Sports streaming service DAZN is readying to enter the sports betting game in Canada.
The British company launched the DAZN Bet sportsbook in 2022 and currently operates it in Europe in the UK, Germany, Italy, Spain and France. Now, it is preparing to bring it across the Atlantic for the first time.
A company spokesperson told Canadian Gaming Business that DAZN hopes to clear all regulatory and other obligations for setting up in the Ontario market as soon as the first quarter of 2026.
DAZN Bet hiring country manager for Canada
In the meantime, DAZN has registered the DAZN Bet trademark in Canada and is actively hunting to recruit a country manager to lead the launch and its subsequent gaming operations in Canada, including localizing the product for Canadian customers.
“DAZN Bet is expanding into Canada!” said EVP of Growth Markets Daniel Berthold. “We’re hiring a Country Manager – Canada to launch, build and own one of the most exciting new markets. A true zero-to-one role: shape the marketing strategy, lead the team, drive growth and define how Canadian fans experience DAZN Bet from day one.”
The Canada country manager would report directly to Berthold.
Currently mostly in high-tax and strict regulatory markets in Europe, the move into Ontario’s lower-tax market would represent the first expansion of the DAZN Bet brand into North America.
Tying sports to betting
A renowned name in sports, DAZN’s over-the-top streaming platform is available in more than 200 countries as a website, mobile app or via smart TVs. It is also included as a channel on other streaming services such as Amazon Prime and FuboTV.
In Canada, DAZN is a license-holder for a range of sports including the NFL, European soccer, UFC, boxing, some golf and tennis, and more. Via its deal with Fubo, it also offers English Premier League soccer.
Under CEO Shay Segev, the former Playtech COO and Entain CEO who joined the company in mid-2021, DAZN has greatly expanded its sports portfolio and availability, as well as branching out into betting and casino gaming.
In some jurisdictions, DAZN offers a DAZN Bet feature that allows users to view wagering information and place bets via the sportsbook while watching live sports events on the same platform. That kind of streaming integrations have grown in popularity in recent years in North America as well as Europe.
The plans for Canadian entry come as DAZN continues to wrestle with big annual losses.
Segev said earlier this year that the company’s key markets are profitable despite the firm reporting in October an operating loss of more than C$1 billion for 2024. Although the company is in the red, DAZN’s overall revenue increased to more than C$4 billion for the same period, which it said was driven by the addition of new sporting events and lower operating costs.
