Ontario is the number one Canadian province in terms of population. It has over 12 million residents and a fairly developed gambling infrastructure to entertain the many fans of sports betting, lottery and casino gameplay. The province’s primary monitoring jurisdiction is the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG). It monitors and manages lottery draws, Canadian casinos, horse racing, land-based gambling venues and even charity-related events.
Ontario does not address sites that allow residents to place sports bets and enjoy casino games on the legislative level. Therefore, you can register on gambling platforms licensed by overseas regulators and accept Canadian players. In most cases, these casino operators can guarantee the province’s residents not only fair gameplay but also fast transactions through popular Canadian payment systems. In addition, you do not have to adjust to other national currencies, as you can make top-ups and withdrawals in CAD.
The province’s sports betting industry will also delight gambling enthusiasts with a wide range of options. The province invites residents to place bets on both Canadian and overseas sporting events. Ontario is home to several professional teams performing well in various sports leagues. The NHL is represented by the incredibly popular hockey team Toronto Maple Leafs. Besides that, the province also has hundreds of thousands of basketball fans supporting the former NBA titleholder, the Toronto Raptors, and betting on its matches regularly.
The Province’s Sports Betting Scene in Detail
Ontario offers sports fans a huge range of betting options. On the one hand, Canadians can use popular platforms like LeonBets to make money from their sports knowledge. This betting site received a license from the Kahnawake Gaming Commission (KGC) and covers thousands of sporting events. Since the Canadian government regulates such sportsbooks on the legislative level, it may impose restrictions on certain types of bets. But at the same time, it allows you to register on other platforms that have licenses from reputable foreign monitoring organizations and place bets there.
OLG has also made sure to provide residents with engaging legal gaming options. The only catch is that Canadian gambling law will not allow you to place single bets. For example, the game Point-Spread will allow you to predict at least 2 wins, and the maximum sports event limit for the distribution of special points is 12. You will be able to predict the results of baseball, hockey and basketball matches for both professional and college leagues.
Apart from this, the province’s residents also love to play Pro-Picks Pools and Props, where they can predict 3 to 6 results in one card. This betting option allows you to place bets on both matches and player stats. The more results you cover in one card, the higher the odds you get. Therefore, even a minimum bet of $2 can bring you a solid win if you correctly predict the selected 6 results. And as for the maximum betting limit, it is $100.
Ontario’s Land-Based and Online Gambling Venues
The province’s residents do not have to limit themselves in terms of entertainment, as Ontario can offer a relatively wide range of gambling establishments. Whether you prefer to stop by land-based casinos from time to time or place your bets online, the province will delight you with hundreds of gaming tables, exciting slot machines and other games with engaging mechanics.
On the one hand, you can open a gaming profile on the KGC-licensed platform and get access to reliable gameplay, thanks to this government regulator. On the other hand, if you look for a more varied gaming experience, you can register at a popular offshore casino and test its gameplay features.
First, let us take a look at land-based establishments and find out what kind of gaming experience these venues provide to Canadian players.
Land-Based Casinos
Gateway Casinos Woodstock
Address: 851 Nellis St, Woodstock
Phone: +1 519-537-4808
Info: The casino offers visitors first-class service and over 235 slot machines.
Gateway Casinos Innisfil
Address: 7485 5th Side Rd, Innisfil
Phone: +1 705-726-6770
Info: The gambling establishment specializes in table games and has a huge gaming area with 900 slots.
Shorelines Casino Belleville
Address: 380 Bell Blvd, Belleville
Phone: +1 613-689-9100
Info: The casino has been inviting gambling enthusiasts since 2017. If you want to enjoy classic games like Roulette, Three Card Poker or Mini & Ez Baccarat, this venue will not disappoint you.
Gateway Casinos Clinton
Address: 147 Beech St, Clinton
Phone: +1 519-482-7540
Info: This relatively small gambling establishment will allow you to bet on horse racing. Besides that, it has more than 120 slots.
