Online casinos in Ontario: what’s legal
Ontario lets private online casinos operate if they are registered with the AGCO and contracted with iGaming Ontario. Here is how to check a site, and why we list no casinos for Ontario.
Is it legal to play online?
Yes, on registered sites. Since April 4, 2022, private online casinos can operate in Ontario if they are registered with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and have an operating agreement with iGaming Ontario. The province also runs its own site, PlayOLG. You must be 19 or older.
How the Ontario market works
Two bodies run it. The AGCO is the regulator: it registers operators and suppliers and sets the rules, called the Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming. iGaming Ontario is the government agency that “conducts and manages” the market. Each private operator signs an agreement with iGO, and iGO is legally the one offering the games. This structure exists because the Criminal Code only allows gambling that a province conducts and manages (section 207). The full background is in our guide is online gambling legal in Canada.
OLG’s own site, PlayOLG, sits alongside the private operators and follows the same self-exclusion system.
How to check a site is legal in Ontario
- Look at the footer. iGaming Ontario says regulated sites show the iGaming Ontario and BetGuard logos.
- Do not trust the logo alone. Find the site in the regulated market directory on igamingontario.ca. The website address must match exactly.
- Open the site’s terms. The company named there must be the one listed by iGO and the AGCO. If a site takes your sign-up with an Ontario address but is not in the directory, leave.
A registered site must also link to responsible gambling information and show the ConnexOntario number on its registration and account pages (AGCO Standard 2.09).
Bonus advertising rules
Ontario does not ban bonuses. It bans advertising them to the public. Under AGCO Standard 2.05, ads that communicate gambling inducements, bonuses or credits are prohibited, except on the operator’s own gaming site and in direct marketing sent after the player actively consents. The AGCO’s guidance says this also covers indirect ads, such as promo codes or “learn more about our offer” links, and links and descriptions provided by affiliates.
- Consent must be collected on the Ontario gaming site itself. Consent collected on a third-party site does not count.
- Material conditions of an offer must be shown when it is first presented, and an offer cannot be called “free” or “risk-free” if you must risk your own money (Standard 2.06).
- You can withdraw your consent to direct marketing at any time (Standard 2.07).
- Ads cannot target minors, and active or retired athletes can appear only to promote responsible gambling (Standard 2.03).
The AGCO enforces this. It has fined registered operators for inducement ads, including Unibet ON Inc. (C$48,000), DraftKings Canada (C$100,000) and BetMGM Canada (C$110,000).
Why we list no casinos for Ontario
Our partners are not registered in Ontario
The casinos we work with hold international licences. AGCO Standard 1.21 says registered operators must make sure their marketing affiliates do not also promote unregistered sites to Ontarians. So for Ontario we publish facts and official lists, and nothing we earn money from.
Readers whose province is set to Ontario do not see our casino lists or bonus pages. If you see a casino review on this site, it is not an invitation to play from Ontario.
What this means for players
On a registered site, you have a regulator. If a withdrawal is refused, you first complain to the operator. If that fails, iGaming Ontario’s player support and the AGCO can step in. Your funds, the games and the operator’s anti-money-laundering checks are all under AGCO standards.
On an unregistered site, none of that applies. The AGCO and iGO have no power over it, BetGuard does not cover it, and your only route is the site’s foreign regulator, if it has one.
BetGuard, launched by iGaming Ontario in May 2026, lets you exclude yourself from every regulated online gambling site in Ontario with one sign-up: 6 months, 1 year, 5 years or a custom term. More help is on our responsible gambling page.
The pooled liquidity case
Ontario wants to let its players share tables and prize pools with players outside Canada, mainly for poker. The Court of Appeal for Ontario said in November 2025 (Reference re iGaming Ontario, 2025 ONCA 770) that this model would stay within the Criminal Code. Several provincial lottery corporations appealed. The Supreme Court of Canada heard the appeal on October 7, 2026, and has reserved judgment.
Ontario and the other provinces
| Province | Private online casinos | Provincial site | Age |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario | Yes, registered with AGCO + iGaming Ontario | PlayOLG | 19 |
| British Columbia | No | PlayNow | 19 |
| Alberta | Regulated market (AGLC) | PlayAlberta | 18 |
| Quebec | No | Loto-Québec | 18 |
| Manitoba | No | PlayNow | 18 |
| Saskatchewan | No | PlayNow | 19 |
| New Brunswick | No | Atlantic Lottery | 19 |
| Nova Scotia | No | Atlantic Lottery | 19 |
| Prince Edward Island | No | Atlantic Lottery | 19 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | No | Atlantic Lottery | 19 |
FAQ
How many online casinos are legal in Ontario?
The number changes as operators join or leave. The current list is the regulated market directory on igamingontario.ca. Each operator can run more than one website.
Is it illegal for me to play on an unregistered site from Ontario?
The Criminal Code is aimed mainly at people who run gambling without provincial authority. What is certain is that an unregistered site gives you no Ontario protection: no AGCO standards, no iGO complaint route, no BetGuard.
Can I still get a casino bonus in Ontario?
Yes. Registered operators can offer bonuses on their own site and send offers to players who opted in. They cannot advertise them publicly, which is why you do not see bonus amounts on billboards or on affiliate sites for Ontario.
What is the minimum age?
19 for online casino games. AGCO Standard 3.01 makes anyone under 19 ineligible, with a narrow exception for 18-year-olds buying lottery tickets.
How do I self-exclude from all Ontario sites?
Sign up at betguard.ca. You need to be 19+, with government photo ID, an address in Canada or the US, a mobile phone and an email address. It covers all regulated sites, including OLG’s. Each operator’s own self-exclusion is separate.
Sources
- iGaming Ontario: Ontario’s new iGaming market to launch April 4, 2022 (checked November 3, 2026)
- AGCO: Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming (checked November 3, 2026)
- AGCO: Important information for advertising and marketing in Ontario’s new igaming market (checked November 3, 2026)
- AGCO: $48,000 in monetary penalties to Unibet ON Inc. (checked November 3, 2026)
- AGCO: $100,000 in monetary penalties to Draft Kings Canada (checked November 3, 2026)
- AGCO: $110,000 in penalties to BetMGM Canada (checked November 3, 2026)
- iGaming Ontario: Player FAQs (checked November 3, 2026)
- iGaming Ontario: BetGuard is now available (checked November 3, 2026)
- BetGuard: FAQ (checked November 3, 2026)
- Supreme Court of Canada: Case 42141, Atlantic Lottery Corporation, et al. v. Attorney General of Ontario (checked November 3, 2026)
- Justice Laws: Criminal Code, section 207 (checked November 3, 2026)
- ConnexOntario: Gambling services (checked November 3, 2026)