The door has been opened for Ontario to significantly expand its P2P engagement through the launch of multi-jurisdiction poker and the return of DFS.
It comes after the Ontario Court of Appeal gave its opinion that players in the region could play with users in other countries, marking a potentially significant moment for the region. Whilst iGaming and sports betting have flourished, poker has remained a relatively untapped vertical.
The question was posed to the court by the province as it looked to end the ringfencing of its poker regulations and significantly expand the ability of operators in the region to offer the vertical.
With operators such as GGPoker, PokerStars, 888poker and BetMGM Poker all having a strong footprint in Ontario, the ruling is key to iGaming engagement and framework of the most populous province in Canada.
Following the pursuit of Ontario authorities, a three-day hearing took place, which, almost a year later, saw four of a five-judge panel agree that such play would not be illegal.
A more accommodating regulatory framework may well encourage operators that had engaged with DFS in the province prior to Ontario regulating iGaming in 2022.
Speaking to Canadian Gaming Business, CGA President and CEO Paul Burns described the decision as ‘a significant victory for Ontario’.
He added that it returns ‘a valuable option for consumers who enjoy pooled gaming activities such as poker and daily fantasy sports’.
“We look forward to collaborating with both the Province of Ontario and the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario as they begin implementing these changes.”
Hurdles remain before the expansion of P2P betting engagement can fully be implemented, however, specifically around the ruling.
Whilst the court opinion theoretically clears the path for the expansion of poker in the province, the roadmap for its implementation is still complex and somewhat unclear.
Regulatory collaboration between Ontario and other markets looking to engage with its poker players would be crucial to the progression of multi-jurisdiction poker for Ontario.
Ontario is governed by both iGaming Ontario and the AGCO, and it would be iGaming Ontario that negotiates any expansion.