Gateway Casinos Thunder Bay
Address: 50 Cumberland St S, Thunder Bay
Phone: +1 807-766-7900
Info: The casino provides players with an excellent Slots selection with over 450 “one-armed bandits.”
Shorelines Casino Thousand Islands
Address: 380 ON-2, Gananoque
Phone: +1 613-382-6800
Info: This is a charitable gambling establishment that has been operating in the province since 2002. Its entertainment venues cover 15 thousand square feet.
Shorelines Casino Peterborough
Address: 1400 Crawford Dr, Peterborough
Phone: +1 833-678-0880
Info: The casino invites all fans of slots gameplay, Spanish 21, Free Bet Blackjack and other classic games to get their share of the entertainment experience.
Fallsview Casino Resort
Address: 6380 Fallsview Blvd, Niagara Falls
Phone: +1 888-325-5788
Info: This incredibly popular destination attracts thousands of visitors every year. This casino hotel started to host guests in 2004. Stunning views of Niagara Falls, 130 tables with professional dealers and over 3000 slots will surely not disappoint you.
Starlight Casino Point Edward
Address: 2000 Venetian Blvd, Point Edward
Phone: +1 519-383-7770
Info: This establishment has almost 500 slots and a varied card games selection.
Sudbury Downs
Address: 400 Bonin St, Chelmsford
Phone: +1 705-855-9001
Info: Although this establishment has been hosting horse racing until 2013, it continues to host visitors as a casino specializing in slots.
What Options Does the Province of Ontario Provide in Terms of Online Casinos?
Basically, Ontario gives its gambling enthusiasts complete freedom of choice. You can open an account at online casinos licensed by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission or register on sites complying with the other jurisdictions’ standards. In the case of KGC, experienced players recommend taking a closer look at Golden Tiger Casino and Zodiac Casino. As for the offshore licensed platforms, many Canadian gamblers praise BetBoys Casino.
Overall, any Ontario resident has access to numerous trustworthy online casinos adapted to the Canadian market, and you can pick one of these sites using our ranking list. In addition to the overall score, you will be able to base your selection on various parameters like the date of establishment, payment methods, transaction limits, etc.
Most of the online operators from our catalogue allow clients to use the demo mode. Considering that the gaming collections of many sites include thousands of slots and numerous variations of all the classic card games, the free gameplay will help you prepare for real money bets. If you do not want to waste time looking for trending projects, slots like Power of Thor Megaways, Big 5 Safari and Jumpin Jalapenos might be right for you. These titles have long been popular among Ontarians and have received overwhelmingly positive feedback.
It is also worth noting that numerous Canadian politicians consider reforming gambling legislation concerning online casinos. In light of this, you should not rule out a potential ban of online operators controlled by foreign monitoring jurisdictions.
Ontario’s Lottery Niche
The province can offer residents a wide variety of lottery options with variable jackpots. For instance, the Daily Keno Draws have repeatedly rewarded Canadians with winnings of up to $2,500,000. In addition, hundreds of thousands of residents follow the regular Lotto Max and Lotto 6/49 draws, which had $15 million and $5,000,000 jackpots respectively at the time of our review’s publication.
Residents can find land-based lottery venues throughout the province, but at the same time, top Canadian lotteries allow them to choose winning combinations on the official OLG website.
Ontario’s Gambling Legislation
The province relies on the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation to monitor the local gambling industry. This organization monitors lottery draws, ground-based gambling venues and horse racing. However, it is not responsible for the activities of foreign sites licensed outside of Canada.
A notable fact is that the province’s legal gambling age varies depending on what kind of bets you want to place. In other words, if you wish to participate in the lottery or risk some money during the races, you can do so after your 18th birthday. On the other hand, those who want to play at ground-based casinos or create an account on some gambling site will not be able to do this until they are 19.
Read more: Top Canadian Betting Platforms