Ontario has released a series of updates regarding the debut of its hotly-anticipated iGaming market to private operators with plans on operating legally in the province’s upcoming regulated industry.
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) revealed that the province would still have to wait a little longer as planned with the market now projected to go live in the first quarter of 2022.
As per its previous announcements, the AGCO is currently accepting applications from prospective operators. The commission’s subsidiary entity, iGaming Ontario, is managing the assessment process, and operators should begin receiving licences by early 2022 which will see them permitted to offer single-event wagering on sports.
First Steps
Formulating the terms of commercial arrangements also falls under iGaming Ontario’s responsibilities and it is expected to complete the process soon.
A term sheet for the agreement was formerly released by the province and drafts have been made available to gaming operators previously registered via Gaming Ontario’s portal who have agreed to a non-disclosure contract.
The AGCO and iGaming Ontario advised prospective operators that they would have to completely suspend all of their unregulated online gaming services to be eligible for license consideration. They would also be required to sever any associations with any other grey market operators. This exhibits the commission’s intent to migrate players from unregulated online casinos to safer, regulated ones.
iGaming Ontario is a new body that operates under the AGCO and it will oversee and manage all of the province’s iGaming activity. It will also administer the market’s application processes and has its own staff and board. Danish consultant, Birgitte Sand, will head the project and possess a wealth of industry experience.
Running Start
iGaming Ontario followed its debut by swiftly implementing changes to the province’s online gambling rules. Among these changes were bans on the Auto-play feature in online slots as well as on the player’s ability to adjust the spin speed of the reels, with the body mandating a minimum of 2.5 seconds per spin. The entity also specified that in-game or website marketing must not be misleading or suggest that gambling is a path to financial success or betterment.
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