Betfair withdraws services from Canada

Betfair has announced that it is to cease operations in Canada, with all services to be halted by January 14.

In an email sent to customers during the Christmas holidays, the online gambling brand said that residents of Canada will no longer be able to place wagers via its services, while all gaming products will also be blocked in the country.

Any outstanding bets with the sportsbook will be cancelled, while exchange bets will be kept in place until January 14, with players being advised to manage any positions open in advance of this date.

Customers have also been told to withdraw any winnings or leftover cash by this date, after which they will have to go through to helpdesk to access remaining funds.

Although Betfair did not give a reason for its decision to withdraw from Canada, some media outlets have cited the firm’s pending merger with rival Paddy Power as a possible motive.

Betfair last month was granted approval from the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to proceed with the planned merger.

Related article: CMA grants clearance to Betfair-Paddy Power merger