Ontario Government Sets Up iGaming Division To Manage Online Gaming

The government of Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, has decided to set up a new and dedicated iGaming organization that will be in charge of managing online gaming offerings in the territory.

The new organization is called iGaming Ontario and it will operate as a subsidiary of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), the government company that is in charge of regulating this field in the province.

The government of Ontario first announced plans for a dedicated online gaming subsidiary last year, as the province is planning to make its online gambling market fully open to competition in December 2021.

Peter Bethlenfalvy, the province’s Finance Minister, said that he expects the new legal iGaming market to drive more business and revenue but also provide a better and safer experience for consumers.

“A competitive, regulated online gaming market will provide a safer alternative to the unregulated, grey market websites that currently exist,” the Finance Minister added. Moreover, the additional revenue that should be generated for the province will be very important for the government’s efforts to support public services.

Ontario’s decision comes shortly after the Canadian Senate approved Bill C-218, the piece of legislation that will finally open the way to legalize betting on single games or sporting events in all provinces of the country.

This move will open a wide range of new possibilities for the legal and regulated online gaming operators in the country, including those in Ontario. For now, the AGCO’s responsibilities as regulator will remain unchanged, and they will be strictly separated from the operation of iGaming Ontario.

The AGCO will remain in charge of regulatory oversight for all gaming activities in Ontario, including igaming operators and suppliers. The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, the state-owned gambling operator, will also continue to both manage its own online gaming operation through OLG.ca.

Doug Downey, the Ontario Attorney General, said that the government is preparing to set up all necessary means to allow an open and competitive online gaming market after the parliament voted to lift the prohibition on single-event sport wagering. To that respect, the Attorney General said that “the establishment of iGaming Ontario is another pivotal milestone in our work to ensure people have access to a safe and regulated online gaming market by the end of the year.”

Source: “Ontario government establishes new igaming division“. iGB North America. July 7, 2021.