Ontario gives PokerStars and Casumo right to launch

Several months after launching for private businesses, Ontario continues to add to its list of prominent names insofar as iGaming brands are concerned. While a lot of attention was placed on sportsbooks, it’s interactive gambling brands that are actually grabbing the headlines now.

The latest news comes from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) which has approved TSG Interactive Canada to launch the flagship brand PokerStars. The license was granted with a backdate to June 8 and will be available until June 7, 2024. In other words, PokerStars is the latest company to launch on the regulated provincial market since it officially opened for business back in April.

But this is not the only license that has been attributed over the past week. As it stands, another licensee has received an official go-ahead with Casumo, and its parent company Pret Play, and all is in the clear now. This means that the online casino brand will be able to get started as well, adding yet more variety to the sector.

Companies have been queuing up to be first in the digital gambling market in Ontario, but even without entering first, many companies have been able and happy to join, nevertheless. Nearly all prominent US and European entities have secured their licenses and have some operational capacity already.

This applies to brands such as LeoVegas, BetMGM, 888, BetRivers, and so many others. All mainstream sports betting brands from the United States are now represented more or less, with DraftKings and FanDuel vying for a share of the market. Naturally, FanDuel is leading the way in terms of sports for now, but new companies are arriving on the daily.

In terms of poker, BetMGM and 888 are both running poker operations in the province, making it a highly competitive market for brands in all verticals of the gambling experience.

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