Is Poker legal in Ontario? Online & Live Poker Laws in ON

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Sep 24, 2025 11 min read Last updated Nov 25, 2025

Online poker in Ontario is safe and legal to play, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some differences with other poker markets around the world. The provincial government created a new online gaming market in April 2022, ensuring that sites that wish to operate in Ontario are fully licensed and regulated but also cutting off players from the rest of the world.

Several sites have taken advantage of the new rules in place across Canada’s most populous province and opened their platforms for players in Ontario. These include PokerStars, partypoker, 888poker, and GGPoker. Players must prove they are physically located within the province in order to play. Online poker is legal in Ontario, but under some unique conditions.

Is Poker Legal in Canada?

Yes, poker is legal to play in Canada.

Although, it's perhaps more fitting to say that poker is not illegal in Canada, so you can play but it's not regulated.Online poker has long-since been available across Canada. Even after Black Friday, it took only a short amount of time before online sites such as PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker returned to the Canadian market.

The regulation of online poker is a provincial issue, but there are no widespread regulations prohibiting Canadians from enjoying poker action. That means Canadian poker players have access to all the major online poker sites and online poker tournaments as players around the world. However, poker is not regulated in Canada either. This means players are allowed to play online poker, but will do so at their own risk. That being said, most Canadians will pick global brands to play on which are safe and secure.

The one exception with regulation is in Ontario, which, beginning in April 2022, launched its own regulated online gaming market.

Can you Play Poker in Ontario - Is it Legal?

Yes, online poker is completely safe and legal to play in Ontario.

Online poker sites are fully licensed and regulated by iGaming Ontario, a commission established by the provincial government to oversee the new segregated market. Things get a little complicated when discussing the legality in Canada as a whole, though. Poker is legal (*under certain conditions such as being offered through licensed facilities), but it's up to provinces to individually regulate and decide what is and is not exactly allowed. This is where Ontario stands out as a unique case in Canada.

If you're located in another province, for instance Alberta or Quebec, you can play online but it's not regulated. Meanwhile, in Ontario there has been a regulated online poker market since April 2022. A lot of the main poker sites subsequently launched their product in the province, such as PokerStars Ontario and PartyPoker Ontario, to allow for ON players to play poker on their own bespoke platform rather than the global client.

These sites are all regulated, making online poker incredibly safe and legal in Ontario.

Ontario Regulated Poker Sites

Poker in Ontario - Legal Situation

From the start of the poker boom in 2003, Ontario proved a breeding ground for some of the game’s top players. Toronto native Daniel Negreanu was followed by players such as Sam Greenwood, Mike Watson, Sorel Mizzi, Timothy Adams, and Kristen Foxen.

In 2010, Jonathan Duhamel of Boucherville won the World Series of Poker Main Event. Back then online poker sites such as PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker flourished in Canada’s most populous province. Even after Black Friday on April 15, 2011, online sites were back up and running in Ontario within a few days.

The development of online poker in Ontario was dramatically changed, however, on January 28, 2022. The provincial government announced that online gaming would now be regulated by a new commission named iGaming Ontario. Online gaming platforms, including poker, wouldn’t have shared liquidity. Most importantly for Ontario poker players, it meant that the market would be cut off from the rest of the world.

By the time the new market launched on April 4, a number of sites had become fully licensed and regulated, including PokerStars Ontario, partypoker Ontario, and 888poker Ontario. On Sept. 30, the World Series of Poker came north with the launch of GGPoker.ca, a platform utilizing GGPoker software.

The milestones were quick to come. From Oct. 1-17, PokerStars ran the first-ever Ontario Championship of Online Poker (ONCOOP). Later that month, David “Edeskie” Cowling and Xing “Mai_K_4_Life” He won the first WSOP gold bracelets awarded exclusively to Ontario players.

