Kambi expects to roll out its new omnichannel sportsbook solution for Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) in the fall, but executives say there is still a lot of bespoke work to be done.
The Swedish-founded, Malta-based B2B provider announced in late February that it is taking over La Française des Jeux’s (FDJ) contract with the provincial lottery corporation. FDJ identified Kambi as its preferred assignee to inherit the final six-plus years of a contract which runs until 2032.
Kambi said at the time that it expected the multi-channel migration to be completed in the second half of 2025. On an earnings call on July 23, executives gave an update on the process.
“We are fully on track with our project with the Ontario lottery, so we expect to launch as initially planned in the second half of the year. It will be more end of quarter three, beginning of quarter four,” said CEO Werner Becher. “And we also expect revenue contributions for 2025 P&L from OLG already this year.”
Per the terms of the agreement, Kambi is making “a material initial investment” to assume its status as the contract holder. Becher noted on Wednesday that OLG is “a significant new customer for us with a lot of bespoke work to be done.”
Chief Financial Officer David Kenyon added that the OLG launch is expected to immediately contribute revenue, “which will be a direct add-on to any performance we’ve seen in the first half [of 2025].”
OLG offers retail and online sports betting through its PROLINE brand, and is estimated to hold around a 20% revenue share in Ontario’s regulated online casino and sports betting market despite 50 commercial online casinos or sportsbooks competing for players’ time and money. Becher said earlier this year that he believes “a sportsbook of Kambi’s quality, combined with OLG’s local market knowledge and reputation” will allow OLG to grow its online market share.
“OLG’s migration to the Kambi platform is progressing well, with an aim to be live in the second half of 2025,” OLG spokesperson Tony Bitonti told Canadian Gaming Business after Kambi’s earnings call. “The partnership with Kambi allows OLG continuous improvement to our popular PROLINE offering, allowing us to grow both our digital and retail sports businesses, to be even more competitive in Ontario.”
Kambi’s strong sports roster
Kambi serves more than 45 operators in more than 50 jurisdictions and will add OLG to a lineup of renowned online gaming operators across North America, including Bally’s and Rush Street Interactive.
It entered the Canadian online sports betting market for the first time with Canadian operator NorthStar Gaming in spring 2022 and also powers retail sports betting for numerous Great Canadian Entertainment casinos as well as Mohegan’s Fallsview Casino and Casino Niagara and PlayFallsview online brand.
It previously worked with theScore Bet parent PENN Entertainment before the retail and online operator migrated to its own tech platform. Becher said on Wednesday that Kambi’s year-over-year declines in key metrics including revenue, which fell 11.5%, were largely due to the end of transition fees associated with the end of its long-term platform deals with PENN and Napoleon Games.
Earlier this month, Kambi announced a multiyear partnership extension with LeoVegas and it is developing a turnkey sportsbook solution for the MGM Resorts International subsidiary.
This week, Kambi confirmed it has signed a new retail-only sportsbook agreement with DraftKings in Puerto Rico. Becher suggested DraftKings could start using Kambi’s OddsFeed+ product in other regions. “I couldn’t guarantee that there will be no further deals with DraftKings,” he added.
Could other Canadian lotteries await?
Meanwhile, the Atlantic Lottery Corporation (ALC) and the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) are yet to announce the chosen sportsbook tech provider for the upcoming PROLINE-branded “national sports betting solution” that will be shared by multiple Canadian lotteries. A Request for Proposal (RFP) closed in late April.
ALC and BCLC, along with OLG, already use the PROLINE brand name but it is not one unified platform.
OLG told CGB in March that it does not have plans to join the national shared sportsbook “as we are focused on our transition to Kambi.” Whether or not Kambi is one of the providers under consideration for the shared sportsbook in other provinces has not been publicly confirmed.
