PokerStars launches in Ontario

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has granted PokerStars a full registration to operate in the Canadian province.

Canada.- Flutter Entertainment’s PokerStars has launched in Ontario after gaining full registration to operate in the Canadian province from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) earlier in the month. The registration covers PokerStars’ three verticals of poker, casino, and sport.

The AGCO had issued the approval to PokerStars via parent company TSG Interactive Canada. The licence is effective from June 8, 2022, to June 7, 2024. It allows Flutter’s PokerStars to operate via on.pokerstars.ca in the Ontario market, which opened on April 4.

To mark the launch of the new PokerStars CAON platform, the firm will be hosting the Ontario Platinum Series, from July 10 to July 18, offering a $1.5m guaranteed prize pool.

PokerStars and FanDuel Sportsbook have recently partnered with Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE), which owns Toronto’s National Basketball Association (NBA) and National Hockey League (NHL) teams. FanDuel Sportsbook has been designated as an official sports betting partner and PokerStars as an official gaming partner.

PokerStars launches online betting exchange

In April, PokerStars launched a peer-to-peer online betting exchange on its .com and .EU domains. The PokerStars Exchange allows customers to buy and sell bets with other players internationally in a range of markets. It aims to offer players access to the “same global liquidity pool” as Flutter’s Betfair Exchange.

The move is designed to boost the igaming operator’s presence in sports betting. The operator says the product will offer better odds on sports fixtures through bets directly against other users, plus access to bigger markets and a regular stream of customers to bet against.

See also: Flutter revenue up 37% year-on-year