In 2022, Ontario became the first Canadian province to implement regulated online gambling. The province’s gambling regulator, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), has since issued licenses to around four dozen gambling companies that now run over 70 Ontario online gambling sites. With this move, online gambling in the province has shifted from a gray area to being expressly legal and fully regulated.
Ontario’s new online gambling regime differs greatly from those in all other provinces and territories. Even though the rest of Canada can gamble at internationally regulated sports betting sites and online casinos, the operators that run those sites are not regulated in Canada. Plus, depending on the operator and the license it holds, an offshore site may not offer the same high level of player protection.
On the flip side, Ontario online casino players and sports betting buffs who play at sites that are licensed and regulated by the AGCO now enjoy the highest levels of player safety. They can also rest assured knowing that the strict rules and regulations that the AGCO and Ontario iGaming require equate to a safe, fair, and fun Ontario iGaming experience.
Is Online Gambling Legal in Ontario?
The Canadian parliament passed Bill C-218 in June 2021, giving each province the right to establish regulated sports betting and casino markets. Ontario was first out of the door on April 4, 2022, launching its legal online gambling market.
Before then, the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) was the sole provider of sports betting and casino games. Plus, while no laws prohibited residents and visitors from playing at offshore sites, no laws specifically said they could. This all changed when the province was given the green light to start regulating Ontario iGaming and sports betting sites.
These new market regulations clarify that online gambling is legal in the province and ensure operators are fully authorized, supervised, and comply with Ontario gambling laws. Any operator that wants to offer its services to the Ontario market must acquire a license from the AGCO and have a base of operations within the province. Of course, there are many other rules that Ontario online casino and sports betting sites must abide by.
Ontario’s legal gambling model is based on the models used in the United States, where each state has the authority to establish its own gambling laws. Like Ontario, American states that offer regulated online gambling only allow licensed operators to provide their services to those within that state.
Ontario Online Gambling Timeline
Here is a brief overview of how a regulated Ontario online gambling market came to be.
- February 1998: The Alcohol and Gaming Commission was created to regulate alcohol and gambling activities in Ontario.
- June 2021: The Senate approves Bill C-218, which legalizes single-game sports betting. Before that, Canadian sports betting providers could only offer parlays.
- June 2021: Provinces are granted the authority to create their own gambling laws.
- July 2021: The AGCO creates iGaming Ontario, which starts accepting applications for online gambling operator licenses.
- August 2021: Single-game sports betting is legalized in Ontario and the rest of Canada, thanks to an amendment to the Canadian Criminal Code.
- September 2021: Ontario gambling sites sign operating agreements and prepare their systems for launch.
- April 2022: Licensed operators start offering their services to the Ontario market.
Who Regulates Online Gambling in Ontario?
The Ontario online gambling market is regulated by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO). The AGCO creates the rules and regulations that all Ontario gambling sites must abide by. In 2021, the AGCO created iGaming Ontario, which is tasked with developing operating agreements with prospective operators while focusing on player protection and responsible gambling. While iGaming Ontario was created by the AGCO, both entities work hand-in-hand to provide a safe and fair Ontario online gambling market.
Types of Legal Gambling in Ontario
Provided you are of legal age, you can bet on a variety of things in Ontario. No matter which type of gambling you want to participate in, you can be sure that it is regulated and that the experience will be safe and fair. Let’s go over some of the most popular types of gambling in Ontario.
Sports Betting
At one time, the only locally regulated sports betting in Ontario was offered by the Ontario Lottery Corporation through Proline. Because single-game betting was still illegal, those who played Proline were forced to wager parlays. Because of this, most savvy Ontario sports betting aficionados did their betting at offshore sites regulated internationally.
With the legalization of single-game betting in 2021 and the laws being changed to allow provinces to determine their own gambling laws, Ontario quickly charted its course toward a regulated market. Now, sports bettors in Ontario who are at least 19 have dozens of reputable, safe, and heavily regulated sports betting sites from which to choose.
One key rule that applies to all Ontario sports betting sites is that they may only accept bets from people who are located in Ontario. Those who are outside of Ontario will be blocked. That applies to Ontario residents who are temporarily outside of the province. Moreover, the AGCO has signed reciprocating agreements with a few other jurisdictions to prohibit Ontario players from accessing some foreign sites.
Online Casinos
Ontario residents have been playing at online casinos since the first sites launched in the mid-1990s. While it may have technically been legal, it wasn’t always safe, seeing how those sites are licensed and regulated in other regions. While some enforce strict player safety, data protection, and responsible gambling standards, others don’t do the best job of oversight and enforcement.
Now, Ontarians can legally play at sites that are regulated in Ontario. This means that those operators with AGCO licenses must follow some of the strictest rules on the planet. When you play at an Ontario online casino, you can trust that you will be well protected, treated fairly, and paid quickly.
