Can any type of company apply for an Ontario iGaming licence or are there restrictions on who qualifies?

Ontario's regulated iGaming market is genuinely open to a wide range of business types — but "open" does not mean "unrestricted." The framework has clear eligibility gates, and understanding them matters whether you're a global operator eyeing the market or just curious how the system works.

What kinds of entities can apply?

Registration as an Internet Gaming Operator is required for entities that operate an internet gaming site within Ontario. The AGCO's application process accommodates multiple corporate structures — constituting documents accepted include articles of incorporation, partnership agreements, and similar legal documents, with specific disclosure requirements for corporations, partnerships, and joint ventures alike. Corporations must show the relationship with shareholders owning 5% or more of shares; partnerships must show connections between partners and anyone with a 5% or more interest; joint ventures must show the relationship between companies involved and anyone with a 5% or more interest.

One of the more notable features of the Ontario framework is that there is no requirement that operators must have a business established in Canada. International companies can — and do — apply. This is a deliberate design choice to attract global operators into the regulated market rather than push players toward offshore alternatives.

Given the wide range of potential variations in company organization and structure, there is not a definitive list of activities that illustrates what it means to "operate a gaming site." In general, operating a gaming site means having an ongoing responsibility for the gaming site as a whole, including key decision-making activities, meeting compliance obligations, and having authority to retain suppliers.

The two-body process every applicant must clear

Getting registered isn't a single-step process. Operators seeking to participate in the Ontario regulated iGaming scheme must also enter into a commercial agreement with iGaming Ontario. That means clearing two separate bodies: the AGCO (which conducts the eligibility assessment and issues the registration certificate) and iGaming Ontario (which executes the operating agreement). AGCO registration and successful completion of go-live compliance requirements will not constitute permission for operators to begin gaming operations — that authority rests with iGaming Ontario, the body responsible for conducting and managing internet gaming in Ontario.

All operators' circumstances are different, but operators should expect a minimum of 90 days to complete the steps required to become registered by the AGCO and execute an operating agreement with iGO.

What the eligibility review actually scrutinizes

The AGCO's assessment isn't just a paperwork exercise. The AGCO's regulatory framework helps ensure that iGaming in Ontario is conducted, managed, and operated with honesty and integrity, and protects the Ontario public and players. Ontario's framework enables the Registrar to consider applications and provide registrations where operators have met the relevant regulatory requirements. Risk is a real factor: operators assessed during the AGCO's eligibility review as potentially posing elevated risk may be required to submit an independently audited Control Activity Matrix before they launch in the regulated Ontario iGaming scheme.

The application package is substantial. Beyond corporate documents, applicants must submit a Registrar's Standards gap analysis, personal disclosure forms for each person named on the application, an entity disclosure form, financial statements, government-issued identification, a personal history of gaming, and a diagram of the organization structure. A criminal background check is required for anyone whose primary residence is outside Canada.

This is also the right moment to note: the market is for adults aged 19+. If you're exploring it as a player rather than an operator, ConnexOntario (1-866-531-2600) is available if gambling ever becomes a concern.

One firm restriction: operators cannot be gaming-related suppliers

An operator may engage in the same activities as a Gaming-Related Supplier but will need only apply as an Internet Gaming Operator. In contrast, a Gaming-Related Supplier is not permitted to operate a gaming site. The two registration categories are distinct, and the AGCO treats them accordingly. The AGCO registers and regulates online gambling sites and sets standards to protect players while working to ensure game integrity for people across Ontario.

The bottom line for any prospective applicant: corporate form and country of incorporation are not barriers in themselves, but integrity, transparency, and the ability to meet the AGCO's technical and compliance standards are. The full current list of registered operators is maintained by iGaming Ontario — checking that registry is the only reliable way to confirm whether a specific company has cleared the process and is legitimately operating in Ontario's regulated market.