The highly anticipated launch of Ontario iGaming regulated market segment has been scheduled for 4 April this year.
The launch of the regulated Ontario iGaming market segment has officially been confirmed for 4 April. Last week, iGaming Ontario, a subsidiary of the Alcohol and Gaming Corporation of Ontario, announced it concluded an agreement with private operators to start its online expansion on 4 April. Ultimately, this means that the corporation will commence with the launch of its digital gaming services to the public.
Ontario iGaming market for private gaming operators was scheduled to be launched at the end of 2021. However, the launch was delayed due to complications in the legal process. In the interim, the local market continues to attract plenty of interest due to its numerous opportunities. These include the province’s population, their gaming patterns, and the legalisation of single-game wagering last summer.
April Launch on Schedule
Last week, iGaming Ontario, which manages all online gaming services in the province, announced that 4 April would be the official launch date of the new market segment. According to the launch blueprint, private operators will begin rolling out their online gaming services to locals starting from that date.
Ontario’s local iGaming market was first envisaged in 2010 when the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation revealed that local gamblers spend over CA$400 million annually on unregulated online wagering sites. Subsequently, iGaming Ontario’s executive director, Martha Otton, noted that, to this day, many Ontarians continue to conduct their online wagering via offshore platforms.
Otton assured punters that the companies which join the newly regulated market would strictly abide by defined standards of gameplay and operator integrity. As well as providing the often-lacking player protection and social accountability, the new framework will establish a safe gambling environment for all online wagerers who choose the new market segment and its vetted operators.
Otton added that licensed operators would ensure that they have all the checks in place to prevent underage gambling and remain compliant with applicable laws such as the ones dealing with the curtailment of money laundering. Otton noted that these measures are just a sample of what’s to come with the launch of the newly regulated market on 4 April.
