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Ontario’s regulated commercial iGaming market has many player supports in place, but one thing it doesn’t have is a simple and effective way for gamblers to cut themselves off from all licensed operators. That will change in 2026, as iGaming Ontario (iGO) will finally launch its long-awaited centralized self-exclusion (CSE) system for players.

As we approach four years since Ontario’s market launched in April 2022, and as it swelled to around 50 operators running more than 80 iGaming sites, iGO President and CEO Joseph Hillier acknowledged that centralized self-exclusion has been a long time coming.

“I think there’s a recognition that we’re overdue for this system,”Hillier told Canadian Gaming Business in an interview.

After a long ramp-up period, it sounds like things are on track for the program to finally go live, four years later.

“I think we’re pretty confident that midway through next year, we’ll be in a position to do our public launch,” said Hillier.

80+ websites, one way to self-exclude

Ontario’s licensed operators are required by the market regulator, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), to host their own self-exclusion programs, and that requirement will remain in place.

But the AGCO has also stipulated since 2022 that some form of CSE system must be developed, a tool to allow in-need Ontario players to cut off their access to all of their online gaming accounts with regulated operators without needing to do so manually on each sportsbook or online casino that they use. iGO also lists participation in a future centralized CSE as one of its requirements for operators, similar to its mandate that all companies must commit to completing the Responsible Gambling Council’s RG Check certification.

WhenHillier took up the new role at the province’s iGaming conduct-and-manage agency in August 2025, he inherited a self-exclusion development process that had already been underway for a year. Having put out a request for a CSE tool to be created, iGO selected a joint bid from sports betting integrity monitoring specialist Integrity Compliance 360 (IC360) and technology firm DataWorks, the company formerly known as IXUP that developed Australia’s BetStop system.

Centralized means everyone, no exception

While iGO only conducts and manages Ontario’s commercial iGaming operators, not the government-run Ontario Lottery and Gaming (OLG) platform, the intention is for OLG to be included in the new CSE system along with all licensed online gambling sites.

“Ensuring all operators are participating in this program is critical,” Hillier told Canadian Gaming Business. “Ultimately, if we don’t have all the operators included, we don’t have a centralized self-exclusion program.”

The CEO added that iGO is cognizant of the fact that each operator has its own player protection protocols, its own technology plans and timelines, and its own thresholds for responsible gambling intervention action. He also noted that the large majority of licensed operators in Ontario operate in other jurisdictions too.

“The data situations of operators could differ very significantly from one to the other, so we’ve really tried to take that direct engagement and one-on-one approach to find what works and what doesn’t,” he said.

Ontario’s need for centralized self-exclusion, which is already operated in various forms by numerous U.S. states, has been so well recognized that Alberta is already planning to do the same. Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction Dale Nally wrote a requirement for CSE into his iGaming legislation that passed in May 2025. Ontario and Alberta connecting their respective systems is something that could be explored when the latter province is finally up and running.

AGCO outlines self-exclusion standards

In the meantime, the AGCO published new guidance on Dec. 18 to prepare for the launch, which it will flesh out in more detail when the CSE platform goes live.

Already, it has clarified some basic requirements, including:

iGO must clearly define term lengths for self-exclusion, and must include six-month, one-year, and five-month options

iGO, in tandem with operators, must effectively prevent self-excluding players from creating new accounts to bypass the system

iGO and operators must ensure that self-excluding gamblers are not hit with marketing material, promotions or other incentives to play

Operators must take steps to log out and block players immediately once they self-exclude, as well as cancel and refund outstanding wagers and refund balances

Operators must ensure that the CSE program is “well promoted” on their sites

Ultimately, for iGO, the AGCO, and all stakeholders, this is about safety and sustainability.

“This is really a big opportunity to help players to feel more supported in those most critical moments, where they can make informed choices and have tools at their fingertips,” Hillier concluded. “A key priority for us is obviously the safety and security of the confidentiality of the information from players. Plus, operators’ big priority is having a sustainable player base. If they don’t have that, it ultimately impacts their overall success. This piece is part of that sustainability story.

“The technology is robust, we’ve got great vendor partners, and I’m quite confident on the look and feel of it. It’s about making it ubiquitous and accessible, and I think that’s where you’re going to see the substantive impact.”

Both chambers of the New Jersey legislature unanimously approved a bill that would require higher education institutions to provide resources and education on preventing problem gambling on an ongoing basis.

Assembly Bill A1715 mandates that state universities, colleges and community colleges must host the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey (CCGNJ) on campus a minimum of once per semester. The CCGNJ, which is the non-profit organization that runs the national 1-800-GAMBLER hotline, would provide on-campus information and resources including information regarding the potential risks associated with gambling, compulsive gambling counseling services and options for gambling self-exclusion programs.

