As the online sports betting industry is recognized globally, many countries are still adjusting to the situation. Canada, one of the famous countries, is in the process of regulating sports betting. All provinces in the country have the right to determine the industry’s legality within its state lines.

Ontario Sports Betting Legal Status

The Canadian Federal Government released power to the provinces in June 2021 to legalize wagering on single games only. Ontario was the first province to accept the status. This province released guidelines, and the first iGaming market went live in April 2022.

This fact is not surprising, seeing the province houses some of Canada’s big teams, like the Raptors, Maple Leafs, Senators, Blue Jays, etc. While the legislation still has grey areas, many people see it as more of an amendment to the existing law, which banned all forms of betting.

According to the legislation, Ontario residents of 19 years and above are legally allowed to place sports bets. The government made this rule mainly due to issues some bettors had with gambling addiction.

For many Ontario punters, the issue of betting addiction has become an issue of concern. As per the law, all sportsbooks must dedicate resources to actively preach responsible gambling and encourage the use of tools to control addiction issues.

Sportsbook Bonuses in Ontario

A relevant incentive most sportsbooks offer to their customers is impressive bonuses and promotions. However, operators of sportsbooks in Ontario still care about offering freebies to their Ontario customers, but…

While this may not be their fault, the province’s legislation restricts all iGaming sites (but not the operators themselves) from displaying bonus offers on their websites. The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), the state’s regulatory agency on gambling, has banned all forms of betting bonuses display.

AGCO seeks to solve a significant problem with such a rule regarding gambling addiction. This law affects all privately-owned sports betting sites. According to Jay Welbourn, Manager of Quality Assurance and training at ACO, proven research shows such ads increase the risk of “gambling-related harms.”

The province’s regulatory body implements this rule, but that does not mean that such offers are not available to the bettors. New customers registering on an iGaming platform can get the welcome bonuses available. Regular customers are not left out too.

Such regulation seeks to strike a balance in the gambling market in Ontario. Players are already used to different bonuses offered by betting sites, and they can get them after signing up. They just cannot view it when visiting the particular igaming-related website.

Following the new policy, many top-rated websites have already implemented them. Such websites are always up to date, providing vital information to their readers on current happenings within the state.

One of such reputable websites is Canada Legal Betting. It has since discontinued displaying different sportsbooks’ incentives as a well-respected platform on its website. To curb the issue of not showing the bonuses available, Canada Legal Betting partnered with major sportsbook operators to display authenticated referral codes for their readers to claim.

Top Legal Bookmakers in Ontario

As the online betting industry in Ontario still has lots of grey areas, it is essential that you protect yourself from scam betting sites. The federal law on offshore betting sites still stands, not banning the citizens from wagering. However, many of them may be scammers and can rip you off your hard cash.

The fragile nature of the laws regarding the regulation of sports betting in Ontario does not help matters. Being a young market, it is finding its way around the regulation laws. This is why you should be careful and register on sportsbooks that are legit and up to date.

Before registering on new betting sites, you should confirm that such websites are licensed by the appropriate regulatory bodies. When considering the license, those already approved to operate in Ontario should be those already approved. A reason is the laid down legislation for tax remittance to the provincial government.

Another factor you should be selective on the type of bookmaker to register is the security infrastructure in place. Sports betting online also has related risks. Significant among them are the theft of players’ private information, hijacking of hard-earned funds, and the fear of betting platforms not allowing withdrawals.

To help you bypass the headache of searching for reliable and verified bookmakers in Ontario, the professional analysts at Canada Legal Betting have made a list of top legal bookmakers in Ontario.

The page is updated regularly with new and regular legal bookmakers in Ontario. As a reputable website, the experts are concerned about the safety of its readers. Thus, they have gone the extra mile to ensure only well-known and trusted betting sites are updated on their website from time to time.

Summary

The online betting situation in Ontario is still taking shape. There are lots of issues to tackle. While the government has made the situation favourable for Ontario citizens, many punters may have difficulty accessing the best bonuses on most online bookmakers.

While the AGCO has released a guideline on plans to develop online gambling in Ontario, there are still certain flags raised.

To get a more concise understanding of the current situation of online betting in Ontario, experts at Canada Legal Betting have made a detailed outline of the industry. You can read about the recent happenings from the aspect of experts in Ontario.