Paul Burns, CEO of the Canadian Gaming Association (CGA) spoke with SBC about the current state of online gambling in Ontario and how Canada needs a common regulatory regime.

Starting with how the market is performing so far, Burns stated that while there are some obvious differences from the rest of the North American markets, Ontario “has worked well”.

“The mass market advertising of incentives and bonuses is not permitted, but you can make offers to players that sign up to your site. It’s very different, but it’s worked well. 

“A lot of operators compete on products. Customers have been embracing the new options that they’ve had. The framework is held up well,” the CEO explained, but he added that “as the market matures, things might have to change”.

What might have to change? Well, Burns believes that although every market is unique, Ontario and the rest of Canada need to join together when battling the grey market, and that all the provinces “have the toolbox” to do so.

“Engage the industry, have a conversation. Work with the industry and create a model that works for everybody, especially for protecting consumers and players in Canada,” Burns added.

“We know there’s interest. Canadians are spending money on offshore sites, so we’re just asking to take a look at how we can bring it into a regulatory regime, protect players and give Canadian companies and Canadian gaming operators a chance to compete fairly.”