GiG strikes deal to bring Ontario land-based operator online

The deal will allow GiG to deploy its platform, sportsbook and OMNI solution in Ontario.

GiG received a licence to offer its services in the province in July.

The supplier has already powered two other operators to launch in the Ontario market. Kings Media Ltd entered the province in August through a deal with GiG.

2023 launch

The agreement is set to go live in the first half of 2023.

“I am really excited to sign the head of terms with a land-based partner that has been successfully operating in the Ontario market for many decades,” said Ben Clemes, general manager of GiG North America.

“Their land-based presence gives GiG the opportunity to showcase the power of our proven OMNI solution alongside our full product catalogue including casino, sports and our frontend solution.”

Ontario legal challenge

The fate of igaming in the most populous Canadian province could potentially be thrown into doubt by a legal challenge from the the Mohawk Council of Kahnawàke.

The council launched a constitutional challenge in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice against iGaming Ontario and the attorney-general of the province, arguing that its regulation of gambling is unconstitutional.

Commercial betting and gaming are legal in Canada only if it is “conducted and managed” by a provincial government. While in most provinces that offer online gambling, the government runs a monopoly, Ontario instead launched a licensed regime this year, with more than 30 different licensed operators so far.

While a specific definition of conducting and managing is not provided, the Mohawk Council of Kahnawàke said it was clear that the province did not conduct or manage online gambling.