Canada’s Largest province Aiming to End Online Gambling Monopoly

Ontario residents are going to get a bonus of their own when it comes to online gambling and online casinos. This is because big changes have been planned to allow private companies to enter the market, and thus, provide more options for players.

Neighbours in Quebec may scoff at this statement because they too were supposed to benefit from private companies entering their online gambling market, which has yet to materialise. Whether these changes come to fruition may be up for debate across borders, but the evidence suggests Ontario residents will soon reap the benefits.

What Has Changed?

Ontario’s 11 million residents, at present, only have the option to use one site for their online gameplay. The site in question is operated by the Ontario Lottery and Gambling Corporation, meaning there is no competition from private companies. However, the Tory party have announced that they plan to change this and welcome private gambling companies into the market. For a company to join, they will have to apply for a gambling license through the state. Thus paving the way for the likes of RoyalVegas Casino and other popular brands to become active in the market.

How Does This Benefit Gamblers?

It’s a well-known economic equation that the more choice that a consumer has, the bigger it benefits them. This is because companies have to compete with each other to gain a bigger share of the market. As a result, prices are kept down and more bonuses or discounts are on offer. Although there is research to suggest too much choice can also cause us problems, this is unlikely to affect a regulated gambling market that is only just opening up to more businesses.

The changes are not just going to give players better value for money and more bonuses. They may well gain more gaming experiences to choose from with better interfaces. Overall, these changes will benefit gamblers and businesses in many ways.

Have They Proposed Other Changes?

Away from the tables and slot machines, the Tory government is also proposing other gambling changes that will shake things up. They want to make it possible for local residents to place bets on single-game sporting events and overturn the current system which is limited in this department. Real-world casinos in the state will also be allowed to promote that they offer free alcohol to players, which they were previously disqualified from promoting. Alcohol features in some of the other propositions, including the right for convenience stores to sell bottles of wine and cans of beer; along with hooch being allowed to be served past its current curfew.

The only current online gaming site in Ontario, PlayOLG.ca, will not be neglected from changes either. The government wants to see their interactive gaming machines updated to offer better experiences and they want players to be able to buy their lottery tickets with their smartphones.

In A Nutshell

The Ontario government is causing earthquakes in the online gaming and alcoholic beverage industry. Will things play out as planned or will there be a repeat of what happened in Quebec? We’ll find out in due course…