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In the last days of October the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. announced that casinos in the Canadian province will start offering retail sportsbooks. OLG Corp. launched retail sports betting at lottery retailers in August 2021, after in June the same year the Senate of Canada passed a bill legalizing single- game sports betting on federal level.
“We are proud to have worked closely with the gaming industry and our partners in the Ontario government on this next phase of growth in Ontario’s gaming market,” OLG Corp. President and Chief Executive Officer Duncan Hannay said in a press release. “Sportsbooks in casinos will offer a diverse and integrated entertainment experience for players, give our service providers a stake in the sports gaming market, and bring more jobs and economic benefits to host communities.”
“I’d like to congratulate OLG for partnering with Ontario’s gaming operators to bring sportsbooks to casinos,” Paul Burns, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Gaming Association said on his part. “This ongoing collaboration will result in new and expanded options for sports betting – including some first-of-their-kind sportsbooks in Canada – which will attract more people to visit Ontario’s casinos and encourage continued growth across the industry.”
OLG Corp., which is owned by the Canadian government, technically owns the 28 casinos in Ontario, but contracts outside operators to manage them.
Ten of the casinos, which are operated by Great Canadian Entertainment, are now taking sports bets. Those including Great Blue Heron Casino & Hotel, Pickering Casino Resort, Elements Casino Brantford and Shorelines Casino Belleville, which have launched special sportsbook lounges, called Great Canadian Sportsbooks, where you can watch live games and place bets at one of several available kiosks.
Other six Ontario casinos – Casino Woodbine, Shorelines Casino Peterborough, Shorelines Casino Thousand Islands, Elements Casino Mohawk, Elements Casino Grand River, and Elements Casino Flamboro – now feature sportsbook kiosks within existing gaming areas.
“We remain laser- focused on enhancing the overall experience for our guests at our gaming and entertainment destinations, and the launch of sports betting at our Ontario destinations is another demonstration of these efforts,” Tony Rodio, Chief Executive Officer of Great Canadian Entertainment said after the news broke. “These onsite additions reflect Great Canadian’s commitment to investing in our facilities and the communities where we operate, as well as creating new jobs and additional revenue that will support local municipalities in Ontario.”
