Ontario-based players might soon be able to take part in various gambling activities from the comfort of their homes. Ontario regulators have decided to legalize the online gambling activities in the next few weeks.
Currently, the authorities are willing to know what is the attitude of the players towards online wagering. Their aim is to introduce high quality products and that is the reason why the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation sent out invitations to more than 50, 000 members of the Winners Circle and asked them to try out the games, available on PlayOLG. Players will be given the chance to enjoy blackjack, roulette, slot games etc.
Tony Bitonti, a representative of OLG, commented that their intention is to implement a new approach and the feedback of their current customers is highly appreciated, no matter if their opinion is positive or negative. For the time being, the products will be available in Ontario only and once the regulators the things are going in the right direction, the services will be available throughout the entire province.
Pretty soon, players might be given the chance to freely buy lottery tickets and participate in poker games.
Taking part in online wagering will not be anonymous though. Players, located in Ontario, will have to present a valid document for identification. Payments can be made through credit and debit cards.
Bitonti commented that the feedback, the authorities receive from the invited members will play a key role in their decision to proceed with the online gambling legislation procedure. As a matter of fact, the latest reports show that almost half million players take part in gambling activities, available on the unregulated markets and the local economy loses $500 million annually.
Bitoni also added that the authorities will do their best to reassure the users of the website that it is a reliable one and there won’t be any unpleasant surprises. Players will promptly receive the money they have won.
According to the estimates, the revenue for the first five years is expected to be approximately $380 million.
Authorities of the land based casino Caesars Windsor, said that they can not say for sure what the consequences of the online gambling legalization will be and if it will have a negative impact on the attendance of their venue.
However, there is another side of the coin. Although nobody can deny the fact that legalizing the online gambling activities will result in an increased annual revenue, the legislation met a fierce opposition. Many people think that the free access to games on the OLG website will make the gambling addiction problems more complicated.
Ontario gaming regulators wanted to keep up with the latest tendencies and followed the example of Quebec, Manitoba and British Columbia, the provinces that have already made great steps towards making the online gambling affairs legal.
Despite the standpoint of the opponents of the legislation procedure, Bitoni said that since customers are enabled to safely buy various goods online, there is no point in questioning the safety and reliability of the gambling services, accessible via their personal computers and tablets.
