Fans of casino action, online gaming and lottery in Canada now have a new and exciting option in the beautiful and prosperous province of Ontario. On January 8th, 2015, the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Commission officially launched its new online casino website, which is fully vetted by provincial laws and regulations. The launch of the Play OLG online casino is aimed directly at Ontario residents who currently spend millions of dollars in offshore casino action each year.

Status of Online Casinos in Canada

In terms of legality, Canadians tend to enjoy more freedom when it comes to online gambling than Europeans and their neighbors to the south. In the province of Ontario, where nearly 40 percent of all Canadians reside, physical casinos enjoy steady business during the warmer months. When temperatures drop to the point of freezing, however, Canadian gamblers often stay indoors and access online casinos, which are predominantly based offshore.

Play OLG is hardly the first provincial online casino in Canada; in fact, all the Atlantic provinces plus Quebec, British Columbia and Manitoba already have websites controlled by their respective lottery commissions where gamblers can safely enjoy online casino action.

Naturally, the Play OLG online casino in Ontario is restricted to residents of the province, who can now play games such as stand-alone poker, roulette, slots, and baccarat. Lottery tickets can also be purchased through the new website, and there is considerable flexibility in terms of deposits. The current deposit limit is $9,900, and the payout system is nimble and backed by the provincial government.

The Future of the Provincial Online Casino in Ontario

At this time, Play OLG does not offer as many enticements as offshore competitors, but that is bound to change in the near future. The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Commission is already looking into developing a mobile app to access the online casino, and marketing campaigns are being planned as well.