Ontario provincial government is setting up iGaming Ontario to oversee online betting, including wagering on single-event games.
Ontario’s provincial government announced on 6 July that it is setting up a body that will manage all online betting in the province. The new entity, named iGaming Ontario, will function as a subsidiary of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO). The province hopes to have iGaming Ontario up and running by year’s end.
The new gaming regulator aims to oversee all regulated online betting offerings across the province. The news comes a few days after Bill-C218, which regulates single-event sports betting in Canada, was approved by the country’s senate and received royal assent.
New Ontario iGaming Regulator
Ontario’s Attorney General, Doug Downey, noted that iGaming Ontario would streamline the government’s practices, as it would offer local gamblers the choice to wager within a safe and regulated market. Downey continued that the province is determined to cooperate with gaming advocates and regulatory associates to guarantee that Ontario becomes a world leader in online gaming.
The new entity of the AGCO will operate autonomously with its own employees and board members, although its holding company would continue to regulate it. The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation will also continue to offer separate online wagering and lottery solutions on its own platforms.
Danish consultant Brigitte Sand will supervise and lead the project of Ontario’s new online regulator. The provincial government noted that it would continue to meet with iGaming industry representatives, organisations, First Nations communities, and social advocacy groups to negotiate and finalise all the details surrounding the new entity.
The local government is hopeful to see iGaming Ontario up and running by this December. However, details of who will head the entity and how it will operate are yet to be thrashed out. Ontario is optimistic that the new iGaming market opportunities will provide excellent prospects for local businesses and a better-quality and safer gaming environment for fans.
