The daily fantasy sports Canada market can be confusing. However, there are a ton of players looking for where they can participate in daily fantasy sports competitions in Canada.
In recent years, quite a few fantasy betting sites have expanded into Canada, and now accept customers from the majority of provinces and territories. You can find three of the best that we’ve curated below.
- Underdog Fantasy – Claim a 100% first deposit match worth up to $100
- OwnersBox – Available to players in Ontario!
- ParlayPlay – Plenty of Free2Play games for Canadian players
In this post, we introduce you to our top recommended sites and apps for DFS games in Canada. We also will explain more about the legality of DFS games in Canada, and answer some frequently asked questions.
Best Daily Fantasy Sports Canada Sites
The daily fantasy sites (DFS) below all offer exciting DFS contests in Canada. This is not just a list of DFS sites that are legal in Canada, however. We carefully vetted this list to only include sites that pay out reliably and offer amazing customer support.
Underdog Fantasy – Best Overall Daily Fantasy Sports Canada Site
Our number one pick for Canadian players is Underdog Fantasy. This site has continuously impressed us with its innovative contests and its excellent service for Canadian customers. You can play at Underdog Fantasy from any part of Canada except for Ontario (don’t worry, Ontario players–we have options for you as well).
Underdog Fantasy Contests
Underdog Fantasy contests span three main categories: Best Ball, Pick’em and Battle Royale. Not familiar with Best Ball? It’s a type of DFS contest where you do not have to make management decisions during the season. Learn more about best ball fantasy contests at Underdog Fantasy.
Underdog Fantasy Banking
Underdog Fantasy withdrawals support two methods: PayPal and Interchecks. The standard processing time is 48-72 hours, and you can count on this daily fantasy sports Canada site to pay out quickly and reliably.
Underdog Fantasy Canada Reddit Reviews
Below, you can see some Redditors talking about their positive experiences playing at Underdog Fantasy.
Here are some players on Reddit discussing how quick and reliable withdrawals are at Underdog Fantasy.
Underdog Fantasy Final Verdict: 5 out of 5 stars
The variety of contests at Underdog Fantasy, the wide availability across Canada, and the reliable withdrawals all combine to make this site the best overall choices for Canadian DFS players.
Sign-Up for Underdog Fantasy Here
Get a 100% deposit bonus worth up to $100 when you sign-up for Underdog Fantasy with the code SportSavvy.
OwnersBox – Best for Ontario Players
As we are going to discuss later on in this post, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario is very strict about how it regulates online sports betting and daily fantasy sports. As a result, a lot of DFS sites do not operate in Ontario. One daily fantasy sports Canada site that does is OwnersBox, which itself is Ontario-based.
OwnersBox Contests
Just as you will find a range of contests at Underdog Fantasy, OwnersBox also offers a nice variety, ensuring that Ontario players are not left out in the cold. Contests at OwnersBox include Daily Salary Cap, Lightning Lineups, and the Weekly Bracket.
OwnersBox Banking
If you are in Canada, then the only way to withdraw from OwnersBox at this time is by check. People who play DFS at OwnersBox from the USA are able to use online bank transfers, but this feature is not yet available in Canada.
OwnersBox Canada Reddit Reviews
Reddit users appreciate that they are able to play DFS in Ontario using the OwnersBox app. They also praise the site’s promotions.
Multiple Redditors draw attention to the smaller prize pools on OwnersBox. As they point out, these smaller pools increase your chances of winning.
OwnersBox Final Verdict: 4 out of 5 stars
All told, OwnersBox is a great site for DFS players in Ontario and throughout Canada. The contest selection is fantastic, and the smaller prize pools and high-quality promotions add to the site’s appeal. The only major drawback is that you can only withdraw by check in Canada at this time. Needless to say, that can get to be a little slow and inconvenient.
Get a 100% deposit bonus worth up to $500 at OwnersBox
Use code SPORTSAVVY to get a 100% deposit bonus worth up to $500. Also make sure to check out the OwnersBox promo that gives you the chance to win two Super Bowl tickets.
ParlayPlay – Best for Free Contests
One more DFS app that is legal in Canada right now and which offers fun contests that players throughout the country will love is ParlayPlay.
Here’s the catch—as far as we can tell, paid DFS contests are not open to Canadian players in certain jurisdictions (i.e. Ontario) at ParlayPlay. But free contests are.
ParlayPlay Contests
Types of fantasy contests that are offered at ParlayPlay include Hit It, More or Less, and Free2Play.
It is specifically the Free2Play contests in which you can participate if you are an Ontario player at ParlayPlay. Do not underestimate the value of these contests! They are free to enter, but they give you the opportunity to win real cash prizes. That makes them every bit as exciting as the other contests at this site.
ParlayPlay Banking
At ParlayPlay, players can make a deposit using a debit or credit card. When you are ready to withdraw, you can do so using ACH.
ParlayPlay Canada Reddit
ParlayPlay has an active community on Reddit where members share picks and promotions. We can tell based on the activity levels that there are a lot of happy customers on this site.
Reddit users on ParlayPlay also report that they receive their payouts rapidly.
ParlayPlay Final Verdict: 4 out of 5 stars
Overall, we are really happy with ParlayPlay as an option for participating in DFS contests for sporting events. The only thing that holds us back from granting five stars to this daily fantasy sports Canada site is the fact that only free play is supported in Ontario. Still, there is plenty of action to enjoy here, and you may walk away with real cash prizes.
