Regulated Online Gambling in Ontario
For almost two months, bettors in Ontario have already had the opportunity to play legal online casino gambling. iGaming Ontario has announced the launch of the regulated sector on April 4, giving licensed private operators the opportunity to operate in the market.
A Two-Year Wait
Operators have been waiting for two years to finally provide players with access to digital offerings. Now it’s official: Ontario plans launched regulated online gambling with the participation of many players. To that end, the province’s Alcohol and Gaming Commission (AGCO) has confirmed that its subsidiary, iGaming Ontario, completed the opening of remote gaming services on April 4, 2022.
This regulation has a specific objective, which is to promote a competitive gaming market and no longer provide a monopoly to the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Commission. The regulated sector also appeals to players who are moving to offshore gambling and those looking for reliable and secure offerings. In all cases, iGaming Ontario (iGO) strives to ensure safer online gaming experiences for users. In fact, the regulator took a year to implement the online gaming legislation.
Many Benefits and Different Operators Involved
According to industry professionals in December 2021, Ontario has a lot of potential for online gambling in North America. This is due to favourable demographics that place the province second only to New York City. For its part, AGCO has carefully studied the impacts of the regulatory standards and has already reached its conclusions based on the events that took place in September 2021. At the end of this process, the integrity and advertising rules appeared in force on 4 April 2022.
According to the Score’s Managing Director, John Levy, the OGC and iGaming Ontario have done their jobs perfectly in the creation and management of the iGaming industry. He added that the result will bring significant benefits to Ontarians and give Ontario one of the largest regulated markets in North America.
As for private gaming operators, some have signed an agreement with iGO. The list includes Penn National and its subsidiary, the Score Bet, which received approval for their application late last year. There is also a Swedish platform provider, Internet Vikings, which recently received approval from iGO. The company plans to roll out the same products including their cloud hosting services as well as licensed gambling in Toronto.
Until now, Ontarians have always used online gambling platforms even though they are not regulated. To protect vulnerable users, licensed iGO providers will adhere to strict regulatory measures to ensure that bettors over the age of 19 can bet safely. Among the safeguards in place, the regulator emphasizes social responsibility, operator integrity, fairness and player protection in all circumstances. The approach optimizes a stable and balanced form of competition that gives players fair deals and the state lucrative deals.
