As of the 4th of April, the legal online gambling market has officially launched in the Canadian province of Ontario.
This comes off the back of legislation introduced by the government back in 2020, following initial discussions in 2019 that looked to break up the gambling monopoly held by the lottery. Certain standards must be enforced for an operator to gain a license here. This includes ensuring that games do not use the autoplay feature and that the minimum speed for spins within the slots is always at least 2.5 seconds.
iGaming Ontario will be responsible for licensing and regulating this new market. Major brands such as Bet365 and 888 have already secured licenses. Suppliers such as High 5 Games and Play’n Go have also been approved to offer their games via licensed operators. Speaking on the launch of this legal online gambling market, Tony Singer, High 5 Games chief executive, said: “Our games have been on the floor of many Canadian land-based casinos for decades, and now players in Ontario can play them online at responsible gaming sites they know and trust.
“The potential for growth in Canada is huge, and we look forward to growing our presence in Ontario and beyond.” Affiliates working with the brands launching in Ontario should check to see what new materials and opportunities they can take advantage of with this launch.