Latest Ontario Online Casino & Gambling News
This section is dedicated to the latest news regarding the iGaming market in Ontario and everything connected with it. What online casinos have received licenses? Are there any changes in the legislation of the province and country? What releases of new online casino games are expected and when? Find all the breaking headlines and latest stories of the gambling industry here. Stay up to date with the opening of new bookmakers and lotteries, as well as events in already well-known gambling operators.
Toronto Prepares to Host Two Major Gaming Summits
Just two months after the launch of the regulated market in Ontario, Toronto is preparing to host two of the biggest gaming summits.
The Canadian Gaming Summit (CGS) will take place June 7-9, while the SiGMA Americas Summit will be held on almost the same dates, June 6-9. As expected, the events will be attended by quite a few of the best and brightest representatives of the gambling industry.
This year’s theme – “Canada is a world of new opportunities” – is expected to interest fans of online games not only in Canada but also far beyond the country. Such interest could be boosted by the launch of a regulated online gambling market in Ontario.
The CGS program includes sessions on opportunities, advertising and rewards, responsible gaming and gaming technologies in Canada.
As for the second summit, which was originally scheduled for July, SiGMA is also getting ready to surprise visitors. In addition to dinners and a gala concert, the highlight of the event promises to be the SiGMA Startup Pitch competition. It is reported that the winner will receive up to $500 000 as a prize.
Ontario Gambling Regulator Fines Two Betting Companies
The Ontario Alcohol and Gaming Commission (AGCO) fined two betting companies less than a month after the province launched its online gambling market.
The regulator’s press service reported violations of advertising rules by companies such as BetMGM Canada and PointsBet Canada. As a result, bookmakers have to pay a fine.
As you know, the authorities of the province of Ontario made a huge step towards the legalization of the gambling business by launching a regulated online gambling market (iGaming) on April 4th, 2022. The move allows the creation of a regulated market in the province with more betting options.
Before that, the only legal bets allowed in Ontario were parlays. However, last year the government made several amendments to the Canadian Criminal Code. These amendments allow betting on single games, but there were still some restrictions in the province.
BetMGM has been fined $48,000 for failing to comply with Standards 2.04 and 2.05 of the Online Gambling Act, according to AGCO. The second betting company, PointsBet, must pay a $30,000 fine.
Under Standard 2.04, operators are prohibited from advertising bonuses, incentives to play and credits unless they are posted on their sites.
According to AGCO, BetMGM was fined for posting three tweets in early April. The first tweet reported a “$240k launch party.” The second offered a “$10 bet when a $25 bet was made”. The third post featured an advertisement for “Jimi Hendrix Free Spins Friday”.
Another fined company, PointsBet, made the same mistake by posting posters calling for free play at GO stations and GO trains.
“On behalf of our entire company, I personally apologize for these violations and the results they have led to,” said PointsBet Canada CEO Scott Vanderwel.
Online Gambling Market Officially Launched in Ontario
On April 4th, the province of Ontario in Canada launched a regulated and legal online gambling entertainment market.
Prior to this, the provincial government had been working on legislation for almost three years, announcing in April 2019 its plans to end the online gambling monopoly. A year later, in 2020, the government of Ontario passed a law that allows for a licensing regime.
The government published the final standards for betting and online gaming companies in September last year. According to these rules, autoplay and a minimum spin speed of 2.5 seconds for slots are prohibited.
Responsible for regulating the new market is now iGaming Ontario, a subsidiary of the Ontario Alcohol and Gaming Commission (AGCO). The authority will issue gambling licenses to operators and providers of gambling software.
Even before the market opened, the regulator issued relevant documents to a number of well-known brands in the industry that received permission to operate in Ontario.
In a guide on how online operators can apply for registration, AGCO announced plans to eliminate unregulated activity in the online gambling market in Ontario.
The software provider High 5 Games, which is popular among online casinos in Canada, reported that on the first day of the gambling business legislation in the province, a number of operators launched its online games.
“Many of our games have been delighting visitors to land-based casinos for decades. Now gamblers from Ontario can enjoy our releases online, on sites they know and trust,” said Tony Singer, Executive Director of High 5 Games. “There is huge growth potential in Canada, so we look forward to further expanding our market presence in Ontario and beyond.”