The bill, which is a carryover from 2023, was approved 77-0 in the Assembly in March and 38-0 in the Senate on Dec. 18. As no amendments were made in the Senate, it will be sent to Gov. Phil Murphy’s desk for signature. If that happens, it would become effective immediately.

A pivo..

The NBA is responding to recent allegations of current and former players tied to illegal gambling schemes by proposing and implementing policy changes for the entire league.

According to ESPN, the NBA reportedly sent a memo to all 30 NBA franchises, proposing and implementing changes to the league’s injury reporting process, player prop markets and “tanking” rules, which refers to teams deliberately losing games for a chance at higher draft picks. The NBA seeks changes to its gambling policy after the arrests of Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and former Cleveland Cavaliers guard Damon Jones. The NBA personnel were arrested after investigations into alleged illegal sports betting and the operation of Mafia-backed, rigged poker games.

Billups, a five-time NBA All-Star, was arrested for his supposed involvement in the illegal poker operation allegedly backed by the Italian Mafia, while Rozier allegedly provided insider information to c..

Massachusetts‘ gambling regulator has proposed a new regulation that would make the state the first in the U.S. to require sportsbooks to inform their users when and why their betting activity has been limited.

At a meeting on Thursday, Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) Deputy General Counsel Justin Stempeck presented commissioners with two options for the language of a new rule aimed at changing how sports betting operators approaching limiting players. Commissioners voted 5-0 in favor of putting forth a proposal that, if ultimately approved and enacted, would require legal sports betting operators to notify players that their activity has been limited, and explain why.

The proposed change will be opened up for public comment and hear from operators, other stakeholders and the public on the proposal. After feedback is reviewed and potentially incorporated, a formal commission vote would be required to officially adopt it.

“We are the first jurisdiction to take up this issue,” ..

NCAA President and CEO Charlie Baker said that Kalshi’s apparent intent to offer sports event contracts on which college athletes will enter or withdraw from the transfer portal is “absolutely unacceptable.”

Kalshi filed for self-certification of the transfer portal contracts, as well as markets on whether a player will transfer to a team within a certain time period, to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) on Tuesday, as first reported by InGame.

The filings stated that the contracts, which would be settled based on “public announcements”, including players’ social media and other channels, would initially be listed on Dec. 17.

A surefire route to integrity issues

Baker responded to the news on Thursday with a strongly worded statement on social media site X.

“The NCAA vehemently opposes college sports prediction markets,” Baker wrote. “It is already bad enough that student-athletes face harassment and abuse for lost bets on game performance, and now Kalshi wants to of..

The Responsible Gambling Council (RGC) has dropped the puck on a new partnership with the Ottawa Senators that focuses on increasing awareness of and access to responsible gambling resources for hockey fans in Canada’s capital.

The Canadian independent non-profit organization’s prevention messaging is now featured during the NHL team’s home games via in-arena activations and digital signage at the Senators’ Canadian Tire Centre arena.

The RGC and the Sens are also running a social media campaign and contest across Ontario and Quebec. The council sponsors a “Great Saves” in-game feature at select home games, provides content through the team’s social media channels and offers promotional contests designed to engage fans while also sharing responsible gambling information.

Meeting sports fans where they’re at

The partnership runs through June 2027, with the option to extend.

“Sports and sports betting are increasingly connected in today’s entertainment landscape,” said RGC CEO Sarah McCarthy. “This partnership allows us to reach people when they’re getting in the game with their team, in those moments when emotions are running high and provide them with practical information about how to keep gambling safe and enjoyable.”

“The Ottawa Senators organization is excited to partner with the Responsible Gambling Council,” added the Senators’ VP of Corporate Partnerships, Martin Ballard. “This collaboration supports our commitment to fan wellbeing and aligns with our core values and beliefs.”

RGC signs up roster of sports partners

The RGC has worked with regulators, operators, treatment providers and other stakeholders for decades to promote safer gambling in Canada and beyond. Its work is rooted in evidence-based research and emphasizes prevention education and access to supports.

It has added the Senators to a group of sports partners that also includes Toronto sports ownership conglomerate Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE), the owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Toronto Raptors, Toronto FC and the Toronto Argonauts, as well as the NFL.

The RGC also recently struck a deal with the Responsible Online Gaming Association (ROGA) to develop a first-of-its-kind U.S. certification for responsible online gaming. ROGA’s eight members include bet365, BetMGM, DraftKings, FanDuel, theScore owner PENN Entertainment and Bally’s, all of whom are operational in Ontario’s iGaming market. Its other two members, Fanatics Betting and Gaming and Hard Rock Digital, are exploring possibly expanding north of the border.