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Ontario Canada Opening Doors to Regulated Online Gambling
By Shane Addinall Feb 05, 2022 Industry: Punters in Ontario can start crossing off the days as iGaming Ontario announced that regulated online gambling will launch on 4 April. Licensed private gaming operators will open their digital doors two months from now.Following a 2-year wait, Ontario will launch its regulated online gambling market. The province’s Alcohol and Gaming Commission (AGCO) announced that their subsidiary, iGaming Ontario, will open remote gambling operations on 4 April 2022. Ontario’s government launched the process of establishing iGaming Ontario in April 2019 to create a competitive igaming market.
The regulated market brings an end to Ontario Lottery and Gaming Commission’s monopoly on igaming. It also draws in citizens that take part in offshore igaming and players will be able to gamble safely with licensed private casino operators.
iGaming Ontario (iGO) aims to bring the globe’s best online gambling experiences to punters in Ontario in a safer environment. The regulator opened for business in July 2021 and they completed remote gambling legislation during November 2020.
Unthinkable Potential
Industry experts commented in December 2021 that Ontario may become the most attractive North American online gambling market. This was in part due to population statistics, which puts the province second only to New York, and mentioned that the number of operators and their welcome packages will impact the stats.
AGCO concluded the framework of their regulatory standards for igaming, sport, and event betting in September last year. These included integrity rules for applicants and advertising standards. Following the integration of these into their existing Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming, it will come into effect on April 4, 2022.
John Levy, chief executive of theScore, commented saying:
“The AGCO and iGaming Ontario have been thoughtful and collaborative in their approach to creating and managing this new industry, and the result is a soon-to-be-launched framework that will bring widespread benefits to Ontarians and establish Ontario as one of the biggest and most important regulated gaming markets in North America.”
Canada launched single-event sports betting in August last year, but only provincial lotteries currently offer this to gamblers. iGO brings privately owned betting platforms to Ontarian sports bettors and the regulator will ensure their citizens enjoy safe gaming while having more options. Martha Otton, Executive Director at iGO said:
“Our new internet gaming market will give consumers enhanced entertainment choice, support the growth of a new legal market, and generate revenue that can help fund programs and services that benefit all of us."
Gambling operators who registered with the AGCO and finalised an agreement with iGO may open to offer services to punters in Ontario on 4 April 2022.
Operators Ready to Launch
A few private gaming operators secured an agreement with iGO. First in line was Penn National and their subsidiary, theScore Bet, who announced their successful application late last year. Levy commented that the operator is pleased to finally offer their products to players from their home base.
Swedish platform provider, Internet Vikings, recently announced the approval of their agreement with iGO. They plan on offering the same products that punters can access in other parts of the United States, which includes their proprietary cloud hosting services. One of their current focus areas is online gambling in Canada and they also offer licensed igaming in Toronto.
Safer Entertainment
Lawmakers state that Ontarians already make use of online gambling platforms, but because they do not regulate the market, players are vulnerable. Licensed iGO providers mean that punters above the age of 19 can safely enjoy online gambling while knowing the providers adhere to stringent regulatory protocols. Social responsibility, operator integrity, fairness, and player protection are all beneficial safeguards put in place by the regulator.
Balanced competition within the industry means the players get fair offers and the state benefits from profit-sharing agreements.
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