Ontario’s Online Gamblers Could Soon Bet With Players Outside Canada

Who would have ever guessed that online gambling would become such a social thing? Just when you thought that you had seen everything this market had to offer, new elements started to crop up. Gambling used to be a relatively social event. You’d get dressed up, go to a casino and play amongst people. However, as the technological age became bigger and bigger, casinos shifted to online sites and suddenly, players were sitting at home, playing in comfort but also in isolation. This prompted a big change, which you’re seeing now. Players want to continue to have the social element of gambling while still keeping the ease of online play. This is something that Canada is trying to facilitate. But as you know, this is not only about being social. There is something much bigger behind it. Canadian online gamblers will be able to play against people outside their country, which will improve the competitiveness that gamers have in the country.

This all sounds exciting but there is quite a lot of red tape behind it all, a lot of people with a lot of power, who all have something to say on this topic. It’s a change that can’t be decided on without the full support of a court, either, which makes things even more complicated. Ready to learn more? Great, it’s time to dive in.

What the Court Decision Actually Changes

At the center of the conversation is a ruling from the Ontario Court of Appeal that looked closely at how the Criminal Code applies to online gambling. The court was asked whether Ontario’s regulated platforms would remain legal if players were allowed to interact with people outside the country. A majority of judges said yes, concluding that such a setup would still comply with federal law.

This ruling does not instantly flip a switch for operators or players. Now, there won’t be new Canadian free spins bonuses popping up every day but there could be real regulatory changes popping up every day as well. To be fair, the province has not confirmed when or how it might move forward and there is still an appeal window that could see the issue land before the Supreme Court of Canada. Still, the decision sends a strong signal that Ontario now has legal room to expand how its online gambling market works.

Why This Matters for Poker and Fantasy Sports Players

For players, especially those focused on peer-to-peer formats, the implications are significant. Since Ontario launched its regulated market, poker and daily fantasy sports have been limited to in-province player pools. That has meant fewer games, lower prize pools and limited stakes compared to international platforms.

Allowing international participation could change that experience in several ways:

Larger player pools leading to more frequent games and tournaments
Higher stakes and bigger prize pools similar to global sites
More game variety and formats that need larger participation levels

These factors explain why some Ontario players have chosen offshore sites despite the risks.

The Economic Stakes Behind the Legal Debate

Beyond player experience, there is a substantial financial dimension to the ruling. Online gambling already represents a massive flow of money in Ontario. Between April 1, 2024 and March 31, 2025, players wagered $82.7 billion across regulated platforms, generating $3.2 billion in gross gaming revenue. These are massive amounts, wouldn’t you agree? Peer-to-peer poker is a much smaller slice of that total. During the same period, poker accounted for $1.7 billion in wagers and $66 million in revenue.

Industry insiders argue that stagnation in poker revenue is directly tied to the closed player pool. International liquidity could unlock hundreds of millions of dollars in additional wagers by making Ontario platforms more competitive with global sites.

Concerns From Other Provinces and Regulators

Lottery and gaming agencies from nearly every other province opposed Ontario’s position during the case. Their concern is not limited to Ontario alone but extends to how such a move could affect gambling oversight across the country. Those concerns tend to focus on a few key issues, such as the risk of illegal gambling expanding into provinces that have not approved such access and enforcement challenges when players cross provincial and national borders.

Responsible Gambling and Increased Access

Expanded access does not come without trade-offs. Experts have pointed out that more opportunities to gamble often lead to increased participation. Increased participation can raise the risk of harm for some players, especially when games run around the clock and involve higher stakes.

Ontario’s regulated market does include responsible gambling tools like deposit limits, self-exclusion and activity monitoring. The question is whether those safeguards remain effective when player pools expand internationally. Regulators may need to adjust oversight requirements to match higher engagement levels and more complex game environments.

What Happens Next Is Still Unclear

Despite the headline impact of the ruling, Ontario has not committed to a timeline or specific plan. The Ministry of the Attorney General has declined to comment while the appeal period remains open. If the decision is challenged at the Supreme Court level, implementation could be delayed well into the future.

For now, the ruling represents possibility rather than certainty. Ontario’s online gamblers may soon find themselves playing against opponents from around the world but the final outcome depends on legal, political and regulatory choices still unfolding.