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iGaming Ontario has launched BetGuard, a centralised self-exclusion platform that allows Ontario residents to block themselves from all regulated online gambling sites in the Canadian province.
The platform is available to anyone aged 19 and older and can be accessed without visiting individual gambling websites. After registering with valid identification, users are automatically excluded from all regulated operators, including the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation’s Proline platform.
Ontario residents can choose exclusion periods of six months, one year, five years, or a custom term. Users may renew or extend their exclusion period, but cannot shorten or cancel it once activated.
The launch comes as Ontario’s regulated iGaming sector continues to expand rapidly. The province currently hosts 44 licensed operators and 76 gaming websites, generating more than $4 billion in revenue in 2025.
“With the growth of a regulated market comes increased responsibility, and that really applies toward our more vulnerable, at-risk populations, some of whom may be challenged to find that right balance with responsible play,” Joseph Hillier, President and CEO of iGaming Ontario, told Casino.org.
Hillier said Ontario is now among a limited number of jurisdictions offering a centralized self-exclusion system tailored for a modern digital gambling environment. He described the platform as “simple, secure, and effective,” emphasizing that participation remains a voluntary decision made by the individual.
Since assuming leadership of iGaming Ontario in late 2025, Hillier said balancing industry growth with responsible gambling measures has been a key priority. He added that iGaming Ontario is looking at other jurisdictions for effective responsible gambling tools to bring similar systems to Ontario.
“Obviously, it has been a very successful marketplace, partly due to the conditions in which has created one very healthy, competitive market with innovation, but also delivering on the standards of building responsible play,” said Canadian Gaming Association President and CEO Paul Burns.
He added that operators are consistently being urged to embed responsible gambling into the core of their business practices. According to Burns, Ontario operators have largely done so, reflecting both the regulatory framework in place and the emphasis iGO has placed on making responsibility a central priority.
Burns added that there is an ongoing need for education, with industry stakeholders carrying a broader responsibility to ensure the public understands the product and how to use it responsibly.