Ontario online sports betting laws
These are exciting times for Ontario sports betting. Following the legalization of single-wager betting and online betting across Canada in August 2021, preparations are well under way for the launch of several licensed sportsbooks and the creation of a bustling market in Canada’s most populous province.
Is sports betting legal in Ontario?
Yes. Legislation passed in August 2021 paved the way for Ontario to license single-event wagering and online sports betting.
Is online sports betting legal in Ontario?
Yes. Ontario online sports betting is now legal and is expected to be available through licensed sportsbooks by the end of 2021.
How old do I have to be to place a bet in Ontario?
You must be at least 19 years old to wager in casinos. It’s expected that this will apply to Ontario sports betting too.
How do I start betting in Ontario?
Now that online sports betting has been authorized by Canadian federal authorities, it is inevitable that there will be plenty of Ontario betting sites to choose from.
The steps to follow to sign up for Ontario online betting are:
Choose a reputable licensed sportsbook that is offering the markets and bonuses you want to use.
Confirm your location within the boundaries of Ontario.
Offer proof to verify your identity so that you can place funds into your account.
Make the most of a sign-up bonus; virtually all sportsbooks have a special offer for new customers.
Start to enjoy Ontario online betting.
Is sports betting legal in Ontario?
Sports bettors in Ontario have longed for many years for the ability to enjoy legal single-game wagering. While parlay bets – those for two or more outcomes in a single bet – have been permitted through the provincial lottery, they’re not a popular option because it’s much harder to pick multiple winners than one. At the same time, many Canadian sports bettors have used unlicensed offshore sportsbooks.
Billions of dollars were staked each year and, while technically not legal, this could take place in relative safety. However, betting with an unlicensed sportsbook can leave you without legal recourse in the case of a dispute. The Ontario sports betting landscape changed for ever in August 2021, however, with the passage of the game-changing C-218 bill by the national government.
In the same way that the United States sports betting scene changed with the striking down of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) in 2018, C-218 allows for each Canadian province to license single-game wagering and online sports betting if it wishes to do so. Ontario – Canada’s most populous province, with nearly 40 per cent of the nation’s inhabitants within its borders – had long been at the forefront of this push for legalization. It is also home to many of Canada’s leading professional sports teams, and interest in Ontario online sports betting is certain to be incredibly high.
Once it became clear that C-218 would become law, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario set up iGaming Ontario, an agency to conduct and manage Ontario online betting. iGaming Ontario is responsible for agreeing deals with big-name outside sportsbook operators who want to take advantage of the huge appetite for sports wagering in Ontario.
It is expected that the first licenses will be issued in time for sportsbooks to start offering odds before the end of 2021. However, the Ontario government stole a march by launching its own sportsbook operation, PROLINE+, which went live on the day C-218 was passed, August 27. Within the first five days, it had handled more than C$1million, an incredibly encouraging start.
It remains to be seen precisely what shape the new Ontario online sports betting market takes. What is certain, however, is that this is the province blazing the trail for Canadian single-game wagering.
One encouraging consideration for sports fans in Ontario wanting to wager is that Canadians do not pay tax on gambling winnings. This is because betting proceeds are not seen as a constant source of income, and do not come from employment, property, or another viable source. The only exception to this rule arises if you earn interest on your winnings. If you do not declare that on your T5 form, you could face a fine.
Who is allowed to bet on sports in Ontario?
With so many moving parts to the process of launching the Ontario online sports betting market, it is still not clear what restrictions might be in place in the province once the market matures. However, it is reasonable to assume that the following will apply:
With 71 casinos, the people of Ontario currently do not have to look far for an enjoyable wagering experience – and the minimum age for entering a casino in the province is 19. It seems probable that the same age limit will apply to online sportsbooks offering single-game betting.
Once online sportsbooks are established, it is virtually certain there will be territorial restrictions to ensure that you can enjoy Ontario betting sites only if you are physically located within Ontario. Most contemporary sportsbooks employ geo-location technology to make sure that people playing with them are within licensed territory and not betting from a location where online betting is not allowed.
