Two More Online Poker Sites To Become Available In Ontario
Seven more online gaming operators have obtained licenses from Ontario’s gaming regulators and two of them are expected to offer online poker games.
Unibet and BetRivers are among the latest to be added to Ontario’s list of licensees, as the province prepares to launch its regulated online gaming market on April 4.
The granting of licenses to both Unibet and BetRivers should come as good news to online poker players and fans in Ontario as that could mean they’ll have more options to play and enjoy the game.
Unibet is already offering online poker to Canadians on a globally-licensed platform, while BetRivers’ parent company, Rush Street Interactive (RSI), recently acquired Run It Once (RIO), the online poker site founded by three-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner Phil Galfond.
Unibet has already been serving Canadian players via its Canada-facing website, but more recently, the site created a popup message advising visitors that players from Ontario will soon be blocked from registering. If Unibet ultimately decides to run an exclusive site for Ontario, those playing on its global platform can choose to migrate over to the new site.
Unibet also has a presence in the US, though the company is more focused on its sportsbook which is currently operating in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Virginia, Arizona and Indiana. The operator obtained its license from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) last week.
RSI, which is known for its online casino and sportsbook operation, recently expanded its product portfolio by acquiring Galfond’s Run It Once and the site’s development team in a deal worth $5.8 million.
Less than a week after the acquisition was announced, RSI received its iGaming operator license from AGCO. The company is working to comply with any remaining regulatory requirements, with BetRivers expected to launch in Ontario on April 4.
Unibet and RSI could ultimately launch their respective online poker operations in the province, though both have yet to announce their plans.
The other operators that have recently been granted licenses include FanDuel, Coolbet, Royal Panda, Fitzdares and LeoVegas. That brings the total number of iGaming licensees in Ontario to 13.
