Ontario online poker may have a new look on April 4, 2022? (including updates)

[Tredford]

It’s an election year so Ford is starting to throw out some bones to try to get re elected. Federal government Trudeau is no better a puppet and has lost control of the country. Hang tight as more real information is coming out daily.

With only one month to go until the fence is in place, I wouldn't expect anything to move on this because of an election in June.

This government was the one to overhaul the existing legal provisions in 2020. They followed it up in 2021 by relaxing sports betting to 1 game (I think it was 3 game bet min at the time).

Some of their main reasoning was "Prevention of underage access, ensuring compliance with applicable laws including anti-money laundering rules and regulations, and measures to enable more responsible gambling" but they are also after the taxes that online gaming revenue generates, taxes that Ontario doesn't see a dime of right now.

 

[Ron112355]

Hi Ronald,
We are writing to inform you that due to regulatory updates set to take place in Ontario, we are required to make some changes. This will only impact players within Ontario.
From 4th April 2022, Ontario customers will no longer be allowed to play under the MGA licence and will be migrated to operate under Ontario’s AGCO licence.
By activating the new license, you will be asked to accept the updated Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy when logging in from 4th April 2022. You will also be required to verify your identity under Ontario jurisdiction.
Before the migration date, there are a few things to consider:

• Review/update your address – this will only impact players with an Ontario province address within their account. Therefore, please review and update your account before the migration date if required.
• Funds – your balance will be migrated, so make sure to withdraw your funds if you do not wish to operate under the new licence.
• Licence – your account will become protected under the AGCO licence and no longer under the protection of the MGA.
• Website – you will no longer to be able to log in to https://ca.unibet.com and there will be a redirect to the new Ontario website. Your account details will remain the same, however you will be supplied a temporary login password to access the new website.
• Poker & Bingo – we regret to inform you that the Poker & Bingo product will not be available for players within Ontario from the 1st April 2022. If you still have open poker tickets or bingo vouchers, you can use them as usual until then. Unused tickets or vouchers will be converted to cash credit.

These changes will only impact players within Ontario, so if you live outside of that province there will be no changes to your account.
We appreciate your understanding and our customer service is of course always available via live chat or email if you have any questions.
The Unibet Team


Yeah thanks but no thanks, you guys can keep my 15 euros, not worth getting verified for

 

[Tredford]

Hi Ronald,
We are writing to inform you that due to regulatory updates set to take place in Ontario, we are required to make some changes. This will only impact players within Ontario.
From 4th April 2022, Ontario customers will no longer be allowed to play under the MGA licence and will be migrated to operate under Ontario’s AGCO licence.
By activating the new license, you will be asked to accept the updated Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy when logging in from 4th April 2022. You will also be required to verify your identity under Ontario jurisdiction.
Before the migration date, there are a few things to consider:

• Review/update your address – this will only impact players with an Ontario province address within their account. Therefore, please review and update your account before the migration date if required.
• Funds – your balance will be migrated, so make sure to withdraw your funds if you do not wish to operate under the new licence.
• Licence – your account will become protected under the AGCO licence and no longer under the protection of the MGA.
• Website – you will no longer to be able to log in to https://ca.unibet.com and there will be a redirect to the new Ontario website. Your account details will remain the same, however you will be supplied a temporary login password to access the new website.
• Poker & Bingo – we regret to inform you that the Poker & Bingo product will not be available for players within Ontario from the 1st April 2022. If you still have open poker tickets or bingo vouchers, you can use them as usual until then. Unused tickets or vouchers will be converted to cash credit.

These changes will only impact players within Ontario, so if you live outside of that province there will be no changes to your account.
We appreciate your understanding and our customer service is of course always available via live chat or email if you have any questions.
The Unibet Team


Yeah thanks but no thanks, you guys can keep my 15 euros, not worth getting verified for

Wow. Interesting! Thanks for sharing!
I haven't heard a word from partypoker, pokerstars of GGPoker, all of whom I sent a request for information.

I wonder if we make a withdraw of our bankrolls and close our account, will they give us new deposit bonuses under the new license?

 

[Shells]

Here is an updated article from PokerFuse. It may shed a little more light as to how things are progressing.

https://pokerfuse.com/news/industry/217273-wsop-ggpoker-ontario-online-poker-license/

 

[MTCashman]

I was bummed to hear about this. The reduced prize pools, player base and game variety will really suck. I haven't got any emails about this from any of the sites I play on. I'll try playing on the new sites but this might push me to go and play more live poker.

