Today, it appears that Ontario’s online poker operators have adopted game integrity and player protections to iGO’s liking. Regulators have also been lobbied by GGPoker and the Canadian Gaming Association (CGA) for a return of international liquidity.
If it happens, Ontario could conceivably share liquidity with a host of European markets, including Belgium, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the UK.
It should be noted that many online poker players in Ontario, who initially opposed the province being ring fenced, are now against the province rejoining the international player pool. These players argue that the current setup is better because there are more regular and recreational players — with soft games allowing more players to turn a profit.
A three-day hearing is scheduled to begin on November 26.
Meanwhile, Dale Nally, the Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction, said in an interview on the sidelines of the G2E conference in Las Vegas earlier this month that Alberta plans to share liquidity with Ontario — that is, once it launches a regulated market for real money online poker.
There isn’t a timeline for the launch of Alberta online poker or other igaming. Industry watchers say a 2026 launch seems the most plausible at this early stage.
Alberta is Canada’s fourth-most populous province, with nearly 4.9 million residents, according to official estimates. Ontario has the most residents of any province with 16.1 million — which means a combined player pool between the two would cover a population of 21 million.
Creation of a gaming compact between Alberta and Ontario would boost the six operators active in the province — 888poker Ontario, BetMGM Poker, Bwin Poker, GGPoker Ontario, PartyPoker ON, and PokerStars Ontario.
More Operators Possible, Too
It’s possible that Ontario could also see two new online poker rooms open soon. Rush Street Interactive (RSI) is close to launching BetRivers Poker in Pennsylvania — it could roll the platform out north of the border, too as BetRivers Poker Ontario.
DraftKings Poker launched a lottery-style, sit and go tournament poker app, Electric Poker, in Michigan in August and in Pennsylvania earlier this month. A launch in Ontario is also possible.
Ontario is the most populous jurisdiction in North America with regulated igaming where BetRivers Poker and Electric Poker could both launch.
