province · Canada
Online gambling and sports betting in Ontario
Ontario legalises online casino and sports betting under AGCO/iGaming Ontario, with private operators contracted and listed by iGO; OLG also offers products. Retail and online single-event sports betting are legal under provincial oversight.
- Online sports betting
- Legal
- Online casino
- Legal
- Retail sports betting
- Legal
- Online live since
- 2022-04
Checked 2026-09-21. Not legal advice.
- Online betting and casino legal 9
- Online sports betting only 3
- No legal online gambling 1
Boundaries: Statistics Canada (Open Government Licence – Canada), via geoBoundaries
Casino, sports betting, poker and more
Ontario licenses online casino, sports betting, and poker in a regulated iGaming market overseen by AGCO/iGaming Ontario; poker is offered by provincially approved operators, while sports betting and casino games are also licensed but the market has been closed/segregated to Ontario players.
| Product | Status | What that means |
|---|---|---|
| Online sports betting | Legal | — |
| Online casino | Legal | — |
| Online poker | Licensed | Legal and licensed via iGaming Ontario/AGCO for real-money online poker on provincially approved sites. |
| Sweepstakes and social casinos | Unregulated | Set nationally. Canada treats sweepstakes/social casinos as promotional contests, not licensed gambling, generally allowing them if they comply with the federal Competition Act 1985 and Criminal Code 1985 contest provisions. Quebec functionally bans access to such sites due to stricter contest rules; this is described as a “Quebec exception,” not a specific sweepstakes‑casino statute. No federal or provincial law expressly banning dual‑currency sweepstakes casinos (e.g., Chumba, McLuck) was identified, nor any cease‑and‑desist campaigns specific to them as of 2026. These platforms operate without provincial gambling licences, in an unregulated grey area under contest law rather than gaming regulation. |
| Prediction markets | Restricted | Set nationally. Sports/entertainment event contracts: restricted – CSA/CIRO Joint Staff Notice 91‑307 (2026) says they’re not securities/derivatives and bars CIRO dealers from offering them, leaving only gambling-law routes. Economic/financial/climate event contracts via Wealthsimple/IBKR (Kalshi-linked): licensed – allowed as securities/derivatives through CIRO-authorized dealers under March 2026 CIRO bulletin and CSA‑CIRO guidance 91‑307 (2026). Direct Kalshi, Polymarket, Crypto.com, Robinhood event contracts to retail Canadians: restricted – not authorized as securities/derivatives and not provincially licensed for gambling; operate only via geo-blocks or offshore without Canadian approval (no specific cease‑and‑desist). Overlap with gambling law remains unresolved; BC’s Independent Gambling Control Office (2026) confirms sports/entertainment event contracts are gambling under Criminal Code and provincial gaming statutes. |
| Mystery boxes | Not confirmed | Set nationally. Criminal Code gaming law exists, but I found no Canada-wide regulator or court decision specifically classifying paid mystery boxes/loot boxes as gambling; BC litigation 2026 left criminal gaming theory out. |
Key facts
- Province-run and regulated online gambling market.
- Online casino, poker and sports betting legal via AGCO/iGO or OLG.ca only.
- Private operators must register with AGCO and contract with iGaming Ontario.
- OLG remains monopoly for lottery and some betting channels.
- Single-event sports betting available online and at certain retail outlets.
- Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming govern conduct, integrity and advertising.
- Only sites listed by iGaming Ontario are authorised operators.
- Players must be 19+ and physically in Ontario for igaming.
Regulator and law
Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and iGaming Ontario — www.agco.ca
Gaming Control Act, 1992 and Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming.
Advertising unlicensed gambling in Ontario
Not confirmed. unconfirmed.
AGCO advertising standards apply to registered operators and require accurate, responsible marketing; explicit statutory ban on promoting offshore sites not clearly sourced.
National rules also apply — see online gambling regulation in Canada.
Checking a licence
The regulator publishes a list of licensed or authorised operators.
Recent developments
- As of June 29, 2026, 47 operators run 81 active regulated igaming sites.
- Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming updated May 2024; ongoing refinements in 2025–26.
- AGCO emphasises stricter advertising and marketing controls, especially for vulnerable groups.
- iGaming Ontario maintains continuously updated public directory of contracted operators and sites.
What we could not confirm
- Exact statutory provision banning advertising of unlicensed gambling not clearly identified in publicly available sources.
- Whether Ontario allows international pooled liquidity for poker today after the 2025 Court of Appeal ruling is not confirmed here.
- Whether prediction markets are treated as gambling or as financial derivatives in Ontario is not confirmed here.
- Whether paid mystery boxes/loot boxes are regulated as gambling, consumer products, or unregulated in Ontario is not confirmed here.
- Whether sweepstakes/social casinos are expressly permitted, restricted, or prohibited in Ontario is not confirmed here.
Sources
- agco.ca/en/lottery-and-gaming/sport-and-event-betting-ontario-player-information
- agco.ca/en/book/export/html/245361
- agco.ca/en/lottery-and-gaming/roles-agco-and-igaming-ontario
- igamingontario.ca/en/operator/operators?title=betway&field_legal_entity_name_target_id=All&field_offerings_value=All&items_per_page=100
- onlinegamblingontario.ca/licensed-operators/
- igamingontario.ca/en/operator/operators
- igamingoperators.com/jurisdictions/ont
- igamingontario.ca/en/operator/operators?title=leovegas&field_legal_entity_name_target_id=All&field_offerings_value=All&items_per_page=100
- cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-online-gaming-court-ruling-9.6976261
- gambling.com/ca/online-poker/ontario
- pokerfuse.com/online-poker/ontario/
- pokernews.com/online-poker-legal-ontario.htm
- ontariopoker.com/
- practiceguides.chambers.com/practice-guides/gaming-law-2025/canada
- ontariopoker.com/is-online-poker-legal-in-ontario
- conventuslaw.com/report/what-ontarios-poker-liquidity-decisions-mean-for-operators-across-canada/
Researched 2026-09-21 from public sources and summarised by the Brandfense team. Not legal advice — confirm with the regulator or your counsel before acting.