PokerStars is working with the Ontario regulator to find an “attractive offer” for players
It will be a historic moment for us to be laid off in our home province.
The online poker giant PokerStars work with online gambling regulators in Ontario, Canada, so that it can be ready to offer online poker to residents of the province after regulated online gambling goes live on April 4, 2022, fuse poker can reveal.
iGaming Ontario (iGO)a subsidiary of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), was established last year to oversee the expansion of online gambling in the Canadian province. Private companies that register with the AGCO and sign an operating agreement with the iGO can launch regulated online games as soon as they go live in two months, Poker Industry PRO reported last month.
Online poker, casino games and sports betting in Ontario will be licensed. However, it is understood that online poker will be separated from the global pool of players when launched.
“Canada is very close to our hearts. This is our home and this is where PokerStars was born over 20 years ago,” a spokesperson said in a statement to fuse poker. “It will be a historic moment for us to be fired in our home province.”
“We work with the AGCO and iGO on processes related to the new provincial regulatory model, and aim to ensure that we will continue to provide an attractive offer for our community,” the statement continued. “We’ll let you know when we have more interesting details to share.”
This is the first official confirmation that the world leader in online poker is working with the necessary authorities to launch online gaming in the province.
However, it is not surprising that the efforts of the Beat subsidiary are on the right track. PokerStars is the most licensed and regulated online poker room in the world, holding online poker licenses in over 20 countries and states.
Indeed, as reported USA gaming review last week some evidence had surfaced that PokerStars was planning an Ontario launchand fuse poker recently spotted what appeared to be development efforts to prepare a special poker client for the Ontario online poker market.
With April 4th fast approaching, it may not be possible to have new online poker sites ready for that day. However, pokerfuse understands that there may be a transition period, where existing platforms will remain operational while new Ontario-licensed sites receive full authorization.
If all goes according to plan, there should be a smooth shift with no downtime for online poker players in Ontario. Operators are not expecting a blackout period as seen in other markets, pokerfuse understands.
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Ontario a Closed Online Poker Market — Unless a Gaming Pact Is Formed
As noted, it is expected to be a closed market, at least initially. This means online poker players from Ontario, who currently enjoy playing at *global online poker rooms like PokerStars.com — playing at cash tables and in tournaments with players from all over in Canada and around the world — will be confined after April 4.
The only way it would change is whether the regulator has signed an agreement with other provinces to allow operators to bundle players across provincial lines — or if there is an abrupt change and the regulator allows unhindered access to global liquidity. Neither appears on the cards for April.
iGO Officials confirmed at PRO earlier this month than an inter-jurisdictional gaming pact “has been considered”, but that he “cannot comment on the potential outcome at this time”.
When asked what potential pacts had been considered, the authority objected. “iGO didn’t go that far in its considerations,” he said, adding that he “cannot comment on liquidity any longer.”
Various such agreements are already in place around the world. the shared liquidity contract signed between France, Spain and Portugal created a stir european three country online poker market with multiple operators, attracting pillars PokerStars, 888pokerand partypoker as good as The European giant Winamax.
the MSIGA in the USAconnecting Nevada, New Jersey and Delaware, also works successfully today for WSOP and 888. Federal issues have hampered its expansion, but hopefully it will soon expand to Michigan and Pennsylvania and bring more operators into multi-state US online poker.
In fact, such an agreement is already in place for three provinces in Canada. Monopoly iGaming Providers Espace-Jeux in Quebec and PlayNow in British Columbia and Manitoba combine cash on a small provincial online poker network powered by IGT.
If the will is there, there are certainly several options available to allow online poker players from Ontario to play with players from other provinces or countries.
| Existing online poker compacts around the world | The operators | Software |
|---|---|---|
| MSIGA: Nevada, New Jersey and Delaware | WSOP888 Roots of Delaware | 888 |
| Spain, France and Portugal | PokerStars, Winamax, 888, partypoker | (Several) |
| Finland and Austria | Veikkaus, win2day.at | iPoker |
| Canada: Quebec, British Columbia, Manitoba | Espacejeux OK, PlayNow.com | IGT |
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PokerStars should launch on a closed market, if necessary
PokerStars statement that it focused on research “an attractive offer for our community” could certainly be interpreted as encouraging the regulator to consider gaming pacts or even shared global liquidity for online poker.
That being said, the company certainly does not hesitate to operate in closed markets. Today, it operates six distinct player pools – many of which are smaller than Ontario, including the three US states in which it is currently active. The company operated in France and Spain separately for many years until the two player pools were connected. it was also launched in Portugal, initially with a segregated market. Italy remains separated.
If there is a need to jump into the province of Ontario with cash tight, PokerStars will almost certainly choose to do so.. A population of 15 million is enough to run big decent weekly tournaments, headline-grabbing series, and regular cash game tables.
For example, PokerStars PAwith a population size slightly smaller than Ontario, led a PACOOP guaranteed 2 million dollars last September. It enjoys concurrent cash game traffic of around 280 players and hosts a week $75,000 Sunday Special every week.
Ontario Poker Players Launch Grassroots Effort for Global Online Poker Liquidity
With all that’s been said, open player pools would greatly benefit poker players, operators and regulators – something seen repeatedly over the past decade as some two dozen European nations have regulated the game.
Closed pools make far less attractive offers, which means that unscrupulous unlicensed sites may offer enticing alternatives. This means less consumer protection, less tax dollars for the provinceand an unattractive market for regulated operators.
Open player pools, on the other hand, promote a healthy and competitive market. Black market sites have little to offer; channeling to legal and regulated sites increases. The regulator has more control over the market and generates more tax revenue. Operators can offer a better product; consumers have a better experience, more choice and more protection.
A popular movement has formed around the idea. the Ontario Poker Players for Global Pool Access is a community that has come together online through a Discord Server to share news about market developments and share their efforts in ask the regulator to consider opening up poker liquidity.
The group was formed only a week ago and already has more than 120 players. Those interested in joining their efforts can join the channel via this link.
