Gambling Weekly News Summary in Canada – 2026/01/03
Ontario Prepares For 2026 Launch of Centralized Gambling Exclusion System
Ontario’s long-awaited centralized self-exclusion system (CSE) is preparing for its launch in 2026, four years after the province’s iGaming launch in 2022.
The CSE will enable players to opt out of all their online gaming accounts. Previously, the province’s regulator, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), had required Ontario-licensed operators to host their own self-exclusion programs.
While the requirement will remain in place, the new system will allow users to block their accounts from all regulators simultaneously, rather than manually for each sportsbook or online casino where they hold an account.
All operators will be required to participate in the CSE, similar to the current mandate, whereby operators must complete the Responsible Gambling Council’s RG Check certification.
The public launch is looking to happen mid-2026, and AGCO has already published new guidance in preparation for the launch.
Canadian Lottery Corporations Appeal to the Supreme Court to Challenge Ruling
Following a recent ruling by the Ontario Court of Appeal that permits Canadian players to connect with iGaming users in other countries for peer-to-peer play, three Canadian lottery corporations have filed an appeal against the ruling.
The three lottery corporations, Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries (MBLL), the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC), and the Atlantic Lottery Corporation (ALC), have contested the decision made in November by the Ontario court, with MBLL and BCLC filing together and ALC filing as an individual.
All three opposed the reference in question back in early 2024, when the province of Ontario originally asked if it could allow pooled liquidity, which would enable Ontario players to connect with players outside of Ontario.
While Ontario has argued that it is lawful under the Criminal Court to allow the international play, as long as the games are conducted and managed in Ontario, the three lotteries disagree and have argued that the play would be illegal, as not all play would be physically located in the province.
The Ontario Attorney General, Doug Downey, is the respondent to the case, and so far, his office has not provided a comment regarding the matter.
Ontario Sports Bettors Are Sophisticated, According to DraftKings Director
In a recent interview with Casinos.org, Johnny Avello, DraftKings’ Sportsbook Director, said Ontario sports bettors are sophisticated in his examinations of their most bet teams and players in 2025.
In his analysis, he noted that Ontario bettors differ in their choices of teams and players compared to those in the US, with Saquon Barkley being the most bet-on player as a touchdown scorer in the NFL, receiving bets placed every week. Patrick Mahomes, the most bet on NFL player by handle, was also in a similar category, with Ontario players apparently allowed to bet on the Chiefs, even if they weren’t in the Super Bowl.
For the NHL league, Connor McDavid was ranked as the most bet-on player, and Canadian teams were prominently featured in 2025, with the Maple Leafs and the Blue Jays ranking among the top three in all sports.
In the NBA, the player with the most bets from Ontario was Canadian Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and the Oklahoma City Thunder was the most wagered-on team.
Among all sporting franchises, the Dodgers were very popular for Ontario bettors, with other teams that made the top 10, including the Toronto Blue Jays, the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Philadelphia Eagles.
Ziv (Steve) Chen
CEO at Major League Content
Ziv has been working in the iGaming industry for more than two decades, serving in senior roles in software developers like Playtech and Microgaming. He then followed his lifelong passion of writing and became a fulltime journalist, covering casinos, sports betting, legislation and other gambling topics and news with a specialty in North America.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ziv-steve-chen-94b01b5/
