NorthStar Gaming's NorthStarbets.ca is available to consumers outside of Ontario, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) discovered. In a Wednesday (16 October) press release, the agency announced that it is fining NorthStar CA$30,000 (US$21,741/£16,712/€20,082)) for the violation.
Wagering and igaming platforms in Ontario are required to use geolocation services to ensure customers are located within the province. In August 2021 the Canadian government announced it was decriminalising single-event wagering. Ontario so far is the only province in which commercial online gambling is available.
Other provinces offer digital gambling through their lotteries, but do not yet have open, competitive markets. The expectation is that the next province to launch digital gambling will be Alberta.
According to the AGCO, it discovered the violation during a “third-party assessment” earlier this year. “Tests were conducted from physical locations in Quebec and New York state t..