OLG launches online horse racing betting in Ontario
Players can wager on races around the world and at the Canadian province’s tracks.
Canada.- Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) has launched online horse racing bets in the Canadian province. Players can now wager on live horse races by accessing Woodbine Entertainment Group’s (WEG) product through OLG.ca and the OLG app.
OLG is the first Canadian provincial lottery and gaming agency to provide access to online horse racing wagering. Players can bet on races around the world and at Ontario tracks. All bets use pari-mutuel wagering, the only legal form of betting on horse racing in Canada.
Woodbine Entertainment operates Woodbine Racetrack, in Toronto, and Woodbine Mohawk Park, in Milton. It also owns and operates HPIbet, Canada’s only betting platform dedicated to horse racing.
Dave Pridmore, OLG’s chief gaming officer, said: “We are excited to offer access to this experience to our online players, providing another way for them to engage in the thrilling sport of horse racing. This collaboration represents an important step in our mandate of supporting the sport and a vibrant, competitive and sustainable horse racing industry in Ontario.”
Michael Copeland, CEO, Woodbine Entertainment, added: “This launch brings the excitement of horse racing to even more people across the province in a convenient and modern way — enhancing the experience for bettors while driving new interest in our sport. It’s another step forward for the growth of horse racing in Ontario, and we’re grateful to OLG for their continued support and willingness to collaborate and innovate alongside us.”
In June, Ontario’s regulated igaming market generated CA$306.8m in non-adjust gross gaming revenue (NAGGR), down 9 per cent from May. According to iGaming Ontario, total cash wagers amounted CA$7.3bn, down 10 per cent.
Online casino accounted for 79 per cent of revenue at CA$243m, down 6 per cent from May. Sports betting GGR declined 19 per cent to CA$58.4m. Peer-to-peer poker generated CA$5.4m, down 15 per cent month-on-month.
Ontario gambling regulator publishes new guidance on identifying players at risk
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) recently provided igaming operators with new guidance on practices to identify and support players at risk of harm. The recommendations are published under the Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming – Standards 2.10 and 2.11.
The regulator said operators must have an effective mechanism for monitoring player behaviour to identify those who may be at risk of harm and offer timely support once signs of risk emerge. It said the mechanism should address the different ways in which gambling-related harm can occur and that identifying such players is a key part of an operator’s responsibility to minimise gambling-related harms.
