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Until last year, all gambling activities in Ontario were controlled by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG). This organization was established here in 1975, and it controlled basically everything – slot machines and table games in casinos, horse racing, sports betting, and several local lotteries. Another authority is the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, but it worked together with OLG as a monopolist in the market.
However, this monopoly only worked for land-based casinos, slot machines, and sports betting. Despite the fact that OLG has its own platform for online gambling, most casino sites local players preferred were foreign ones and operating in the gray zone because OLG offered no licensing opportunities. In 2022, probably due to the pandemic, a huge reform took place in the iGaming industry of the province, making Ontario one of the most successful cases in the industry, globally.
The Legislation Update: What Was New
In April 2022, new regulations were introduced in Ontario, creating a regulated market for online casinos within the province. As of April 4, individuals aged 19 and above can now legally engage in online casino gaming and place real money wagers with registered operators.
Playing in Ontario does not require residency registration, but players must be physically located within the province to access games, make real money bets, and withdraw funds. On the other hand, casino and bookmaker accounts can be opened and managed from anywhere. Currently, approximately 70 operators have successfully registered to operate legally within the province as the market opened.
Consequences for the iGaming Market
According to the industry measurements by Ontario, from 2022 to 2023, the updated legal igaming market of the province tended to increase by 50% every quarter which eventually made over 200% growth in a year which is impressive. This fact alone explains why Ontario is one of the most successful cases in the igaming industry in the whole world.
By the beginning of 2023, the total wagers made by players in Ontario reached $13.9 billion while the total gaming revenue at the same time reached a staggering $526 million – a jaw-dropping increase compared to previous years. In fact, the trend of growth was so obvious that already in 2022, many companies in the industry stated they expected several other Canadian provinces to follow Ontario’s example.
Many Canadians would actually love that. In 2022, almost half of Ontario residents were aware of this change in legislation and welcomed it; and only 1 in 5 Canadians around the country was aware of the change while the number of people who gamble across the country is way higher. Therefore, clear and up-to-date legislation would have been useful for the players’ awareness.
Ontario’s industry, on the other hand, experienced record growth in the number of player accounts that reached over 1 million in 2023. By the summer of 2023, more than 70 Ontario online casinos run by private companies became legally available for real-money gambling in the province.
Things That Improved
Besides the obvious improvement in revenue that will serve the province’s well-being, including charity and other activities, there is a great improvement in player safety.
Playing at regulated online casinos has the following benefits:
- Casino sites regulated by the new law are tested and therefore safe
- Deposits and bets are in CAD (not all gray zone casino sites allowed that)
- Responsible Gambling tools and guides are a must now
- Both English- and French-speaking Customer support
- Local payment methods are a must
- Player’s sensitive data is better protected
- Players are aware that the casino site they choose is legal and pays taxes to the province
Ontario now gets more revenue from taxes and therefore regulates the industry and protects its interests and the interest of the customers. However, some things about the industry seem to have gotten worse.
Things That Got Worse
According to the industry surveys that started immediately after the laws were updated, already from summer to autumn in 2022 the number of negative posts and feedback on social media about the abundance of gambling and sports betting ads increased by 820%. People felt that the gambling ads were literally pushed down their throats. 1 in 5 Canadians overall stated that the number of ads should be cut back, and 1 in 3 agreed that the number and quality of ads should be decreased/improved.
The legal market and overwhelming marketing have pushed the industry forward but the number of people gambling has instantly increased: in 2023, almost half of adults in Ontario stated they had gambled during the previous year; this indicator is higher than across the whole country! At the same time, following responsible gambling practices among players has rapidly decreased: only 1 in 10 active players reported using at least one of the Responsible Gambling tools in their accounts.
