Online Gambling’s Legality in Ontario
With the first of the land-based casinos in Ontario opening its doors back in the mid-1990s and offshore online casino sites starting to pop up around the same time, Ontario residents are no strangers to casino games. However, despite the popularity of online gambling, the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) didn’t launch its own iGaming platform until 2015.
This move was partly motivated by the fact that Ontarians were parting with up to $500 million in real money deposits at offshore gambling sites, and the OLG was understandably keen to take a slice of that pie. Things are now set to evolve further, with the recent launch of iGaming Ontario, a subsidiary of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario. Its mission is to create a regulated online gaming market where private operators can apply for permission to offer casino gaming to Ontario players.
Meanwhile, the incumbent, state-run Ontario casino site PlayOLG is shaping up well to compete with its imminent rivals. October saw Evolution Gaming’s live dealer games launch there, substantially enhancing its offering of table games.
‘The Grey Zone’
The question of whether online casino sites are legal in Ontario and elsewhere in Canada is common among prospective players. The answer lies in something of a grey zone, with Canadian gamblers accessing some of the best online casinos in the world, even though these sites aren’t legally allowed to operate on Canadian soil. The operators get around this by locating their servers outside Canada, while still expressly offering real money games and gambling bonuses to Canadians.
Although change is on the horizon for Ontario residents, Canadians across the entire country are continuing to enjoy online gambling at offshore sites. Some of the top examples of reputable offshore sites, licensed by respected gaming authorities like the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), can be found right here at BestOnlineCasinos.