Kambi will be the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) ‘s new multi-channel sportsbook provider after La Française des Jeux (FDJ) selected Kambi Group as its replacement in its longstanding partnership with Ontario’s provincial operator.
Finalization of the deal will allow the premier sports betting provider to solidify its North American foothold. However, OLG must also sign off on the replacement before the shift occurs.
Commenting on the change in the announcement, Werner Becher, Kambi Group chief executive officer, said:
The prospect of partnering with an organisation of the size and stature of OLG is an exciting one for Kambi and we are working diligently to complete the novation process with FDJ and launch later this year. Ontario has a competitive online market, but I believe a combination of OLG and Kambi will see PROLINE rightly compete with market leaders while continuing to raise the bar of its retail product.
Kambi expects to take over in the second half of 2025
OLG has long overseen Ontario’s commercial and charitable gaming facilities. The agency also conducts and manages the province-wide lottery, online sports betting, and online casino gaming. OLG’s sports betting brand, Proline, operates online and through approximately 10,000 community retailers.
FDJ’s decision to step away from the partnership aligns with its strategic refocus on international B2C operations across several gaming verticals. Under FDJ’s contract with OLG, the operator selected Kambi as its “preferred assignee.”
The three parties have since agreed to a contract novation process.
Subject to several conditions, the participants expect the process to end with Kambi assuming FDJ’s contractual responsibilities, which end in 2032.
As noted above, before assuming the contract, Kambi must make a significant initial investment. Notably, the non-recurring contribution is not included in Kambi’s full-year 2025 operating expenditure guidance.
Previously, OLG was the sole legal provider of online gambling in Ontario. However, in April 2022, the province opened its online market to outside operators. The change paved the way for approximately 50 operators to enter the province. However, unlike commercial online casinos and sports betting operators, 100% of the agency’s proceeds are reinvested locally.
Kambi believes OLG’s local market position and Proline brand, combined with its high-quality sportsbook technology, will help deepen OLG’s market position.
According to the release, the parties expect to satisfy the conditions of the novation agreement as soon as possible. As a result, Kambi anticipates completing its multi-channel migration in the second half of 2025.
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