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Canadian iGaming Regulations – The Recent Changes Impacting Providers

Canadian iGaming Regulations - The Recent Changes Impacting Providers

3 minutes

Last Updated: July 4, 2025

Alex Zlatanovic

The iGaming industry is heavily regulated to protect players and to prevent illegal activity. Different regions around the world have their own laws, and the same is true for gambling. There are regulations in place to ensure fair play and to make sure that iGaming platforms are secure and safe for players to use.

Regulations are also in place to prevent criminal activity such as money laundering, as gambling has historically been used to launder money and other criminal activities. Wherever you are in the world, your local gambling laws will apply, which means in some regions, gambling is illegal.

The History of Online Gambling

Online gambling was first introduced in the mid 90s, as personal computers first started to become a feature in households and the World Wide Web made online activities, such as gambling, possible.  The Parliament of Antigua and Barbuda was the first to take the step to legalize online gambling, through the passing of the Free Trade and Processing Zone Act 1994.

Following on from this milestone, the Iegal iGaming market started to emerge in regions around the world. Online gambling has been legalized in countries including the UK and European countries such as Germany, France and Italy. Other countries have different laws across different areas, for example, there are different state laws across the US.

Online Gambling Legislation in Ontario

In Canada, gambling laws differ between the provinces, with Ontario being the first province to legalize iGaming, passing the law in 2021. The first online casino was launched in Ontario in 2022, and other Canada provinces have followed by passing legislation to legalize iGaming.

The AGCO (Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario) controls the regulatory framework for iGaming in Ontario. Operators sign an agreement with iGaming Ontario (iGO) as a condition of their licence.

The legislation the AGCO introduced under the Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming has includes some strict requirements for Ontario iGaming platform providers, including:

Player Protection

To obtain a license, providers must meet the standards laid out in the province’s legislation. For example, to protect players, providers must pass testing processes to check games meet fair play requirements. This includes testing for fair odds and RGN (Random Number Generation).

Another key licensing requirement is the implementation of secure systems, to protect players’ personal data and financial transactions. iGaming providers must also have processes in place to prevent underage gambling, as the laws state that players in Ontario must be at least 19 years of age to place bets or 18 years for playing the lottery.

Adequate security systems must be used on iGaming platforms, including firewalls, encryption and secure payment processing gateways.

Anti-Money Laundering

Anti-Money Laundering in Canadian Casinos

iGaming providers are also required to have measures in place to prevent criminals from using online gambling for criminal activity. Historically, gambling sites have been used for laundering money and operators must comply with the Canadian federal regulatory requirements. These include registration processes that meet the Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements. The registration processes require operators to implement in-depth verification processes, including checking official ID documents to verify a players’ identity.

Online casino and betting providers must also report any suspicious transactions. The operators must do  this by filing a suspicious transaction report using the FINTRAC portal or their own in-house automation technology.

Responsible Gambling

All Ontario iGaming operators must meet the requirements for responsible gambling, including ensuring that RG information is clearly displayed on the platform and they should also provide links to organizations that provide support helplines and advice.

Online casinos and sportsbooks also must include self-exclusion programs that allow players to easily set gambling limits and session time limits. This includes the option for players to set limits for deposits, loss limits and wagering limits.

In Ontario, iGaming providers are also required to provide comprehensive training to their employees so that their customer support staff are equipped to recognize signs of player gambling problems and how they can provide support to them.

Another key requirement is to have systems set up to monitor gambling behavior to identify potential gambling problems. For example, risky gambling behaviors such as long playing sessions, unusually big deposits and chasing losses should be monitored, with pop-up reminders displayed to players to make them aware of their time or money spending.

Failure to meet the iGaming regulations can result in heavy fines and the revoking of licenses. Regulatory breaches can also lead to iGaming operators being banned from the industry, so these regulations and any new changes to legislation that are introduced must be adhered to.

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