Like the province’s regulated sportsbooks, Ontario online casinos are only available to those physically located in the province. Players from the rest of Canada and elsewhere in the world are blocked. Even if you are an Ontario resident who is out of the province temporarily, you won’t be given access. You have to be at least 19 to play at an Ontario online casino.
DFS
Daily fantasy sports have become immensely popular over the past couple of decades, and Ontario sports fans have several top-rated DFS sites to choose from. The great news is that Ontario DFS sites are legal and regulated by the AGCO.
Like all other AGCO-licensed gambling sites, Ontario DFS sites may only offer their services to the Ontario market. This greatly reduces the player pool, which has a few negative side effects, including smaller prize pools. In fact, this has forced a couple of high-profile DFS providers to stop offering DFS in Ontario.
Poker
Poker is yet another fun form of gambling that was officially legalized in Ontario in 2022. Players have a solid selection of AGCO-licensed online poker rooms to choose from. That means endless table games, SNGs, MTTs, and other events.
Those who play at Ontario poker sites can only play against other Ontario players and not against players in different regions. This results in a far smaller player pool, which has several drawbacks. For instance, fewer tournament players result in smaller prize pools. It also means that the poker rooms aren’t as busy, which can lead to waiting longer for enough players to sit at the table.
Lottery
Lotteries have been legal in Ontario since 1975, when the Ontario Lotteries Corporation Act passed. Back then, the only game was called Wintario. While that particular lottery was phased out in 1996, the Ontario Lottery Corporation offers loads of daily and weekly lottery games, including:
- Lotto 6/49
- Lotto Max
- Ontario 49
- Pick 4
- Keno
- Poker Lotto
- Proline
Unlike most other forms of gambling in Ontario that require participants to be at least 19, you only have to be 18 to play lottery games.
What is the Legal Gambling Age in Ontario?
The legal Ontario gambling age depends on the type of gambling involved. While you have to be at least 18 to play lottery games or bingo in Ontario, the legal age for most other forms of gambling, including casino gambling, sports betting, poker, and horse racing, is 19. Most other provinces also require players to be 19, although some, like Alberta and Quebec, set the minimum age at 18.
To ensure that their players meet the minimum age requirement, the AGCO requires all Ontario gambling sites to verify the age, identity, and residential address of every customer. In most cases, a driver’s license, passport, or some other piece of photo ID will verify your age and identity. Something like a utility bill, mobile bill, or bank statement with your full name and address will verify your place of residence. Not only does this prevent underage gambling, but it also helps combat other forms of fraud like money laundering and identity theft.
Responsible Gambling in Canada
Gambling can be a lot of fun and an entertaining way to escape the daily grind of life. However, it can also lead you down a dark and seemingly inescapable path if you don’t do it responsibly. Any AGCO-licensed gambling must offer responsible gambling tools that Ontario iGaming participants can use to help them keep their gambling habits under control. You can access the resources by hitting the Responsible Gambling link on the site’s main page or by finding it in your account profile.
One of the first things you should do is take a self-assessment test so that you can gauge your current gambling health. You can then set limits on the amount of time and money you spend at an Ontario gambling site. You can set daily limits, weekly limits, and monthly limits. Once you have reached that limit, you will not be able to fund your account until the next cycle.
If you think that your gambling health is deteriorating, Ontario sports betting sites and online casinos may encourage you to take a time-out or enter a period of self-exclusion. Furthermore, all Ontario gambling sites offer contact information for a variety of free and confidential gambling support groups, such as Gambler’s Anonymous, Connex Ontario, GamTalk, and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.
You should also know that Ontario iGaming sites provide links to various parental controls like Net Nanny, HomeGuard, and FamilyShield. These prevent children and other vulnerable people from accessing gambling sites.
FAQs
- Is online gambling legal in Ontario?
Yes. Ontario online gambling was officially legalized in 2021, and Ontario’s first online casinos and sports betting sites went live in April 2022. You must be within Ontario’s borders to access AGCO-licensed Ontario gambling sites. Anyone accessing an Ontario online casino or sportsbook from outside the province will be blocked.
- What is the legal gambling age in Ontario?
The legal age for most forms of gambling, including sports betting, casino gaming, online poker, and horse racing, is 19. The minimum legal age for playing the lottery or bingo is 18. Remember that all Ontario gambling sites require you to provide documents that prove your age and identity.
- How are Ontario online gambling sites regulated?
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario works with iGaming Ontario to regulate and oversee all online gambling in the province. They create the regulations and ensure that operators adhere to them. If an Ontario online casino fails to abide by any rules, the AGCO and iGaming Ontario can issue fines, suspend the operator’s license, or completely revoke it.