Ontario is the only Canadian province with a fully regulated private-operator iGaming market. Since April 2022, iGaming Ontario (iGO), a subsidiary of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), has overseen the licensing and regulation of online casinos and sportsbooks in the province. This guide explains what that means for Ontario players and what to look for in a licensed operator.
How Ontario’s regulated market works
Ontario’s iGaming framework requires every online casino and sportsbook operating in the province to hold an AGCO registration and an operating agreement with iGaming Ontario. This means operators are subject to Ontario’s responsible gambling standards, player fund protection, advertising rules, and dispute resolution processes. Players at iGO-registered sites have recourse through the AGCO if something goes wrong.
This is a fundamentally different level of protection than what offshore casinos offer. When we review offshore casinos like Rabona, we are explicit that those reviews do not apply to Ontario players, because Ontario residents have access to a regulated market that offshore operators cannot match for player protection.
What to look for in an Ontario-licensed casino
All iGO-registered operators meet the same baseline regulatory requirements, but the player experience varies. When evaluating Ontario-licensed casinos, consider the game library (providers, game count, variety), the welcome offer and its wagering requirements, Canadian payment methods and whether CAD is native, payout speed and withdrawal options, mobile experience, and customer support quality and hours.
For our general framework on how we evaluate casinos, see our review methodology. The same principles apply to Ontario-regulated operators, with the additional consideration that licensing and trust is already established at a high baseline through the AGCO framework.
Ontario vs offshore: why it matters
If you are in Ontario, we strongly recommend using iGO-registered operators. The practical differences include player fund protection (Ontario operators must segregate player funds), enforceable dispute resolution through the AGCO, responsible gambling standards that are audited and enforced, advertising standards that protect vulnerable populations, and self-exclusion that works across all registered operators through the provincial system.
Offshore casinos are not available to Ontario players, and attempting to access them using a VPN violates the terms of service of both the offshore operator and your internet service provider. It also removes any regulatory protection you would otherwise have.
Alberta’s emerging regulated market
Alberta launched its own regulated online gambling framework through the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC) and Play Alberta in 2025. While the market is newer and smaller than Ontario’s, it represents another step toward Canadian provincial regulation of online gambling. Players in Alberta should similarly prioritise AGLC-licensed options over offshore alternatives.
For players outside Ontario and Alberta
If you live in British Columbia, Quebec, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, or any other province or territory, your options are your province’s lottery-run platform (like BCLC’s PlayNow or Loto-Québec’s Espacejeux) and offshore casinos that operate under jurisdictions like Curaçao or Anjouan. For an overview of how offshore licensing works, see our Anjouan vs Curaçao licence guide. For offshore casino rankings, see our best Interac casinos and best offshore sportsbooks pages.
Gambling should be entertainment. For help and support, visit our responsible gambling resources.