Get a free $5 contest entry and a 100% deposit match worth up to $100 when you use the link below to register for ParlayPlay!
Legal Status of Daily Fantasy Sports Contests in Canada
Now that you are familiar with some of the best DFS options in Canada, let’s delve deeper into the legality of DFS and sports betting in Canada.
Daily Fantasy Sports Ontario Laws
Let’s begin by discussing Ontario. As you are checking out various DFS providers, you are going to quickly figure out that Ontario is something of a special case from a legal standpoint.
Daily fantasy sports are legal in Ontario. But they are considered a gambling activity by Ontario regulators, rather than games of skill. That means that Ontario treats them differently than the rest of Canada.
Additionally, Ontario has a special requirement that all DFS contests in Ontario must only be offered within Ontario itself. Running highly restrictive contests like this is not something every DFS site wants to do.
On top of that, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario requires a hefty $100,000 registration fee. Plus, they tax revenue from daily fantasy sports at a rate of 25%. Naturally, that makes it expensive to operate a DFS site in Ontario.
That is why so many daily fantasy sports Canada sites do not accept Ontario players. But you can still play DFS in Ontario if you use a site like OwnersBox that specifically accepts Ontario customers.
Daily Fantasy Sports Canada Laws
Now that we have addressed the complex matter of daily fantasy sports Canada laws in Ontario, let’s discuss how DFS fits within Canadian law in a more general sense.
Daily fantasy sports are legal to participate in throughout Canada. There is no province or territory in which they are banned.
Moreover, only Ontario has a tough regulatory framework for DFS. The rest of the provinces and territories take a much more relaxed stance, making it easy for DFS apps and sites to operate in those jurisdictions.
So, if you are located outside Ontario, you will be thrilled to learn that you have a ton of options at your disposal.
How SportSavvy Experts Judge Daily Fantasy Sports Sites
When we put together our list of daily fantasy sports Canada legal sites, we carefully researched these sites and tested them out ourselves to make sure they would be offering the quality our readers are looking for. Below are the criteria we used to evaluate these DFS Canada apps.
Types of Contests
We want Canadian players to have access to the widest possible variety of DFS contests. So, we have carefully compiled a list that gives you a range of options. That way, you can play DFS in the way that suits your interests, schedule and strategies best.
Payouts
Some daily fantasy sports Canada sites pay out better than others. The sites we picked for this list all deliver hefty payouts. We are looking for sites that will process transactions quickly.
Banking
It needs to be fast, easy and convenient to deposit and withdraw funds from a daily fantasy site. On top of that, you need to be able to rely on the team at that site to unfailingly process your withdrawals so you can get quick access to your cash prizes. The sites we chose for this list passed our criteria for both convenience and reliability.
Safety and Trust
While there are a lot of high-quality sites offering DFS in Canada, there are also poorly funded sites and outright scams you need to avoid.
We prioritized safety and trust when selecting our recommended daily fantasy sports Canada sites. These sites are all operating legally in accordance with regulations in the provinces and territories where they do business.
On top of that, they safeguard your DFS experience with appropriate security and encryption protocols that protect your data and funds.
Customer Service
Finally, you should never underestimate the role that customer service plays in your experience playing in daily fantasy sports Canada contests. Most of the time, everything will be going smoothly, and you will not need to talk to customer support. But if a withdrawal ever does get delayed or you simply have a question, you need to be able to rely on the team for rapid answers.
When we tested out the customer service side of each website we recommended above, we were pleased with how responsive and efficient their agents were. We are confident that issues playing on these sites would be rare, but that they would also be resolved quickly if they were to arise.
What’s the difference between sports betting and daily fantasy sports?
When you participate in sports betting, you place your wagers against online sportsbooks. It is considered to be a game of chance (though skill is often involved).
With daily fantasy sports Canada contests, on the other hand, you are often (though not always) playing against other DFS players, rather than against the house. Whether or not it is considered a game of chance or a game of skill depends on how it is classified by regulators in your province or territory.
You will notice that the terminology used to discuss sports betting and DFS differs. We do not talk about “making a bet” in DFS, but rather “entering a contest.” This different language reflects the “game of skill” classification and helps set DFS apart from betting on sports. Alas, this does not matter to Ontario regulators.
Are Daily Fantasy Sports Winnings Taxable in Canada?
Whether you need to pay taxes on winnings from fantasy sports contests in Canada depends on your individual scenario.
If you are playing daily fantasy sports in Canada contests as a hobby, then no, you do not owe taxes on your fantasy sports winnings (nor on your sports betting wins, for that matter).
But if you are participating in DFS or sports betting as a business, then yes, you will need to pay taxes on your winnings.
Daily Fantasy Sports Canada FAQ
To wrap up this post, let’s answer a few frequently asked questions new users have about participating in the DFS market in Canada.
No. Sports fans will be unhappy to learn that Thrive Fantasy is not legal in Canada. Many people believe that it is, but they are mistaken. The terms and conditions clearly state it is for USA citizens and residents only.
No, JockMKT is not currently legal in Canada. But the company that operates this site is aware that many Canadians want to play DFS. They are looking into expanding their services to include Canada.
Daily fantasy sports Canada contests are allowed in Ontario. DFS is just regulated as a gambling activity, rather than as a “game of skill.” Ontario’s restrictions mean that fewer sites and apps accept Ontario customers, but they do exist.
