How Safe Are iGaming Sites in Canada?
It’s only been two and a half years since the Canadian government legalized iGaming or online casino gambling in Ontario. It’s a new toy for Ontario residents to play with when they want something fun and exciting to do. At the same time, getting involved in online gambling can be a little scary. Remember, retail casino goers see gaming results with their eyes. That’s not the case with online casino gambling where the results pop up on a computer screen.
It’s proper for new and recreational iGaming participants to question the safety of playing online casino games of cash for real money. It’s the same thing online gamblers are going through in the States. Without further adieu, the iGaming market in Ontario Canada is among the safest in the world.
If you are contemplating joining the ranks of online casino gamblers in Canada, you should first learn more about the topic and processes. To put your mind at ease, the following information will address the safety of using iGaming sites in Ontario, Canada.
Introducing iGaming Ontario
Experience has told the worldwide iGaming industry that someone has to be watching online gambling operators. Left to their own resources, they might choose to not operate with a customer’s best interests at heart. Indeed, there are many rogue operators out there on the internet, using predatory practices to strip people of their money. The Canadian government has made clear they are not going to let that happen on their watch.
When the Canadian government passed Bill C-218, lawmakers made it legal for Ontario residents to participate in iGaming activities. At the same time, the government created a regulatory body called iGaming Ontario (!GO), and the process was set. The federal government approves and issues iGaming licenses to operators while IGO monitors and polices the iGaming community. Is it a safe iGaming community? iGaming Ontario says yes!
Note: iGaming Ontario is a subsidiary of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).
iGaming Ontario has a very simple mission. Directly from the regulator’s website, their stated mission is “To conduct and manage Ontario’s safe, efficient, and legal world-class iGaming market.”
To be clear, the regulator exists to protect players, operators, and the interests of the Canadian government. By making sure proper rules and regulations are in place, players are protected. If players feel protected, they are more likely to use iGaming sites, which is good for operators. If operators are doing good business, tax revenue is being generated for the government. Everyone ends up being a winner of sorts.
For players, iGaming Ontario’s objective is to:
- Ensure all casino games have been tested and certified as fair with random results
- Provide players with protection from predatory advertising practices
- Act as a mediator when disputes arise between operators and their customers
- Ensure players have fast and easy access to problem gambling resources
- Prevent operators from getting involved in criminal activity like cheating and money laundering
- Ensure that operators are using state-of-the-digital technology to protect the privacy of their customers
For iGaming operators, iGaming Ontario’s objective is to:
- Provide a fair iGaming market that doesn’t favor certain operators over others
- Provide a very clear regulatory framework under which operators must operate
- Ensure operators have unfettered access to reliable game auditing firms
- Test iGaming platforms to ensure compliance with regulations
- Act as a go-between for operators and AGCO
Focus on Responsible Gaming
The above information should give you comfort, knowing AGCO and IGO are working hard to make sure you have access to safe iGaming sites on which to gamble. You can also take comfort in knowing the Canadian government is very concerned about the proliferation of problem gambling issues within the country.
As part of agreeing to allow Canadians to use iGaming sites, there was a mandate that resources need to be in place to protect minors and potential problem gamblers. There is plenty of research that shows individual problem gambling issues can have a profound effect on surrounding communities. So much so that Ontario cable channels advertise the existence of problem gambling organizations and resources.
At a minimum, each licensed iGaming operator has to make sure their customers have immediate access to problem gambling resources. For now, that would include access to internal self-exclusion programs, mental health organizations, and addiction-related organizations like Gamblers Anonymous (GA).
IGO’s looks to replicate UKGC’s success
For the future, IGO has something more meaningful in the works. They are working to develop an industrywide self-exclusion program that will allow potential problem gamblers to have themselves blocked from online gambling sites with a single application provided through one iGaming site.
This would be similar to the GamStop program that was created in 2016 by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC). The GamStop program allows gamblers to apply for self-exclusion through one site and have it applicable to all sites that subscribed to the GamStop program. To ensure that operators subscribe, the UKGC has made subscribing to the program mandatory to receive licensing.
For your edification, gamblers can self-exclude for 6 months, 1 year, or 5 years. When the self-exclusion period ends, they cannot start using gambling sites again until they either ask to have their old accounts reinstated or open new accounts. This is a well-run program that has proven to be effective if not perfect.
Final Takeaway
It’s interesting to note that iGaming Ontario’s leadership is working hard to create a regulatory model that can be used anywhere in the world. That’s a lofty goal for a regulator that has just recently gotten its wings to fly. As a Canadian online gambler, this level of focus should make you feel safe as you move forward and participate in iGaming activities.
At the end of the day, the Canadian government wants you to have fun in a safe and secure environment.