The Canadian province of Ontario has officially unveiled its regulated and legal online gaming marketplace.
This development follows a period of nearly three years of work, beginning with the provincial administration’s declaration in April 2019 to terminate its lottery’s online gambling monopoly. In 2020, the government enacted legislation authorizing the creation of a licensing system.
Last September, the province made public its final guidelines for online gambling and gaming. The regulations for online gaming include a prohibition on automatic play, along with a minimum spin duration of 2.5 seconds for slot machines.
Ontario iGaming, a subsidiary of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), will be in charge of overseeing the new market, as well as issuing licenses to operators and suppliers.
Prior to the market opening, Ontario iGaming granted a number of licenses, with numerous prominent brands being authorized to operate within the province.
PointsBet, theScore, Rivalry, Rush Street Interactive, Bet365, FanDuel, and 888 have all been given licenses to offer online gambling in Ontario, while suppliers such as Inspired Entertainment, Play’n Go, and High 5 Games have also been approved to collaborate with licensed operators.
The Ontario Gaming Authority (OGA) cautioned all businesses seeking permits to halt operations until authorization was granted, or their applications would be declined, before the authority declared the market open.
The OGA outlined strategies to collaborate with law enforcement to “take decisive action to address any remaining unauthorized activity in the Ontario market” in a manual on “Aiding Internet Gaming Operators with Registration.”
All enterprises that submitted registration applications prior to the April 4th release were obligated to suspend operations in Ontario from the moment the OGA approved their registration.
Among the operators that went live on the day of the Ontario launch was PointsBet, which introduced online gaming and online sports betting through its subsidiary PointsBet Canada.
“Shortly after midnight today, PointsBet Canada became one of the first private sports betting firms to accept legal wagers,” stated Scott Vanderwel, CEO of PointsBet Canada.
“On behalf of the entire PointsBet Canada team, we are incredibly enthusiastic about the official opening of the Ontario sports betting market.”
Before the launch, FanDuel Group, owned by Flutter Entertainment, announced that they would also be accepting wagers starting today, after receiving a permit to offer sports betting and online gaming in Ontario.
“We are delighted to establish an office in Canada and bring FanDuel’s top-tier sports betting and casino to passionate Canadian sports enthusiasts,” said Amy Howe, CEO of FanDuel.
This is a significant milestone for the sector, and we are thrilled to provide Canadians with enjoyable and secure sporting experiences.
In the meantime, High 5 Games, a content provider, confirmed that their games were accessible through various operators on the initial day of legal online wagering in Ontario.
“Our games have been featured in numerous land-based gambling establishments across Canada for an extended period, and now Ontario players can relish them online at secure gaming platforms they recognize and trust,” stated Tony Singer, the Chief Executive Officer of High 5 Games.
“The Canadian marketplace possesses substantial potential for expansion, and we are enthusiastic about expanding our operations in Ontario and beyond.”
Affiliate Gambling.com Group also declared that they would commence providing marketing services to authorized online sports betting and online gambling operators in Ontario beginning today.
In preparation for the commencement, the group launched OntarioBets.com in November 2021, a complimentary website that enables players in the province to compare legal online sports betting firms and casinos.
“The initiation of regulated online sports betting and online gambling represents a substantial advancement for the Ontario gaming industry,” remarked Charles Gillespie, the Chief Executive Officer of Gambling.com Group.
“The province is pursuing the appropriate course of action by simplifying entry into the market for companies and permitting a diverse range of operators to participate. This will foster competition, which will ultimately benefit consumers as the most exceptional operators will ascend to prominence.”
The communications group is ideally positioned to assist operators and clients flourish in this exciting new marketplace.
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