Ontario Sports Betting

Status: blocked. Last verified October 2, 2026.

The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission does not regulate prediction markets in Canada. In Ontario, short-term yes/no event contracts are treated as binary options, which Ontario securities law bans for individual investors when the term is under 30 days. OSC release

On April 17, 2025, Polymarket's operators settled with the Ontario Securities Commission. They admitted offering binary options in Ontario, accepted two-year market bans, paid a $200,000 penalty and undertook to prevent Ontario residents from using Polymarket. Read the decision

Kalshi does not operate in Ontario, according to Canadian Gaming Business. It offers a limited set of contracts in Canada through Wealthsimple that excludes sports. Canadian Gaming Business report

This section is for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice.

Online casinos are legal in Ontario. Operators registered with the AGCO and contracted with iGaming Ontario offer casino games, poker, bingo and sports betting online. iGaming Ontario lists every regulated site in its regulated market directory.

You must be 19 or older and physically located in Ontario to play. Sites that are not in the directory are unregulated, and the AGCO warns that they offer no assurance of fair games, timely withdrawals or dispute resolution. AGCO release

• August 27, 2021: The Safe and Regulated Sports Betting Act (Bill C-218) came into force, making single-event sports betting legal across Canada. Canada Gazette order SI/2021-56
• March 16, 2022: The AGCO published guidance that public advertising of inducements, bonuses and credits is prohibited under Standard 2.05, except on an operator's gaming site and through direct marketing to players who consented. AGCO guidance
• April 4, 2022: Ontario became the first Canadian province to launch an open, regulated online gaming market, run by iGaming Ontario and regulated by the AGCO. AGCO 2022 to 2023 annual report
• March 26, 2025: The AGCO fined BetMGM Canada $110,000 for offering cash to induce new gambling customers, in breach of Standard 2.05. AGCO release
• April 17, 2025: The Capital Markets Tribunal approved a settlement in which Polymarket's operators admitted offering binary options in Ontario, agreed to a two-year market ban and undertook to prevent Ontario residents from using Polymarket. Tribunal decision, OSC release
• November 14, 2025: The Ontario Court of Appeal held in Reference re iGaming Ontario that Ontario's online gaming scheme may include international peer-to-peer play. Blakes summary
• May 7, 2026: The AGCO fined two registered game suppliers $40,000 each for making their games available on unregulated gambling sites accessible to Ontario players. AGCO release

Offshore and unlicensed betting

Canada's Criminal Code makes most gaming and betting an offence, but section 207(1)(a) lets a province conduct and manage a lottery scheme within its borders. Ontario's online market runs under that exemption, so only operators registered with the AGCO and contracted with iGaming Ontario are part of the legal market. Blakes summary of the Court of Appeal reference

The AGCO enforces this through its registered operators and suppliers. On May 7, 2026, it fined two game suppliers for supplying unregulated sites that Ontario players could reach. AGCO release

This section is for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice. Availability of sportsbooks and promotions varies by province and may change. Verify current offerings before signing up.