Ontario opens iGaming consultation; appoints Birgitte Sand as project lead

The Government of Ontario is seeking input from the public and stakeholders on how best to establish a legal and competitive online gaming market in the Canadian province.

The government is seeking feedback on its preliminary thinking on Ontario’s iGaming model, which is focused on prioritizing consumer choice, creating a competitive marketplace to promote business growth and combat the unregulated market, ensuring market integrity and safety, and providing Ontarians with robust consumer and responsible gambling protections.

“The government is committed to working with the industry and key partners to develop a new competitive framework that supports shifting customer access from the largely unregulated online gaming market to a regulated market with increased consumer protection measures,” said the Ontario Government.

“It is important to hear perspectives from operators and suppliers, Indigenous organizations and First Nations, responsible gambling advocates and other key parties, including OLG, to build a model that will work for Ontarians, provides opportunities for private sector economic growth, and generates returns for the Province.”

The consultation opened Wednesday March 3 and the deadline for feedback is April 16, 2021.

The government also announced on Wednesday that development of Ontario’s regulated iGaming market will be led by Birgitte Sand, the former director of the Danish Gaming Authority.

Sand will serve as the commercial project lead for iGaming, working with the province’s Ministry of the Attorney General and the Ministry of Finance, as well as the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), to provide her expertise, knowledge and broad experience to inform and guide Ontario’s approach to building its iGaming market.