Ontario Launches Centralized Self‑Exclusion System for Sports Betting and iGaming
Ontario has introduced BetGuard, a new tool that allows residents aged 19 and older to step away from all regulated online gambling platforms through a single portal.
By registering at BetGuard.ca, players can block access to their accounts, prevent the creation of new ones, and stop receiving marketing messages from operators. The launch reflects Ontario’s broader push to strengthen responsible gambling safeguards, ensuring that people who want to take a break can do so easily and across the entire regulated market.
iGaming Ontario President Joseph Hillier explained, “BetGuard is designed with one simple principle in mind: if you need take a break from the entire regulated igaming market, you can. Player choice is key to the sustainability of our market, and that includes the choice to opt out.”
The initiative comes as Ontario’s gambling sector continues to expand, generating C$262 million in revenue during 2024‑25, all of which is reinvested back into the province.
All regulated platforms covered, OLG included
BetGuard offers a dedicated website where anyone 19+ can opt out in minutes without visiting individual operator sites. It covers all regulated platforms, including OLG, and lets users choose exclusion periods ranging from six months to five years, or set a custom term.
Operators are instructed not to send marketing to those who opt out, and a customer care line is available for support. The Ontario government emphasized its commitment to responsible gambling, with Minister Stan Cho noting, “Strong regulation, paired with tools like BetGuard, ensures Ontario’s igaming sector continues to put player health and safety first.”
The Responsible Gambling Council added that centralized exclusion is one of the most effective harm‑prevention tools, while ConnexOntario highlighted its value as a timely support option.
Industry groups have also welcomed BetGuard as part of Ontario’s comprehensive player protection framework. Paul Burns, President of the Canadian Gaming Association, said, “Our members are committed to implementing this tool in their day‑to‑day operations, ensuring that any player who chooses to take a break can do so instantly and completely. This is regulated gaming delivering on its promise.”
Ontario continue to push for responsible gambling reforms
The rollout of BetGuard comes alongside other regulatory actions in Ontario. Legislators recently introduced Bill 107, the Stop Harmful Gambling Advertising Act, which would amend the Gaming Control Act to prohibit licensed operators and their partners from advertising through any medium.
Supporters of the measure argue that public health has worsened since the province opened its competitive iGaming market four years ago, pointing to the rise in gambling ads as a contributing factor. “Addiction to online gambling is an emerging public health crisis in Ontario – the only province that has privatized online gambling in the country,” the bill states.
The bill also arrives alongside federal initiative S‑211, which targets sports betting advertising and has already passed the Senate, now awaiting review in the House of Commons.
Meanwhile, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) fined Relax Gaming and Arrise Solutions C$40,000 each after their content appeared on unlicensed sites.
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