NorthStar Gaming Inc. is now an official, registered online gaming operator, for Ontario sports betting.
The launch of NorthStar Gaming’s Ontario gaming platform is now “imminent” after Thursday’s announcement. The company owns and operates NorthStar Bets, an Ontario online casino and sportsbook gaming platform, providing real time news, stats, analysis and scores in a betting environment, according to a news release.
“As a made-in-Ontario online gaming and sportsbook operator, we're excited to be awarded our registration as we prepare to launch a locally relevant platform for Ontario gaming enthusiasts to experience,” Michael Moskowitz, chief executive officer and a founding partner of NorthStar Gaming, said in the release. "As a local operator, the opportunity for us to design, build and launch a platform for our home market is very special. We're proud to call Ontario home and look forward to introducing our content-rich platform to consumers.”
On the heels of this latest news salvo in what has been a crazy two weeks since the regulated market opened in the province on April 4, OntarioBets.com spoke Friday with Canadian Gaming Association president & CEO Paul Burns, who was at ICE London, the big international showcase for the gaming industry.
A Lot of Talk About Ontario
There has been a lot of buzz in London about Ontario, he said.
“I have been listening to people gathered here for the Expo, and everyone wants to talk about Ontario,” he said Friday morning. “[Ontario] is an open licensed market now. There’s not many of them out there, so there’s a lot of interest in the marketplace.
”By and large the rollout has been quite good. The operators I have spoken with have been very happy. There are a lot of unique features to Ontario’s regulatory model and the structure of the market. But with the work of the AGCO and iGaming Ontario, the operators were able to conquer all that. They broke down all the misconceptions and helped build the knowledge. It’s been the cooperative nature of all the agencies supporting the operators, that’s been key to the success so far. That doesn’t happen in many other areas of the world.”
More Operators Getting Approved
NorthStar Bets Sportsbook is now the 29th entry on the AGCO registry (some, like TWHG Inc., list more than one brand). Operators who have successfully registered with the AGCO must also execute an Operator Agreement with iGaming Ontario before they can legally operate in the province.
iGaming Ontario was established by the province in 2021 to conduct and manage internet gaming in the province when provided through private gaming operators. The number of approved operators according to the iGaming Ontario site now sits at 13.
ElectraWorks joined the list this week and its brands include Bwin.ca, Partypoker.ca, Partycasino.ca and Partysports.ca. Burns said to expect more added to that list over the next week.
All of this is a reason why there’s been a high level of interest in Ontario at events like ICE London, Burns added.
“It’s not just success on Day 1, Day 7, or in 6 months,” he said. “People want success for a long time.”
