Ontario's regulated online casino market: who runs it, what it means for you

Online casino rules in Canada are set province by province, and Ontario took a different route from the rest. Since April 2022, private operators that register with the provincial regulator and sign an agreement with a provincial agency can offer casino games and sports betting to people in Ontario. Elsewhere, the provincial lottery corporation's own site is the regulated option; our comparison of provincial online casinos covers those.

This guide explains how the Ontario model is built, why some casino sites refuse Ontario players, how to check whether a site is regulated, and which protections apply once you play. Players must be 19 or older.

The legal foundation

Gambling is a criminal law matter in Canada, with exceptions. Section 207(1)(a) of the Criminal Code allows the government of a province, alone or with another province, to conduct and manage a lottery scheme in accordance with provincial law. Section 207(4)(c) excludes schemes operated on or through a computer or video device from the permissions given to charities, fairs and others, which leaves computer-based gaming, including online casinos, with provincial governments.

Ontario's solution was to keep conduct and management with a provincial entity while letting private companies supply and operate the games under contract. The AGCO describes iGaming Ontario as conducting internet gaming through private operators in line with the Criminal Code.

Who does what

The separation matters to players in a practical way. If an operator breaks the rules, the AGCO is the body that can act on its registration. iGO is the commercial counterparty that holds the operating agreement and oversees player funds: standard 5.73 says iGO must take steps to ensure that player funds deposited with its operators are subject to its oversight and available to players.

The market in numbers

iGaming Ontario's annual report for fiscal 2024-25 gives the clearest picture of scale:

• Total wagers: C$82.7 billion, up 32% on the previous year.
• Total gaming revenue: C$2.9 billion.
• Active player accounts: 2.6 million. iGO notes these are not unique players, because individuals can hold accounts with several operators.
• Operators: 50 active at year-end.
• Channelization: 83.7% of players reported using a regulated site, down from 86.4% the year before, against a target of 90% for 2026-27.

That last figure is the one to watch. It means a meaningful share of Ontario players still use sites outside the regulated system, which is exactly what the licensing check below is designed to prevent.

Why some casino sites block Ontario players

Many Canadians notice that an international casino accepts players from other provinces but refuses anyone with an Ontario address or location. There are two main reasons.

First, the AGCO's standard 1.22, added in October 2022, requires operators and gaming-related suppliers to cease all unregulated activities where carrying them out in iGO's regulated market would require registration. Companies that are registered or applying in Ontario cannot keep serving Ontarians through an unlicensed sister site. Companies that have no Ontario licence often geo-block the province to stay clearly outside it.

Second, regulated sites must confirm you are in Ontario. The standards require operators to detect and dynamically monitor a player's location, block unverified attempts to play, repeat location checks at reasonable intervals, and detect software capable of circumventing location detection. A regulated site will therefore block you when you travel out of the province, and it is designed to catch attempts to disguise your location. Do not try to work around these checks; doing so can void winnings and breaches the site's terms.

How to check whether a site is regulated

1. Open iGO's directory. iGaming Ontario publishes a directory of all igaming sites offered by regulated operators contracted by iGO. Its player page listed 49 operators and 84 gaming websites, accurate as of 1 September 2026.
2. Match the exact domain. Operators can run several brands. The website address you are using must appear in the directory, not just a similar brand name.
3. Look for the regulatory disclosure. Standard 1.17 requires relevant information about the AGCO to be displayed and easily accessible to the player, so a regulated site should name the AGCO and iGO in its footer or terms.
4. Remember OLG.ca. OLG's site is regulated by the AGCO but is not one of iGO's contracted operators, so it is the one exception to the operating-agreement requirement.
5. Check eligibility. Standard 3.01 bars anyone under 19 (with a narrow exception for 18-year-olds buying lottery tickets), self-excluded players and certain insiders.

iGO warns that on unregulated sites there is no guarantee deposits are securely stored, payouts could be delayed or withheld, personal information could be exposed, and the site could be run by illegal entities. For a wider view of licensing across the country, see our page on legal online casinos in Canada and the Ontario region guide.

Advertising rules

Ontario's advertising standards are among the most detailed parts of the rulebook.

• Bonuses are not publicly advertised. Standard 2.05 prohibits advertising that communicates inducements, bonuses and credits, except on an operator's own gaming site and through direct marketing after active player consent. The AGCO's guidance makes clear this does not ban bonuses themselves, only public advertising of them.
• Opt-in and opt-out. Standard 2.07 requires an opt-in process for direct marketing of bonuses and a way to withdraw consent at any time.
• Honest wording. Standard 2.06 requires all material conditions to be disclosed when an offer is first presented, with other conditions no more than one click away, and an offer cannot be called free if the player has to risk or lose their own money. Our guide to wagering requirement maths shows why those conditions matter.
• No athletes. The AGCO announced on 29 August 2023 that it would ban active or retired athletes from igaming advertising, except for the exclusive purpose of advocating responsible gambling. The change took effect on 28 February 2024. Registrar and CEO Tom Mungham said that children and youth are heavily influenced by the athletes and celebrities they look up to.
• Minors. Ads cannot use cartoon figures, role models, social media influencers, celebrities or entertainers likely to appeal to minors, or appear on billboards next to schools.

Protections you get as a player

If an operator does not resolve a complaint, the AGCO runs an online form to submit an internet gaming complaint. For the details of using BetGuard and other provinces' programs, see our guide to self-exclusion by province.

What this means in practice

If you live in Ontario, the regulated market gives you a checkable list of sites, a regulator with power over each operator's registration, rules on how bonuses are presented, mandatory limit tools and a province-wide self-exclusion option. The trade-off is that you must be physically in Ontario, aged 19 or older, and verified before you play, and bonuses will be presented only on the operator's site or by direct marketing you have agreed to. If a site will not let you in from Ontario, that is usually the rulebook working, not a glitch to get around.

Frequently asked questions