Legal Online Gambling in Ontario

Ontario is the second-largest province…

… in the country after Quebec, and hosts the capital of the whole of Canada, the city of Ottawa. Other than it, the province additionally has its own capital, the city of Toronto, although there is much to be seen across the entire territory of Ontario rather than focusing on such urban areas exclusively.

The gambling industry, for one…

… is a sure source of facts to this claim, especially since the latest regulations have seen all different kinds of establishments spattered across the territory of the province. With land-based and online gambling forms both legally available in the country, players have all but to catch a ride and head to the nearest location.

Considering that it is the second-largest province, it is no wonder that the operators servicing this market additionally benefit from rich and diverse player traffic, as well as beneficial regulatory legislation. Hence, both the land-based and online gambling sphere in the province abounds with all the different gameplay options, excellent service and high level of player satisfaction.

Top 4 Canada: Ontario Casinos

Land-based Gambling in Ontario

The territory of Ontario…

… is spattered all over with diverse gambling establishments. These include all the different types of operators, starting from casinos, through racetracks and sportsbetting parlours in general, all the way to slots and VLTs at specific locations such as racetracks.

Charitable organizations…

… like at any other Canadian province, have received the necessary attention here as well. They, along with non-profit organizations, are authorized to apply and receive licenses and provide different kinds of gambling content. Tribal gaming establishments are also available and exclusively operated by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG), along with all lottery products.

Commercial land-based gambling…

… is still present to some extent in its original form – through casinos and racetracks. The former usually provide both slots and table games, and can additionally offer horserace betting practices if suited for the purpose; as for the racetracks, apart from the permitted pari-mutuel horserace betting, there is an additional regulative that allows them to pack slots as well, only on select occasions.

As it is, the land-based gambling industry alone…

… is quite developed across the territory of Ontario. So, it is no wonder that there is more than one regulatory body responsible for aspects of its operations; these organizations include the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, the Ontario Charitable Gaming Association, the Ontario Racing Commission and the Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency.

While each of these bodies has its own set of provisions and requirements, they all fundamentally comply with the Federal Criminal Code of Canada as the key legislation for the province’s gambling industry.

Top 3 Sportsbooks in Canada: Ontario

1		Rating: 3.4/5	Play Players Accepted
2		Rating: 3.9/5	Play Players Accepted
3		Rating: 3.8/5	Play Players Accepted

Online Gambling in Ontario, Canada

Interactive gambling…

… has been present legally in the province for some time now, as the OLG managed to launch their dedicated onshore licensed online gaming site back on 8 January, 2015. There have been some obstacles coming up to this date, especially since the OLG opted to leave no stone unturned before launching their GTech powered platform.

The legal online gambling platform available for Ontario-based players is known as PlayOLG, following the example of the PlayNow site.

However…

… this Lottery and Gaming Corporation has continuously been making efforts to improve the situation, increase gameplay offering and ultimately, achieve better player satisfaction.

As part of the process…

… instant games have been ‘commissioned’ by the Scientific Games company who won the contract and need to meet the 31 July, 2022 deadline. What is more, there are plans to develop a new interactive platform overall, with much better functionalities and gameplay options and content – Bede Gaming was awarded the contract for this matter.

Such renovations…

… have been underway since the second half of 2018, around the time when Idemia was also contracted to provide 10,7000 whole new and revolutionary camera-based lottery terminals at retail locations.

With such efforts continuously made by official authorities, there is still something to be said about fair market competitiveness and the diversity it creates for the player pool. Due to lack of a second onshore licensed operator, players often turn to the dozens of offshore licensed operators catering to the same territory. These tend to dedicate their services to the specific player pool, or have more international-oriented traffic; either way, Ontario enthusiasts are still flocking to their platforms for lack of a more diverse choice.

Top 20 Online Casinos in Ontario

1	Casumo	Rating: 1/5 Licensed +3more	Read Review Play Players Accepted
2	NorthStar Bets	Rating: 3.5/5 Licensed	Read Review Play Players Accepted
3	High Flyer Casino	Rating: 3.5/5 Licensed +2more	Read Review Play Players Accepted
4	Sports Interaction Casino (SIA)	Rating: 3/5 Licensed +4more	Read Review Play Players Accepted
5	888 Casino	Rating: 1/5 Licensed +4more	Read Review Play Players Accepted
6	Fever Slots Ontario	Rating: 3.1/5 Licensed	Read Review Play Players Accepted
7	Wheelz Casino	Rating: 2.9/5 Licensed +3more	Read Review Play Players Accepted
8	Sunny Spins Casino	Rating: 2.8/5	Read Review Play Players Accepted
9	KnightSlots Casino	Rating: 2.6/5 Licensed +4more	Read Review Play Players Accepted
10	Love2Play Casino	Rating: 3/5	Read Review Play Players Accepted

Top Ontario Gambling Tips & Tricks

Since gambling is legal across the entire territory of Ontario, both in a retail location and online, it may seem redundant to offer tips and tricks to making the most of it. Still, there is something to be said about the proper way to go through your player bankroll in order to maximize your winnings, as well as reliable guidelines towards the top offshore operators roaming the market.

• Check for License & Security – If you are dealing with the sole licensed operator in the province, you won’t have to worry about this matter since the same laws apply and protect your player interests. However, if you opt for an offshore operator, make sure to check for their license, as well as the security measures they employ to guarantee the player protection.
• Know Your Games – Knowing the mechanics of all your favourite game titles is a crucial consideration to maximize your player enjoyment. It is advisable to bear in mind any in-play features, rewards, as well as specifics that could ultimately affect the outcome, and thus, your payout.
• Find Suitable Banking Methods – Even if you do manage to strike a lucky spin or hand, and hit a major win, it won’t be worth the effort unless you have a suitable banking method to process your cashout. Always check the list of available methods in order to find one that meets your player needs, and still doesn’t present any significant hurdles – fee charges, wait times, delays, or even fraud.
• Look for Mobile Apps – While not everyone is a mobile gaming enthusiast, having your mobile casino at the touch of your hand can be particularly handy. Make sure to check for a mobile app, or at least a mobile-optimized site from your chosen casino operator and get it as soon as possible, just to keep things well under your control.