The name Bodog has disappeared from Canada’s online gambling landscape, replaced this week by Ozoon following a planned overnight system update. The operator confirmed that customer profiles and balances transferred during the transition, enabling users to sign in under the new brand with the same login credentials.
Customers were first informed of maintenance on Monday, without notice that the Bodog identity would be retired. The company later disclosed that it had not renewed rights to the Bodog name with gaming operators, closing a chapter that stretched back nearly three decades. In a message issued before the new brand went live, it told users: “While we are thankful for such a positive partnership for so many years, this presents us with an opportunity for us to relaunch under a different brand name,” stopping short of naming Ozoon at that time.
Court Action Preceded Brand Switch
The rebrand follows legal action in Manitoba, where a judge last summer imposed a permanent injunction against Bodog. The order required the company to halt advertising, disable bodog.eu, and introduce geo-blocking measures to prevent provincial access because it lacked a licence.
Operations tied to Canadian accounts are now linked to Ozoon.eu. The platform is run by Rocketship Ventures under a licence issued by the Tobique Gaming Commission, an authority of the Tobique First Nation in New Brunswick. The commission invites offshore operators to apply for licences and works with the Differentia Licencing Advisory Group for oversight. It states that its framework promotes responsible conduct and transparent standards while supporting community economic development and self-governance.
Outside Canada, changes also affect Latin America. Bodog Poker had operated across several countries in the region, including Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and Peru. Reports indicate that those poker accounts and balances will shift to Ignition Poker. Customers must install Ignition’s software to regain access, though deposit options, withdrawals and bonuses will remain unchanged.
Legacy and Regulatory Context
Bodog, founded by Calvin Ayre in the late 1990s, launched its online sportsbook in 2000, gaining prominence during the early poker boom before adding casino products. In 2012, U.S. authorities seized its domain and filed charges against Ayre, leading to a rebrand as Bovada in the US.
In Canada, Bodog operated in a grey market outside regulated frameworks. Ontario now allows private operators alongside the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, while Alberta is preparing a similar system.
National scrutiny has increased through the Canadian Lottery Coalition, formed in 2022 by provincial gaming corporations, which targets offshore gambling and misleading advertising.
At the Canadian Gaming Summit 2025, research by Troy Ross of TRM Public Affairs estimated illegal market gross revenue at CAD1.97 billion in Quebec, CAD1.3 billion in Alberta and British Columbia, CAD757 million in Ontario, and CAD600 million in Atlantic Canada. An April 2025 Ontario study found 16 percent of players still used unregulated sites, while 83 percent now choose licensed platforms across 48 markets.
Source:
“Offshore Betting Operator Bodog Rebrands as Ozoon in Canada”, finance.yahoo.com, February 17, 2026
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