The recent BetMGM data breach that affected Ontario gamblers may cause additional changes
Since the launch of Ontario's new gaming market on April 4th, 2022, the province has regularly caught the attention of the media. The biggest point of focus has remained the regulation of the gaming industry, which made online gambling accessible to Ontarians. However, the data leak from BetMGM has been a recent point of contention which has worried quite a few Ontario players. How will it affect Ontario online casinos?
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The BetMGM Data Breach
Just before Christmas one of the leading sportsbooks announced that there was a “privacy incident, including unauthorized access to records of Ontario players” as iGaming Ontario called it on CTV News. The leaked data included names, contact information, dates of birth, player IDs, transaction details, and Social Security numbers.
According to the company's statement, the breach in the system probably occurred in May 2022, less than two months after BetMGM began operating in Ontario. Nonetheless, until November 28, BetMGM had no idea that it had been hacked, as there was no evidence or irregularities to suggest that anything was wrong.
“The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) is monitoring the BetMGM incident of unauthorized access to Ontario player data. This is a serious concern, and we are reviewing BetMGM systems, policies and practices given their regulatory responsibility to protect player information.”, stated AGCO in response to a question posed by CTV News Toronto.
Ontario’s Latest Developments
It is very likely that obtaining a license will become even more difficult to prevent possible future hacker attacks. Aside from the data breach, developments in Ontario's gaming sector continue. Three of them will have a significant impact in 2025.
New Regulatory Approval Secured
AGCO approved the subsidiary of NeoGames - BtoBet. This means that once the licensing process is completed, the sportsbook will be able to provide its services to Ontario residents. The regulator's decision comes after BtoBet acquired the GLI-33 Events Wagering System Certification issued by Gaming Laboratories International. In addition, at the beginning of 2023, Neo Games was also certified by the World Lottery Association (WLA) Responsible Gaming for compliance with global standards.
The 26th Edition of the Canadian Gaming Summit
The renowned gaming and betting event Canadian Gaming Summit returns June 13-15, 2023, under the management of SBC, an events and media company. This will be the 26th edition of the event, which will be organized in close cooperation with the Canadian Gaming Association (CGA) as it is expected to attract over 2,000 delegates. A two-day conference will be held with more than 150 participants. A variety of topics will be discussed, including the future of Canada's other provinces. In addition to the conference, there will be an exhibition floor featuring over 75 companies operating in the world's second-largest country.
Legal Sports Betting
In early 2022, Ontario becomes the first Canadian province to welcome commercial bookmakers. Currently, the list of sportsbooks available on its territory is constantly growing, considering that until recently the only legal option for sports betting was ProLine+, a Canadian-based service for wagering on various sports. It is also allowed to place bets on esports, but virtual sports are not considered betting on a sporting event, and therefore sports betting standards do not apply. In addition, in December 2022, the ACGO removed UFC events from the list of permitted sports for betting in Ontario.
Ontario Licensed Brands
Here is an updated list containing every brand that is registered at iGO and has an Ontario gaming license issued by AGCO. The operator that will be licensed very soon is Betiton and playing at Betiton online casino will be able in the territory of Ontario as well.
- 888 Casino
- 888 Poker
- 888 Sport
- Bally Bet
- Bet365
- Bet99
- Betano
- BetMGM Casino
- BetMGM Poker
- BetMGM Sportsbook
- BetRivers
- BetVictor
- Betway
- Bwin
- Caesars Sportsbook
- CanPlay Casino
- Captain Cooks Casino
- Casigo
- Casimba
- Casino Classic
- Casumo
- Comeon!
- Conquestador
- Coolbet
- DraftKings Casino
- DraftKings Sportsbook
- DreamVegas
- FanDuel
- FireVegas
- Gate777
- Golden Tiger
- Grand Mondial
- HelloCasino
- High Flyer Casino
- Jackpot City
- Jackpot Village
- Knightslots
- LeoVegas
- Lucky Days
- Luxury Casino
- NorthStar Bets
- PartyCasino
- PartyPoker
- Partysports
- Pinnacle
- Play Fallsview
- Play-On Casino
- Play-On Mansion Casino
- PlayOJO
- Playzee
- PointsBet
- PokerStars Casino
- PokerStars Poker
- PokerStars Sports
- Rivalry
- Royal Panda
- Royal Vegas
- Ruby Fortune
- SlotsMagic
- Spin Away
- Spin Casino
- SpinGenie
- Sports Interaction
- TheScore Bet
- Unibet
- WSOP
- Yukon Gold Casino
- Zodiac Casino
If you do not find the operator you would like to register with in the list of online casinos and bookmakers, then it is not yet licensed and cannot operate in Ontario. Reading our or Casivo operators’ reviews is a must if you want to sign up with a reliable one. As for security in connection with the BetMGM data leak, experts advise changing your passwords and email addresses frequently. If possible, it is good to reorient yourself to the use of prepaid credit cards or digital wallets, which give much less information about you on the gambling site compared to other payment methods.
Kayleigh reviews online casinos and sportsbooks while coordinating training initiatives for new recruits at Casimoose.ca. She excels at sharing her love for the iGaming industry and puts her past experience to good use. With a background working for the biggest gambling brands online and a strong analytical ability, Kayleigh developed a natural gift in breaking down each component of online casinos, betting sites as well as their offerings and hasn't looked back. Outside of Casimoose, she's a proud Ontarian with a love of sports and entertainment.