org reached out to CLC for a reaction but we have to hear back.
“We believe that the strength of the verdict will encourage a measured response,” said Burns.
Now that there’s a pathway to expand the market for online poker and DFS outside Ontario, that will provide a big revenue boost for companies in those businesses.
Smaller Market Share
In September, according to iGaming Ontario financial data on the provincial market, Ontario generated CAD $8.55 billion in total cash wagers in September, a 5% month over month increase, with revenue at CAD $329.4 million (a 2% month-over-month drop).
P2P poker generated CAD $144 million in cash wagers, a 4% decrease from August, for a 2% market share, and CAD $5.1 million in revenue, a 25% month-over-month decrease, from August, also for a 2% market share.
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