 

[Tredford]

Here is an updated article from PokerFuse. It may shed a little more light as to how things are progressing.

https://pokerfuse.com/news/industry/217273-wsop-ggpoker-ontario-online-poker-license/

So far we have wsop (GGPoker) and 888poker.

I guess I'm closing my GG account.
I opened that 18 months ago with C$50 and doubled it with the sign-up bonuses alone. Hopefully WSOP.ca has similar sign-up bonuses!

 

[Normino]

I certainly hope pokerstars, 888 and ACR still work those are the three main sites I use and regularly freeroll on (from CC) I don't know why ontario is forcing restrictions all of a sudden.. -

 

[Normino]

so i guess as an ontarian I will lose my free roll club?

 

[Shells]

so i guess as an ontarian I will lose my free roll club?

I think it's safe to say Ontarians will lose freeroll club access to PokerStars, 888, GGpoker, etc. but I think we will still have access to ACR/BCP, etc.

 

[Normino]

I think it's safe to say Ontarians will lose freeroll club access to PokerStars, 888, GGpoker, etc. but I think we will still have access to ACR/BCP, etc.

Thank you was about too play my two $22 tickets I won on the acr show and cash out all my acr funds.. This sucks..

 

[Shells]

Thank you was about too play my two $22 tickets I won on the acr show and cash out all my acr funds.. This sucks..

Just to let you know, I really don't know how any of the online poker will play out, whether regulated or not. I'm just taking a guess and comparing our upcoming online poker future to those who are in some of the US states with regulated online poker.

 

[Jackmagic]

I predict one day these government control freaks will face a revolt and it will be bigger than any anti-vax protest.
What's next???... we won't be able to invest in foreign stock markets?? How do we let the people we elect to change our lives so much without hearing about these changes in the election campaign. There should be a new law stating that all parties must reveal their platforms and law changes during the election campaign and cannot deviate or add to during their tenure unless all parties agree to for emergency purposes. As far as I know I did not vote for these changes our government imposed on us. This is a huge issue on our right to choose and something with broad repercussions affecting millions of people. People of Ontario and canada WAKE THE FUQ UP!

 

[Shells]

Here is a petition to sign.
https://www.change.org/p/rob-ford-s...516546f0f4ee&utm_content=fht-32425356-en-ca:1

I predict one day these government control freaks will face a revolt and it will be bigger than any anti-vax protest.
What's next???... we won't be able to invest in foreign stock markets?? How do we let the people we elect to change our lives so much without hearing about these changes in the election campaign. There should be a new law stating that all parties must reveal their platforms and law changes during the election campaign and cannot deviate or add to during their tenure unless all parties agree to for emergency purposes. As far as I know I did not vote for these changes our government imposed on us. This is a huge issue on our right to choose and something with broad repercussions affecting millions of people. People of Ontario and Canada WAKE THE FUQ UP!

If you are looking to find a way to help change things up, belizebum posted a link to a petition.

 

[Tredford]

I predict one day these government control freaks will face a revolt and it will be bigger than any anti-vax protest.

Have you seen the sheep that live here?!?

Most of the votes are in Toronto and they outright blocked a great casino project for the lakeshore.

 

[Jackmagic]

I wonder???... will a VPN work to bypass these new restrictions?

 

[Tredford]

I wonder???... will a VPN work to bypass these new restrictions?

That is a good question.
I have a VPN token for work ....

We need some input from someone who is already in a fenced area in the US.

I guess the risk is, if you get caught you could have you bankroll seized and your account closed.

 

[Jackmagic]

This really suqs. All so they can figure out how to tax you someway, how they can get a rake for themselves , how they have power over you, So much for free global trade.
I don't have the best luck at cards probably cuz I've been lucky at love so I like playing the freerolls just to play and have fun with nothing really to lose. Now it seems I'm going to lose that as I do not think poker sites are going to offer up their coin for a more limited market and if Cardschat can or will sponsor our limited community for freerolls.
I really like and think it's cool playing people from around the world.
The world just got a lot less fun.

 

[ritz_avalanche]

Latest update :its seems GG poker has tied up with WSOP and 888 Is all ready to launch

 

[dedparrott]

Latest update :its seems GG poker has tied up with WSOP and 888 Is all ready to launch

Yes, but I think the big question is the 'pool' of players. Will GG include just Ontario players, or the world pool we currently access. Think perhaps we just have to wait as this all unfolds in April.

