Canadian high court balks at Ontario international gambling bid

The Supreme Court of Canada heard arguments over whether Ontario can expand its iGaming platform to pool betting liquidity with international players, a change from the current model that keeps wagers within the province. The Atlantic Lottery Corporation, representing other provincial lotteries, argues the expansion exceeds what federal law allows, since Canadian statute lets provinces run gambling only within their own borders and doesn't address international play.

Ontario's Court of Appeal had ruled the plan lawful last November on the theory that nothing explicitly prohibits international play, a reasoning Atlantic Lottery's lawyer called backwards given that gambling in Canada is illegal unless specifically permitted. Several justices, including Mahmud Jamal, appeared to agree the appellate court's logic ran the wrong direction.

Ontario's attorney countered that the province still controls who it partners with and oversees the player experience, even with international liquidity pooling. Ontarians wagered $61.3 billion through the system in 2024-25, while addiction researchers note emergency room visits for gambling disorders have nearly doubled since the platform launched in 2022.

The full dispatch is available from the source below.