Ontario’s commercial gaming market has gained access to a new tool from iGaming Ontario (iGO) aimed at combating problem gambling behavior across the province.
On Thursday, iGO launched a new responsible gaming tool, BetGuard, providing bettors in the region with the opportunity to voluntarily self-exclude themselves from Ontario’s portfolio of licensed online gambling platforms.
“Ontario is joining a short list of jurisdictions that have high-tech, comprehensive centralized self-exclusion that really meets the needs of a 21st-century digital market,” said iGO President and CEO Joseph Hillier during a media roundtable on Tuesday regarding BetGuard.
How does the self-exclusion system work?
BetGuard is an RG tool available to Ontario residents aged 19 and older. The offering allows Ontarians to self-exclude from iGaming by using the BetGuard website instead of requiring bettors who are looking to self-exclude to visit the regulated platforms they want to avoid.
BetGuard takes several steps to ensure individuals don’t access wagering platforms:
- Blocks access to existing player accounts
- Prevents individuals from creating new accounts
- Blocks marketing communications from licensed gaming platforms in Ontario
- Users can set self-exclusion terms of six months, one year, five years, or a custom term
“BetGuard is designed with one simple principle in mind: if you need a break from the entire regulated iGaming market, you can take it,” continued Hillier.
iGO is simplifying voluntary self-exclusion through BetGuard by allowing users to remove themselves from wagering in under 10 minutes when registering with the platform. Users only need a mobile device and an ID to complete the signup process.
Once registration is completed, self-excluders are blocked from using more than 70 iGaming brands. BetGuard does not require users to have an existing player account with an operator. The platform delivers both English and French language text and voice to Ontario residents.
BetGuard also provides Ontarians with access to agents who will assist in the signup process, as well as connections with mental health, addiction and gambling support.
The agents, who are available 24/7, can provide direct transfers with ConnexOntario, a free government-funded mental health and addiction treatment support helpline.
“Offering a tool like BetGuard is very important,” said ConnexOntario Executive Director Nerin Kaur during the roundtable. “Having BetGuard allows our team to educate the individual and help them through the process, and the individual will only have to self-exclude one time, so the amount of willpower it takes for the individual decreases.”
In addition to ConnexOntario, BetGuard has also garnered support in Ontario from the Responsible Gambling Council and the Canadian Gaming Association.
“This [BetGuard] is something the industry has been waiting for,” said Canadian Gaming Association CEO Paul Burns. “We are grateful because this delivers on the promise of regulated gaming. This is a real demonstration of what that means.”
BetGuard launches after monumental results in Ontario
Last month, iGO released a monthly revenue report that included historic results for Ontario’s regulated online gambling market. In March, iGO reported a total $9.59bn handle for online sportsbooks and online casino gaming, an all-time monthly record in Ontario.
The results surpassed January’s $9.52bn handle.
Non-adjusted gross revenue for licensed operators in Ontario reached $387m in March, a 13% compared to February’s results. iGO also reported an uptick in active player accounts.
The province had 1.235 million player accounts in March, a 17% increase year-over-year.
