Canada officially has a regulated online gambling market in its largest region, Ontario. The new open market kicked off on 4 April, with iGaming Ontario (iGO) issuing 16 private operator licences ahead of the launch. Ontario’s Alcohol and Gaming Commission (AGCO) introduced the legal remote gambling market in 2021 in partnership with the region’s Government.

The previously grey market for Ontarian gambling is a thing of the past, as punters now have legal options that include privately owned casinos, sportsbooks, poker, and fantasy operators. iGaming Ontario registered over 40 software providers in the supplier category prior to the market launch yesterday.

As the largest region in The Great White North, Ontario may become the biggest regulated market in North America.

 Regulated iGaming for Ontarians

The Canadian region’s regulatory body affirms the massive impact Ontario will have on the industry. Ontarians may now gamble legally at registered and approved iGO operators, with the prospect of many more to come.

Players can wager with confidence, knowing that the licensees have robust consumer protection protocols in place. iGO’s Executive Director, Martha Otton, said:

“This is a monumental day that establishes Ontario as an international leader in online gaming.”

According to the AGCO, players will soon have all their preferred sites as licensed options in the region. The commission expects this will prove consumer choice as they channel players from offshore sites to locally licensed platforms from all over the world. Being the fifth-largest state in America, estimates show that gambling revenues in Ontario may amount to $800 million in 2022.

 Leading the Way

Like the rest of Canada, Ontario’s online gambling market only allowed state-owned operators to provide gambling services, and these were mostly lotto-based games. Similarly, until last year, only parlay sports betting was legal.

Last year, the country amended their regulations to include single-event sports betting and Ontario announced the establishment of its iGaming regulator. Martha Otton continued:

“After years of anticipation culminating in historic legislation followed by months of hard work by all stakeholders, we have reached today’s launch of a legal internet gaming market out from under its previous grey market standing.”

Despite concerns from critics, studies show that the newly regulated market holds a range of advantages for the region’s economy. Job creation and tax revenue are among the biggest contributing factors. Most importantly, players now have legal options where they can wager with ease. PointsBet confirmed their first wager received was within 50 seconds from the market opening on Monday.

 Accountable Operators

Among the big names who boast the iGaming Ontario licence are 888, Bet365, BetMGM, Royal Panda, and LeoVegas. With the Ontarian legal remote gambling industry being the first of its kind in the country, iGO believes the market will expand and thrive. Players can confirm the list on the iGO approved websites, and any licensed website must display the iGO logo.

While ensuring they meet all the legal requirements, all the licensed operators who executed an operating agreement with iGO met stringent standards. Part of the requirements includes game integrity, fairness, player protection, and social responsibility. The regulator cites Ontario as a high priority for any operator’s expansion strategy and expects more licence holders in the weeks and months to come.

The Responsible Gambling Council confirmed the inclusion of their tried-and-tested RG Check accreditation program for all licensed operators. This system maintains responsible gambling standards and has done so for years in the land-based sector. Ontario joins the other global jurisdictions that have the tools to clamp down on unlicensed providers.