The revised launch date for Ontario’s regulated iGaming market has been set as April 4th, confirmed the Alcohol & Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) subsidiary, iGaming Ontario (iGO).
From this date, iGaming operators that are registered with AGCO, and have executed an operating agreement with iGO, can offer its games to players within Ontario.
Martha Otton, Executive Director of iGO, stated: “Consumers can be assured that companies who successfully enter the new Ontario market will have met rigorous standards of game and operator integrity, fairness, player protections and social responsibility, allowing all players to play with confidence. Prevention of underage access, ensuring compliance with applicable laws including anti-money laundering rules and regulations, and measures to enable more responsible gambling are just a few of the assurances consumers can expect in the new market as of April 4th. Today, most internet gaming by Ontarians takes place on websites not conducted and managed by the province. Our new internet gaming market will give consumers enhanced entertainment choice, support the growth of a new, legal market and generate revenue that can help fund programmes and services that benefit all of us.”
Jay Snowden, President & CEO of Penn National Gaming, operator of theScore, welcomed the announcement and congratulated the Ontario government for its dedication, saying: “Our team at theScore has been hard at work preparing for the Ontario market opening, which presents a significant business opportunity. As Canada’s preeminent digital sports media brand, theScore is uniquely positioned to capitalise on the introduction of the open and regulated internet gaming market in Ontario, its home territory. Launching theScore Bet in Ontario will mark an exciting expansion of our online gaming business into a major new market where we already have an established mobile sports media product in theScore app and a wide base of loyal users. Today’s news is very exciting, and I would like to recognise and congratulate the government of Ontario, and the AGCO and iGaming Ontario, for their dedication to creating a modern open and regulated sports betting and iGaming market.”
