When Will Regulated Ontario Sports Betting Launch?

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Ontario sports fans will soon be allowed to bet on their Maple Leafs with regulated sportsbooks (AP Photo/Peter Power)

Additional options for Ontario online sports betting started to launch in Ontario on April 4, with BetMGM and Caesars as some of the top Ontario sports betting sites to launch just after midnight on day 1. We also anticipated that BetRivers, FanDuel, and PointsBet will be among the sportsbooks next expected to go live today.

Best Online Sports Betting Sites In Ontario 09/22/2023

  1. BetMGM Sportsbook Ontario >> See new bettor offer here
  2. Caesars Sportsbook Ontario >> See new bettor offer here

Before the launch, sports betting was available in Ontario only through the provincial lottery app and gray market operators. But the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario licensed portsbooks to be part of the April 4th launch that will broaden the market and make it easier and safer for consumers to place wagers. The move comes less than a year after Canadian legislators passed laws that make single-event sports betting legal.

According to market research by Bragg Gaming, the Ontario online sports betting and casino markets could generate as much as $2 billion in wagers in 2022. The province prepares its launch as online sports betting has gone live in several states in the U.S. the last 18 months, including New York, Louisiana, and Arizona.

Other sportsbooks will likely join the Ontario market as soon as May, with DraftKings and Golden Nugget expected to be among them.

Registering With Sportsbooks In Ontario

Commercial sportsbooks will accept registration from Ontario customers soon. It’s expected that they will offer promos and bonuses as they have in other jurisdictions for launch. There is one Canadian-based sportsbook in the field of options: theScore.

Ontario bettors must be at least 19 years of age and verify their identity to be eligible to use a commercial sportsbook in the province.

Most Popular Sports For Bettors In Ontario

With more than 14 million people according to the most recent census, Ontario is Canada’s largest province by population. It’s home to several professional sports teams, including three members of the Canadian Football League (Ottawa Redblacks, Toronto Argonauts, and Hamilton Tiger-Cats). The NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators also play there, as do the Toronto Raptors of the NBA, and the Toronto Blue Jays of MLB.

Ice hockey is the national sport of Canada and still a top draw for TV ratings and popularity, but the CFL and other sports, including NFL football and collegiate athletics from the United States, are expected to be popular for Canadian sports bettors.

Online sports betting from commercial sportsbooks will launch in Canada in time for the NHL Playoffs, NBA Playoffs, the Major League Baseball season, and The Masters, a bountiful array of options for bettors in the spring. In June, the CFL season commences its 18-game season.

About the Author
Dan Holmes

Dan Holmes

Writer and Contributor
Dan Holmes is a writer and contributor for Gaming Today with plenty of experience under his belt. Dan has written three books about sports and previously worked for the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Major League Baseball. Currently, Dan is residing in Michigan with his family.

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