Lara Wilson, expert contributor at Casino.ca, outlines the benefits that have been created by the regulated online casino market in Ontario since it opened back in April 2022.
Since the launch of Ontario‘s regulated online gambling market, players have gained access to a safer and more transparent way to enjoy online casino gaming. Unlike unlicensed offshore sites, regulated online casinos operating under Ontario’s legal framework must meet a strict set of standards. These requirements help create a more trustworthy gaming environment where consumers can play with greater confidence and find the best online casino Ontario has to offer.
Choosing a licensed platform enhances both safety and overall player experience. There are key benefits to playing at regulated online casinos in Ontario, but it hasn’t always been so. Ontario launched its open and competitive iGaming market on April 4th, 2022. Day one saw 12 private operators go live to players, a number that has climbed significantly since. Players now have 84 regulated gaming websites at their fingertips from 49 operators licensed by iGO and the AGCO.
In the first year of operating, Ontario’s market saw more than 1.6 million active player accounts at regulated sites hosted by over forty operators. The market quickly became the most competitive in continental North America. Its adoption by local players, who had previously flocked to offshore sites, was fast too. An Ipsos survey found that after a year of the market existing, around 85% of survey respondents were using regulated sites to gamble on. That figure has now risen to more than 90%.
The benefits of a regulated online betting and gaming market are manifold. A healthy level of competition forces operators to up their game. Larger, more diverse gaming portfolios are offered, as well as better and more frequent bonuses. The platforms that best succeed are those that really listen to what their customers want and prioritize convenience, transparency, and safety.
There are significant benefits for the province as a whole too, including those residents who don’t participate in online gambling. In Canada’s other provinces, where local government-run platforms have limited offerings, most players opt to use offshore casinos instead. Online casinos that aren’t locally licensed don’t contribute to the regional economy. Instead, funds that players pay in leave the province, and usually Canada as a whole.
Provincial regulation solves this issue by plugging the revenue hole. In its first year, Ontario’s market delivered around $35.6 billion in total wagers and around $1.4 billion in total gaming revenue. In its fourth year, the market generated over $4.2 billion in gaming revenue from more than $103 billion in wagering activity. There are hopes that as the market continues to mature, these numbers will rise even higher.
Tax revenue generated by iGaming in Ontario helps to fund public services across the province, like schools, hospitals and highways. The market also supports local economic development, as industry-adjacent businesses, like operators and development studios, set up shop in the province. These generate upwards of 15,000 full-time jobs and support further innovation and investment.
While offshore sites can be safe to use, players do need to exercise care when choosing where to play. Many sites are safe and legitimate, and carry licenses from other jurisdictions. This isn’t always the case though, and players who don’t realize the importance of checking licenses are vulnerable to falling for scam sites.
Regulation ensures that operators are subject to a rigorous set of standards as part of their licensing requirements. These include rules around game fairness. In Ontario, all casino games must use Random Number Generators that have been independently tested and verified. These ensure that game outcomes are truly random and can’t be manipulated for financial gain by the operator.
Ontario also requires games and RNGs to be independently tested by AGCO-approved labs, like eCOGRA and GLI, before they can be put on the market to players. A clear auditing trail for games needs to be logged and retained, and casinos must clearly represent RTP percentages for all products. Together, these rules support transparency and fairer games for players to enjoy.
Earlier this year, iGaming Ontario launched a new tool designed to protect players in the province from gambling harms. BetGuard enables users aged 19 and over to opt out of all regulated online gambling platforms in Ontario via one convenient portal. For those struggling with problem gambling, tools like this are an invaluable resource that allow them to take a break.
Through BetGuard, players are prevented from accessing their existing accounts and creating new accounts with online casinos managed by iGO and the AGCO. The tool also stops marketing communications from regulated iGaming sites in the province from being sent out to players, which can be a major trigger.
This tool is just one example of how regulated markets offer strong responsible gambling safeguards that protect players from harm. Regulators require operators to provide responsible gambling tools, including deposit limits, loss limits, session reminders, and access to support resources. In addition, regulated operators are subject to ongoing monitoring and compliance checks, helping to prevent fraud, underage gambling, and misleading marketing practices.
Through the province’s regulated framework, operators licensed to offer online casino games must comply with strict standards designed to ensure fair play, secure transactions, and the safeguarding of personal information. By creating a safer and more transparent gaming environment, Ontario’s regulatory model gives players greater confidence while encouraging a balanced and responsible approach to online gambling.
Sometimes things can go wrong for players at online casinos. An operator may fail to pay out funds as they should, or there may be a disagreement over the terms of claiming a bonus, for instance. In such cases, regulation protects players by holding operators to account and backing players in such disputes. Operators that fall short of these standards can be met with regulatory action, ranging from fines to the loss of a license.
Four years on since Ontario’s competitive iGaming market first launched, its success is clear for all to see. Regulation is a lengthy and expensive process, and at the time there was speculation over whether the sums could really add up. Those doubts have since proved unfounded, and other provinces are actively considering following in Ontario’s footsteps.
There is no good reason for players in Ontario to choose an unregulated betting and gaming site over a regulated one. Whether it is secure payment processing, verified game testing, or access to support tools designed to promote responsible play, regulated operators offer a range of advantages that are not always available elsewhere. Ontario is home to some of the world’s leading online casinos, which continue to push innovation and offer exciting entertainment products.