PokerStars awarded five Platinum Passes to the PokerStars Players Championship to players in Ontario, including Jonathan “fuzztacular” Newman, who won an incredible six events over the 17 days of the ONCOOP, and Team PokerStars Pro Arlie "Prince Pablo" Shaban, who won an astonishing five ONCOOP titles.

Safe & Responsible Gambling in Ontario

Ontario has one of the most tightly regulated online poker markets in North America, with a strong focus on player protection. All licensed operators under iGaming Ontario (iGO) are required to provide responsible gambling tools such as deposit limits, loss limits, session reminders, timeouts, and self-exclusion options. These can be activated easily within each platform to help players stay in control.

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), together with iGaming Ontario, also oversees a province-wide self-exclusion program. This allows individuals to voluntarily ban themselves from all regulated online gambling sites and land-based casinos across the province for set periods or permanently. Free and confidential support is available 24/7 through ConnexOntario at 1-866-531-2600.

Ontario Poker History (Timeline)

• June 22, 2021: The Canadian government passes Bill C-218, opening the way for fully licensed online gaming. The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario would announce the creation of iGaming Ontario, a new provincial body to regular the new market
• January 28, 2022: Ontario government announces that the online gaming market would be launched on April 4, with all sites needing to be fully licensed and regulated by iGaming Ontario. No shared liquidity would be allowed, so poker players across the province would be segregated from the rest of the international player pool.
• April 4, 2022: The new gaming market launches, with sites including PokerStars, 888poker, and PartyPoker securing licenses. Players needed to be physically located within the province to play on these sites.
• Sept. 28, 2022: The World Series of Poker launches WSOP at GGPoker for players in Ontario. The new platform makes use of GGPoker software.
• Oct. 17, 2022: The inaugural PokerStars Ontario Championship of Online Poker concludes, with Jonathan “fuzztacular” Newman finishing as the top winner with six titles.
• October 30, 2022: David “Edeskie” Cowling and Xing “Mai_K_4_Life” He won the first WSOP gold bracelets awarded on GGPoker Ontario exclusively for Ontario players.

When was Poker Legalized in Ontario?

A new era in Ontario online poker was inaugurated on April 4, 2022, when the provincial government launched its new regulated, segregated gaming market. This allows Ontario players access to sites that are licensed by iGaming Ontario, but fences in the player pool to only other players in the province. Ontario players currently cannot play with other players around the world and must prove they are physically located within the province to play.

Play Legal Online Poker in Ontario

Online poker in Ontario is fully safe, secure, and regulated by the provincial government. There are several poker sites that have entered the Ontario market and are available for players across the province.

These include PokerStars, partypoker, 888poker, and GGPoker.ca.

Shared Liquidity in Ontario

Shared liquidity is all the rage south of the border, with several US states sharing liquidity between themselves. These include New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Michigan, and has the benefit of larger field sizes and prizepools.

But while Canada has a similar model, where individual provinces can poker regulate markets, only Ontario has thus far chosen to do so. Therefore, there is currently no shared liquidity for poker between provinces in Ontario, or Canada.

However, this does not mean it will always be the case. At the time of writing, Alberta looks set to become the second Canadian province to welcome poker to its people with a regulated market. In May 2025, Bill 48 cleared provincial regulation and now awaits higher signoff. But once that final hurdle is overcome (and it's expected to do so without a hitch), Alberta will follow in Ontario's footsteps. An exact date is unknown, but it will almost definitely happen in 2026.

Once it does, it's highly likely that Canada will open a two-province, shared-liquidity network, allowing residents from Alberta and Ontario to play online poker against each other on the same operator. PokerStars, GGPoker and PartyPoker are all likely to expand their operations into the new province, and Stars in particular has shown a willingness to connect regions under one player pool.

It's also worth noting that while there may not be inter-province shared-liquidity (yet), PartyPoker Ontario and BetMGM Poker Ontario do share a player pool.

Stay tuned to PokerNews for all your updates on Canadian poker. We'll bring you any developments on the Alberta situation as soon as it comes!

