888 Receives Ontario iGaming License
Gibraltar-based online casino provider 888 has announced that it has secured a new igaming license in Ontario, with the news arriving ahead of the Canadian province finally launching its legal online gambling market next month in April 2022. 888 can now offer online casino, sport betting and poker products to bettors in the province.
888 has secured a new igaming license in Ontario, just ahead of the Canadian province preparing to launch its legal online gambling market next month in April 2022.
888 Now Holds Licenses in 19 Fully Regulated Markets
The online casino operator 888 has revealed that it has been granted a brand new iGaming license in the Canadian province of Ontario. The news comes just ahead of the province finally launching its fully regulated legal online gambling market next month in April 2022.
888 will now be allowed to offer online casino, sport betting and poker products to players in the province of Ontario. It was granted the license by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).
This latest Ontario iGaming license for 888 now means that, as of writing, the online casino provider holds active licenses in 19 locally regulated markets, including seven states in the United States.
iGaming Operator’s Focus is on Strengthening its Presence
Ahead of its much anticipated launch in Ontario, chief executive of 888 Itai Pazner clarified the iGaming operator’s focus and ultimate goals, identifying the Canadian province as an ideal long-term growth opportunity for the provider:
“As a group, our focus is on strengthening our presence and offer to customers across key regulated markets. To that end, Ontario represents an attractive long-term growth opportunity for 888 and this is an extremely strategically important milestone for us.”– Itai Pazner, Chief Executive, 888
Pazner then referenced the upcoming launch of Ontario’s legal iGaming market, saying the operator was looking forward to bringing its products to players across the province:
“As we prepare for launch in the coming weeks, we are excited to bring all of 888’s leading products and games to new audiences across the province, providing our unique and differentiated experiences to players.”
In January 2022, iGaming Ontario (iGO), the subsidiary of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) that will oversee the market, announced that the province’s legal online casino market would finally launch on April 4th, 2022.
Ontario is Launching iGaming on April 4th, 2022
As mentioned, the Canadian province of Ontario is scheduled to finally open up its legal iGaming market on April 4th, 2022. The long-running process started all the way back in April 2019, when the province’s government announced its intentions to end the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation’s monopoly on igaming, thereby opening up the market to private operators.
Single-event sports betting has in fact been officially on offer in Canada since August 27th, 2021, though it is currently only being offered by provincial lotteries. Operators wishing to provide online casino must first register with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and adhere to stringent regulations, before being able to provide offerings from April 4th.
iGaming Ontario’s (iGO) executive director, Martha Otton, reassured Ontario bettors that they would be entering a safe and regulated betting market, with measures such as preventing underage gambling, ensuring compliance with all applicable laws, and responsible gambling safeguards:
“Consumers can be assured that companies who successfully enter the new Ontario market will have met rigorous standards of game and operator integrity, fairness, player protections and social responsibility, allowing all players to play with confidence.”– Martha Otton, Executive Director, iGaming Ontario (iGO)
The first private operators in Ontario to receive the Responsible Gambling Check iGaming Accreditation from the Responsible Gambling Council (RGC) were none other than Penn National Gaming and its subsidiary theScore Bet venture.
Jay Snowden, Penn National Gaming president and chief executive, naturally welcomed the news in a shared statement:
“Launching theScore Bet in Ontario will mark an exciting expansion of our online gaming business into a major new market where we already have an established mobile sports media product in theScore app and a wide base of loyal users. Today’s news is very exciting, and I would like to recognize and congratulate the government of Ontario and the AGCO and iGaming Ontario for their dedication to creating a modern open and regulated sports betting and igaming market.”
theScore Bet Partnered With Golf Canada in August 2021
In further Canada gambling news, sports betting operator theScore Bet announced back in August 2021 that it was becoming the official betting partner of Golf Canada, which is the governing body for all professional golf in Canada.
The multi-year deal began this year, in 2022, and will feature exclusive theScore Bet brand partnerships across all of Golf Canada’s events, including members club experiences for Golf Canada customers, as well as engaging fans via digital activations across tournament and Golf Canada channels.
Aubrey Levy, who is the senior vice president of content and marketing at theScore, celebrated the partnership with Golf Canada as a special opportunity for the sports betting provider:
“We are proud to be Golf Canada’s first ever gaming partner and align theScore Bet with their organization and Canada’s marquee professional men’s and women’s golf events. This partnership provides us with highly engaging access points to introduce theScore Bet to a broad and endemic audience of golf fans. With the RBC Canadian Open taking place in Ontario for all three years and the CP Women’s Open in the province for at least the coming year, it provides us an amazing foothold to interact with Canada’s passionate golf community around two of the most popular golf events in the country.”
