The Ontario iGaming market, which includes online casino and poker sites, is making a push to expand outside of the province’s borders. There is a Court of Appeal hearing scheduled for November to determine whether is legal to allow international players to sign up at Ontario online poker sites.
The move, if approved, would allow online poker sites (where you can win real money) including GGPoker and PokerStars to share its liquidity with international markets. What’s interesting is that this move could also play a factor in Quebec and Alberta overhauling their current iGaming setups.
The Key Takeaways
Ontario broke ground when it became the first (and only) province in Canada with a regulated online casino gaming and sports betting marketplace. Now, it is looking to expand its reach but not within Canada.
A hearing in November will determine whether online poker sites in Ontario will be allowed to accept registered users from around the world. The move would appeal to licensed online poker sites in Ontario, but there is one interesting note.
Sites would need to be legally recognized in any country in which it accepts players. For international sites like PokerStars, that will be less of an issue. For others, its international reach will be severely limited.
The goal is to grow the player pool and drive revenues (and taxes) for both operators and the province. Perhaps the most interesting part of this is the potential future impact it could have. It has been speculated that Quebec and Alberta could completely overhaul their iGaming setups, especially if this measure passes.
Hearing Scheduled for November
Ontario AG Doug Downey initially filed an Order in Council on February 2. His goal is to have the courts to decide whether it will be legal for Ontario iGaming to allow bettors outside of Canada to join poker sites.
A hearing on the matter has been scheduled, but it is not until November 26, ending November 28. Interested parties will have until April 8 to submit all legal materials as it relates to the case. Sites would be able to lawfully pool their Ontario player pool together with players from all around the world, though only in places where the site’s international license is enough to operate in a legal way.
Conclusion
There is still quite some time until the hearing to determine the legality of this move. It could potentially open up even larger doors for revenue into the province, while also creating larger prize pools for the players themselves. It could also set a legal precedent on the matter for other provinces and territories in Canada.
