How to check if a betting site is licensed in Ontario

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ByLucas Portela
Published:
Quick Answer

Look for the iGaming Ontario logo, then confirm the site on iGaming Ontario's official list of regulated sites. If the exact web address is not on the list, do not deposit. Logos alone can be copied.

A licensed betting site in Ontario operates under iGaming Ontario (iGO) and is registered with the AGCO, so it has to follow Ontario’s standards for fair games, player protection and complaints. Checking takes about a minute, and it is worth doing before you deposit.

How to spot a licensed betting site

Three quick checks cover most cases, and you can run them in any order.

  • Look for the iGO logo: regulated sites show the iGaming Ontario logo, and the BetGuard logo, where you play.
  • Check the official list: iGaming Ontario publishes a directory of regulated sites, so search for the brand and for the company name, because operators can be listed under a legal name.
  • Match the web address: confirm that the exact address you are on matches the one listed, since logos can be copied and the address is the stronger check.

Take the check one step further by comparing the operator name in the site footer or terms with the name on the list. That extra look catches most look-alike sites.

Why it matters

Only regulated sites give you access to the AGCO complaints process, Ontario’s responsible gambling tools and standards for game integrity. A site that is missing from the iGO list is not regulated in Ontario, whether it has left the market or never joined it. If a site shows a logo but fails the list test, treat that as a warning and keep your money out of it. Confirm the site before you share ID documents or card details, because those are the hardest things to take back.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Is an offshore licence enough to bet in Ontario?

No. A licence from another country is not an Ontario registration. Offshore sites are outside Ontario’s regulator, so you would have no access to the AGCO complaint process or to Ontario’s player protections. Only an Ontario registration makes a site regulated here.

What if the logo is there but the site is not on the list?

Treat it as a warning sign and do not deposit. Copying a logo is easy, while the official list is controlled by iGaming Ontario, so when the two disagree, the list wins.

Do the same checks work outside Ontario?

Alberta has its own regulator, the AGLC, and its own approved operators, so check the AGLC’s information for sites in Alberta. In other provinces, the provincial lottery site is the regulated option, so confirm your own province’s regulator before you play.