“ Ontario has raised all boats . It ’ s been welcomed and supported .”
— Bruce Caughill , Managing Director , Canada , Rush Street Interactive
Blueprint for Other Provinces ?
The initial rollout was a “ slow burn ” as players migrated from the gray market to the legal one , Brooke Hilton , PointsBet head of casino , said while on a panel at the SBC Summit North America in early May . She went on to say that after the first six months , interest picked up significantly .
Those in other parts of Canada have pointed to Ontario ’ s market as a blueprint for expansion . The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario has developed stringent rules around advertising that were further tightened with an update in February . But operators , Canada Gaming Association President Paul Burns said , have “ deemed ” the framework to “ be fair .”
In developing those rules , Brent McCurdy , the AGCO ’ s chief legal officer , said his agency collaborated with and learned from many different sources before it went on to “ shamelessly steal from the U . K . and parts of the U . S .”
While the AGCO will continue to tweak its rules , it ’ s also open to sharing its experience with other provinces . To date , Ontario is the only Canadian province with live , legal gambling . But Alberta and Quebec appear to be the next on the horizon .
Alberta , Quebec Considering Legalization
Like Ontario , Alberta has a gray market to contend with . Unlike Ontario , Alberta has bands of indigenous people that want a piece of the pie . In the U . S ., states with a strong tribal presence have had to find more creative ways to include all partners in a legal sports betting launch . Alberta may face a similar challenge .
Burns projects that live , legal gambling could be available in Alberta sometime in 2025 . Hilton said PointsBet is already “ activating a player base ” that she says is “ mature ” and has “ high expectations .”
Bruce Caughill , managing director , Canada for Rush Street Interactive , said infrastructure is “ in the works ” in Alberta , but still has “ a long way to go .”
Though the panel seemed to feel that legalization in Quebec is further down the road , officials in that province may be feeling some pressure to move sooner rather than later . Loto-Quebec , which would likely be the regulator , has been tasked with cutting $ 1 billion out of its budget , according to multiple media reports .
“ What ’ s going on in Quebec is they just tabled a budget with an $ 11 billion deficit ,” Caughill said . In the U . S ., some of the states that were most strapped for cash during and after the Covid-19 pandemic shutdowns chose to move on legalization . Seven states legalized in 2020 . Between 2018 and 2023 , only 2019 was more prolific , when eight jurisdictions legalized .
Caughill said Quebec governmental officials may now feel “ incentivized ” to generate a new revenue stream .
According to a Mallet economic study , legal online sports betting brought in $ 145 million in revenue during its first full year , 2022-2023 . Betway , Bet99 , DraftKings , Entain ( BetMGM ), FanDuel , Games Global and Rush Street Interactive , all live in Ontario , are part of the industry coalition that backed the study . The coalition pushed the Ontario model as a successful one for other provinces to follow .
New Priorities
Two years in , the focus in Ontario has moved from tweaking platforms and creating name recognition in the province to other matters . Ontarians have been vocal about their distaste for all the gambling ads that interrupt Hockey Night in Canada , among other TV viewing experiences .
The most recent proof of that is a Maru Public Opinion poll , taken February 7-8 , of 1,534 Canadians who are also Maru Public Opinion panelists . Of those surveyed , 59 percent said they favor a total ban on wagering advertising . Most also believe that operators are not acting responsibly and that there should be more government regulation .
While polls are often designed and taken to get a certain result , and a significant percentage of those polled by Maru were in the over-55 category , the sentiment matches the hue and cry that has been echoing through Canada .
There is similar sentiment in some parts of the U . S . In 2023 , for example , Senator Paul Tonko proposed a federal wagering advertising ban . To date , no U . S . state legislature has voted for a complete ban on wagering advertising on TV . There have , however , been some very strict regulations around it .
Regulator Views
Ontario ’ s regulator has revisited its advertising rules more than once . It strictly limits who can shill for sports betting and gambling companies , and where operators can advertise . But even the latest revision to the ad guidelines , which ban using celebrities for advertising and promotions , don ’ t address the frequency of advertisements .
As time moves forward , the AGCO continues to massage its rules and address concerns . Of late , the regulator has elevated problem gambling and responsible gaming issues .
In the U . S ., Maine and Massachusetts have tough advertising rules that all but ban sportsbook ads at sports venues . They also keep sportsbooks
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