Ontario’s Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming, Stan Cho, has announced an extensive review of the province’s gambling industry, encompassing both the digital iGaming space and the traditional land-based sector. Speaking at the Canadian Gaming Summit in Toronto, Cho emphasized the need to improve efficiency, ensure stronger returns for the provincial economy, and create a more seamless connection between all gambling channels.
While Ontario has made significant strides in modernizing its gaming landscape—especially following the 2021 legalization of single-event sports betting and the 2022 launch of its regulated online market—Cho stated there is still room to improve. “Ontario is very much a pioneer and a leader in this sector,” he said. “I think we’re doing a fantastic job of balancing those important revenues with also making sure we continue to invest in safe and responsible play.”
Enhancing Alignment Between iGaming and Land-Based Operations
According to Cho, the government’s aim is to elevate Ontario’s gambling sector from a “B+” to an “A” grade. That effort involves not only boosting efficiency but also eliminating regulatory duplication and better integrating retail casinos and sportsbooks with the province’s growing iGaming framework.
Cho pointed out that while online gambling has gained significant traction, land-based casinos remain a vital part of the overall ecosystem. He specifically mentioned the need to harmonize the province’s self-exclusion systems, so that users registered through iGaming Ontario (iGO) are also automatically excluded from physical gambling venues across Ontario.
“There’s a lot of work to be done,” Cho said. “I don’t know that we hit the exact ebb and flow of this evolution of online and land-based gaming. I think the market is just starting to get comfortable with iGaming and understanding how that balances with land-based gaming. So, we have to monitor that carefully.”
Industry Collaboration Over Political Decisions
The initiative will be shaped by input from those working directly within the sector, rather than dictated solely by government. “As we go through the gaming review and the evolution of online and land-based gaming, you have my word that we will work with you as industry partners to make sure that decisions make sense based on expertise, not on speculation and not on a politician’s whim,” Cho told summit attendees.
Canadian Gaming Association President and CEO Paul Burns echoed this sentiment. He pointed to challenges operators face under Canada’s dual system, where iGO and the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) operate separately. This structure often results in duplicated reporting requirements. “These are the kinds of quick wins that stakeholders believe can be achieved in collaboration with the Minister over the coming year,” Burns said.
iGO Gains Autonomy in a Changing Landscape
The review comes amid broader changes in Ontario’s regulatory environment. Earlier this year, iGaming Ontario officially separated from AGCO to operate as an independent Crown agency. Cho said this shift was necessary to make the agency more nimble. “The worst thing that government can do is move slowly in an ever-changing environment such as this,” he noted. “That’s why those two agencies [iGO and OLG] need to be close to each other, but also need to be separated and autonomous.”
Heidi Reinhart, Chair of iGO, expressed enthusiasm for the agency’s new structure and its strengthened ties with both the Ministry and OLG. Reinhart also revealed that iGO is in the final stages of appointing a new CEO, following the retirement of Martha Otton.
While the specifics of the review process are still being worked out, the direction is clear. Cho and Burns both highlighted the importance of reducing inefficiencies and aligning oversight mechanisms with the needs of a rapidly evolving marketplace, without sacrificing player protection or economic value.
Burns noted that smarter resource allocation and stronger coordination between the conduct-and-manage and regulatory functions could improve the experience for both players and operators. “You can never perfectly future-proof anything,” Cho said, “but the biggest disaster you can do is to over-prescribe something.”
Source:
CGS: Ontario gambling minister announces plan for sweeping gaming review, canadiangamingbusiness.com, June 19, 2025
