iGaming Ontario Clears PointsBet and BetMGM For Ontario Launch
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has granted PointsBet and BetMGM their sports betting licenses for the soon-to-open Ontario market. The two will join a long string of other top operators ready to flood the market at the beginning of April.
BetMGM, the 16th Operator to Receive a License
BetMGM Canada has been one of the main candidates for an Ontario license. Many expected it to be the pioneer operator to be granted such a license to operate in the province’s upcoming iGaming market. However, 15 other operators received AGCO’s approval before the good news finally reached the BetMGM crew.
Now, the entire Canadian BetMGM team is busy tackling the final details for the big launch, getting ready to welcome Ontario bettors with a spectacular mobile betting app with a top-tier design and some of the best promotions in the industry.
The operator expects to quickly become the go-to choice for bettors here a title that the operator started preparing for since it invited the greatest hockey player in history Wayne Gretzky to join its team in the summer of 2021. Ever since Gretzky’s role has been to significantly grow BetMGM’s brand awareness. This is also the case for top NFL player Connor McDavid who also agreed to sign a similar brand deal.
Top Sportsbook, Ready to Take the Largest Market in the Country by Storm
Together with its subsidiary iGaming Ontario, the AGCO has been busy regulating and issuing licenses to all sportsbooks that are owned by private companies in the Canadian province. The regulatory bodies’ job was aimed at around 30 sportsbooks with high hope to be given the green light to start operating on April 4, the big launch date for Ontario’s online sports betting market.
The flood of sportsbooks expected to go live will allow Canadians in the region to get better acquainted with the action in the sports they love so much. At the moment, bettors in Ontario only have limited access to lottery-run websites such as PROLINE.
The market for sports betting is therefore soon expected to explode in the province, especially in the context of big names like BetMGM Canada, PointsBet, Bet365, Unibet, FanDuel, Caesars Sportsbook Canada, Rivalry, or the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation joining it. Some of these operators including PointsBet, theScore Bet, and FanDuel BetRivers will also soon launch in a number of other Canadian provinces including Alberta and British Columbia in the foreseeable future.
AGCO also issued a number of supplier licenses to High 5 Gaming, LeoVegas, Inspired Entertainment, and Play’n Go, so gaming aficionados in Ontario have some serious reasons to rejoice.
According to recent guidelines from the AGCO, operators that are still in the process of getting their license will be asked to cease their activity once Ontario’s iGaming market will finally launch. Those operators who will fail to comply with the requirement will risk having their pending licensing applications denied.
BetMGM will use the BetMGM.ca website to operate in Ontario, while PointsBet will use the PointsBet.ca platform.
After finishing her master's in publishing and writing, Melanie began her career as an online editor for a large gaming blog and has now transitioned over towards the iGaming industry. She helps to ensure that our news pieces are written to the highest standard possible under the guidance of senior management.