PokerStars - Can you Play PokerStars in Ontario

Yes, you can play PokerStars in Ontario..

PokerStars Ontario was among the first platforms to secure a license from iGaming Ontario. The site requires players to use GeoLocation software to prove their presence within the province. You'll then get access to the biggest, best, most-well known and [insert whatever other superlative you like here] poker site in the world.

PokerStars Ontario stands out as one of, if not the best online poker sites in the province. If you want variation, Stars has you covered with a wide selection of different game variants and formats to choose from. Looking for the biggest tournaments? PokerStars' Ontario, like its US sister-sites, offers a comprehensive daily schedule that culminates in some huge Sunday tournaments. The software is top-notch and the app runs smoothly, with strong functionality even compared to desktop.

PartyPoker - Can you Play PartyPoker in Ontario?

Yes, you can play PartyPoker in Ontario.

PartyPoker Ontario is one of the most established names in online poker and a fully licensed operator under iGaming Ontario. Once verified through GeoLocation, you can access a platform known for its reliability, fair play and player-focused features. It also uses the same software as BetMGM Poker Ontario (though the two are independent sites in their own right). The two have almost identical games and tournaments and share a player pool.

We particularly liked PartyPoker's strong focus on cash games and tournament variety, offering everything from low-stakes events to major Sunday headliners. Competitive rake, an important metric for any poker player, and innovative promotions also keep the action fresh. With user-friendly software and a seamless mobile app, PartyPoker Ontario is up there as one of the top picks in Ontario.

GGPoker - Can you Play GGPoker in Ontario?

Yes, you can play GGPoker in Ontario.

The World Series of Poker came to the province back in September 2022 with the launch of WSOP at GGPoker. At this time, it was under the WSOP banner but used the GGPoker software. It's since transitioned more towards the GGPoker brand, while still maintaining a close partnership with the WSOP. This allows its players to compete in real WSOP bracelet and circuit events, as well as satellite into the main show in Vegas.

GGPoker.ca is now one of the most exciting poker platforms in the province, licensed and regulated by iGaming Ontario. After completing GeoLocation checks, players can jump into one of the world’s fastest-growing poker networks.

What stands GGPoker.ca out is its innovative, modern software and unique features like staking, bubble protection and new tournament formats. It's a fresh alternative to traditional sites. The operator also runs massive tournament series with generous guarantees, alongside a wide range of cash games to suit all bankrolls. With a sleek mobile app and a reputation for big prize pools, GGPoker.ca is a top choice for Ontarians.

888poker - Can you Play 888poker in Ontario?

Yes, you can play 888poker in Ontario.

It is fully licensed by iGaming Ontario and was among the first sites to enter the new, regulated market. 888poker Ontario is another trusted brand operating under iGaming Ontario’s regulation. While it doesn't quite have the longevity in poker that PokerStars has, nor the prestige of GGPoker, 888 is one of the most globally recognizable names in gambling.

Ontario players can expect solid software with a more old-school style that still runs smoothly. The biggest plus of 888poker Ontario is the competition level, with the site known for softer games compared to some of its compatriots.

If you want a no-nonsense, easy-to-use platform, 888poker Ontario is the one for you. We feel it's especially suited to beginners.

BetMGM Poker - Can you Play BetMGM Poker in Ontario?

Yes, you can play BetMGM Poker in Ontario.

BetMGM brings its strong gambling brand to Ontario, offering not just poker but also casino games and sportbook wagering. This is significant, as the BetMGM Poker Ontario platform allows you to seamlessly switch between verticals.

Another plus point is the shared player pool with PartyPoker Ontario, meaning more players filling up tournaments and seats at the cash game tables.

BetMGM Poker Ontario is particularly popular with tournament players, thanks to its steady schedule of affordable events and special series with larger prize pools. The interface is straightforward and easy to use, making it accessible to newcomers. All-round, BetMGM Poker Ontario is another top pick for Ontario poker players.

Poker Legality in Ontario FAQs