Daily Fantasy Sports in Ontario
Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) are legal in Canada. There has never been legislation specifically outlawing the leading operators from offering games in the country and as a result they have done so for several years. Both DraftKings and FanDuel have huge numbers of customers within Ontario, where the appetite for sports, and wagering on them, is high.
One interesting consequence of this is that should the big two DFS firms – who both have an established sportsbook arm that operates in several US states – apply for an Ontario sports betting license, they will do so from a position of strength. Their DFS activity has given them a high profile in the province that will surely help them to win numerous sportsbook customers.
Top Sports to Bet on in Ontario
With a population of more than 14 million people – out of a national population of fewer than 40 million – Ontario has the most inhabitants of all Canada’s provinces and territories by far. The good news for the sports fans among them is that there are numerous sports and teams to follow.
Hockey
Hockey is incredibly popular in Canada and the people of Ontario have arguably the nation’s most prestigious team to pull for, the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Leafs, and the Ottawa Senators, are among the seven Canadian teams in the NHL. It is beyond a certainty that they will attract enormous interest on Ontario sports betting sites.
Responsible gambling in Ontario
The fact that there has long been a provincial lottery in Ontario, through which people have been able to make parlay bets, means that the importance of responsible gaming is well established here. For the vast majority of bettors, wagering is a pleasurable leisure activity. For a small number, however, it can cause problems that lead to serious financial issues. It is encouraging, therefore, that there are several agencies offering practical assistance, as well as guidance for the operation of responsible gambling.
iGaming Ontario, for instance, has as one of its aims the need to ensure safe and responsible gambling, insisting that it is embedded in the culture of operators in the province.
The Responsible Gambling Council, set up several decades ago, is recognized as the principal resource of assistance on the issue in Canada.
Problem Gambling is an organization with a vast stock of responsible gambling tools to help people who may have a problem.
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario has detailed guidance to operators and bettors about how betting organizations should operate in the province.
Where can you bet in Ontario?
As things stand, there is just one retail sportsbook in the whole of Canada – and it’s located in British Columbia. However, there are 71 licensed land-based casinos in Ontario. It seems certain that many of these will apply for licenses to offer single-game sports wagering facilities, either on the premises or online. The fact that the announcement that the effective date when C-218 would allow single-game wagering in Canada was made at the Fallsview Resort Casino at Niagara Falls suggests that it won’t be long before casino operators become involved in some way in single-game Ontario sports betting.
Single-game online sports betting in Canada
Our interactive map shows the status of betting in each Canadian province and territory. Betting is legal nationwide, but some provinces only allow parlay betting – bets made up of multiple selections, rather than a single one. Other provinces allow single-game online sports betting, as well as parlay betting.
Also note that many licensed offshore websites offer legal alternatives, and our map represents provincially regulated options only.
- Single game betting
- No single game betting
Ontario betting FAQs
Technically, yes. The passage into law of C-218 in August 2021 meant that each province could license online sports betting as well as single-game wagering – and Ontario has long made it clear that it would implement this as quickly as possible. A mature Ontario sports betting market place could be operating by the end of 2021.
Bet365 is one of the largest betting operators in the world. The online-only giant of the UK scene has branched out effectively in recent years to become a familiar name to bettors in licensed territories across the globe. It will be a huge surprise if Bet365 does not apply for – and receive – a license to operate legally in Ontario in the very near future.
The advent of online sports betting in Ontario, and across the rest of the nation, means Canadian sports bettors will soon have a huge choice of outstanding sportsbooks. The best Ontario betting sites will offer a wide range of markets, generous bonuses and will be thoroughly reputable and safe to play with.
In recent years, since the advent of in-play betting, many sportsbooks have begun to offer the facility to cash out while a sports event is still going on. In this way, you can lock in a profit or limit your losses. It’s worth shopping around to see which operators offer the best cash-out terms.