 

[ritz_avalanche]

Yes, but I think the big question is the 'pool' of players. Will GG include just Ontario players, or the world pool we currently access. Think perhaps we just have to wait as this all unfolds in April.

My guess its gonna be like 888 US where player pool will be Ontario only

 

[Tredford]

Ontario players will only be able to play Ontario players

My guess its gonna be like 888 US where player pool will be Ontario only

It will be like other WSOP sites that are fenced in the US.
Ontario players will only be able to play Ontario players.
Until the other provinces join in, and they make and arrangement to split the revenues.

 

[ritz_avalanche]

It will be like other WSOP sites that are fenced in the US.
Ontario players will only be able to play Ontario players.
Until the other provinces join in, and they make and arrangement to split the revenues.

Hopefully the legislation is soon amended to include all Canadian players coz else the players pool could be small.

 

[Evan Jarvis]

All of the above is true however there is one stark difference between those US States and Ontario in terms of the impact to online poker - the access to live poker.

In Ontario live poker is a shell of what it could - and should be. For a province with a population of 14 Million Plus - half of which located in the GTHA (Greater Toronto & Hamilton area) the number of poker rooms available is sparse and the list has not been fully verified by myself:

Casino Rama (~1 hour)
Casino Niagara (~2 hours)
Fallsview Casino (~2 hours)
Caesars Windsor (~4 hours)
Great Blue Heron (~90 mins)
Elements Brantford (~90 mins)
Shorelines Thousand Islands (~2 1/2 hours but not positive they have it anymore)
Playground Poker Club (Montreal, QC - 5/12 hours)

The point is - the lack of viable live poker is going to seriously hinder one's ability to fully appreciate and enjoy the game today. Many other casinos exist but do not offer poker as it has been phased out of many places in the province.

Without knowing who is going to be on the approved list of operators makes forecasting the full and true impact difficult but I would expect:
PokerStars.on.ca
GG Poker maybe
PartyPoker Ontario

Regardless, these operators are probably going to push the casino and sportsbetting side as that market is seen to be much larger than poker, but going after pure poker players is going to require large incentives to get people in. I'd hope the traffic at first would be OK but being restricted to Ontario only will certainly make grinding difficult, forget losing out on SCOOP, WCOOP, Sunday Million, GG Masters, and WSOP circuits.

Obviously the "grey" sites like ACR, Sportsbetting, Bovida and BetOnline will most likely continue.

I for one get why they are doing this but hate the approach they have taken as there is a serious concern to the long term viability of playing poker in this province with all of this going through and so little information coming from the government. Par for the course - but of course with an election coming they are pushing positive news like removing the license plate sticker renewals, teasing easing COVID restrictions and dealing with the blockades that are clogging up border crossings and Ottawa in general.

Thanks for compiling all this info CRStals, Belizebum, Shells, I had heard about this, and it's nice to see all the information in one place.

I sure hope that ACR can continue to operate and give us access to those big prize pools.

Wondering what the prize pools will look like and if it will lead to the games ultimately becoming tougher or easier.

It seems like most of the places that have gone ring fenced end up having softer competition overall, so maybe that's a good thing?

Hoping that things will be ok for the other streamers in the province as well, not fun when the government throws out an unexpected curveball like this.

 

[Shells]

WSOP and GGPoker will be available to online poker players in Ontario. It will be known as WSOP.ca.

Read more here >>> GGPoker will Join 888poker in Ontario’s New Online Poker Market with WSOP Skin

 

[CRStals]

Colette Stewart has posted on the PartyPoker Canada Facebook group that Party WILL have a license from the AGCO although details were not provided about when said license will be awarded, or any details on what the fenced in site will look like. I specifically asked around satellites to live events, will funds be moved over or if players would have to withdraw and re-deposit, and what currency would be used. My gut says CAD but I wouldn't be surprised if USD pops up...

There are multiple reports that PokerStars are pursuing a license (given they have offices in Richmond Hill) but they have not publicly stated they are in.

So it's safe to assume that there will be options for Ontario:
GG Poker / WSOP.ca
888 Poker
PartyPoker
PokerStars*

Here's the dilemna...given the market is 15ish million people, what would the traffic look like split 4 ways like this? My gut tells me that Stars and WSOP.ca would get the most, Party 3rd and 888 4th but will there be enough traffic to sustain all 4?