Ontario

With sports betting already legal in the U.S., Canada took inspiration from different states to formulate its betting market. While Ontario does have retail casinos, the province decided not to require online operators to partner with a retail operator to obtain access to the market. This allows the province to offer over 30 online operators and remote registration.

To obtain a license, operators must pay a $100,000 licensing fee and a 20% tax rate on all sports betting revenue. These licensing fees are paid to the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, the governing body that distributes licenses to operators. Due to provincial gambling laws, once operators obtain a license, they are prohibited from making public ads for bonuses, new customer deals, and iCasino offers.

Aside from the lack of public advertisements, Ontario sports betting legislation is very open and has few restrictions. In addition to the general sports betting markets, Ontario bettors have the option to wager on politics and eSports and access social sportsbooks, betting exchanges, and DFS apps. It is worth noting that while eSports betting is legal, it is considered in Ontario to be an online casino game under regulatory guidelines created by the AGCO.

Outside of restrictions related to operators, there are multiple regulations that Ontario bettors need to be aware of. For starters, the legal age to place an online wager is 19. However, 18-year-olds in Ontario can place physical bets at OLG Lottery Terminals. Since each Canadian province controls its sports betting market, Ontario bettors must also ensure they are in the provincial lines when placing a bet on an AGCO-regulated platform.

Ontario’s wagering wave: Key sports betting & casinos-related news & updates

• August 28, 2025: Ontario's iGaming regulator chooses its new chief, appointing ex-AGCO strategist Joseph Hillier as iGO's first president and CEO starting September 8, 2025. He replaces Martha Otton, who guided the market's launch before retiring this spring after delaying her exit. David Smith had filled the role temporarily while the search for a permanent leader unfolded.

• August 27, 2025: Ontario's iGaming sector surges in July, fueled by online casinos, with wagers hitting $7.56 billion—24% higher than last year. Despite active player accounts slipping below one million for the first time since 2024, operators' revenues rose to $311 million, a 28% yearly gain. Fewer users played, but each spent more, averaging $328, the strongest per-player return in nearly a year.

• August 23, 2025: DraftKings ends credit card deposits in the U.S., but Ontario customers remain unaffected, as local rules permit the method. The company confirmed credit cards are still valid for deposits in its Ontario sportsbook and casino. Alongside its core platform, DraftKings recently expanded by launching Golden Nugget Online Casino in the province on August 19, further boosting its Canadian presence.

• August 19, 2025: Ontario's online casino scene gets a major new player, as DraftKings officially launched Golden Nugget Online Gaming (GNOG) in the province. Licensed by AGCO in June, GNOG debuts with 2,000+ slots, classic tables, and exclusive titles powered by DraftKings' platform. The brand, acquired by DraftKings in 2022, also shares a loyalty program with its sportsbook.

• August 13, 2025: Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk says angry bettors have bombarded his Venmo with requests to repay losses tied to prop bets on his shots and hits. The NHL star told ESPN he eventually had to change his account name and remove his photo after repeated harassment, highlighting growing tensions between gambling culture and athletes' personal lives.

• August 12, 2025: Ontario expands its horse racing options, as OLG partnered with Woodbine Entertainment to launch online and mobile parimutuel betting. This makes OLG the first Canadian provincial lottery agency to offer such wagering. The markets appear on OLG's digital sportsbook and iGaming site, while Woodbine manages operations through its HPIbet-powered platform.

Sports betting is truly just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the legal gambling market in Ontario. For starters, there are 11 retail betting facilities for sports betting, but 29 casinos in total throughout the province, each varying in size and offering a different number of games. Poker is available at some of those retail locations, but customers also have the option to partake in online poker on some of the prominent iCasinos that are active.

The lottery in different Canadian provinces, including Ontario, has been involved with sports betting far before single-game wagering was legal, and it remains very prevalent in ON. Outside of casinos and the lottery, horse race betting is a key aspect of the Ontario gambling market. Bettors do have the option to wager on horse races online, but they can also visit one of the 15 live racetracks or off-track betting locations in the province.