- 888 Holdings has been licensed in Ontario for sports betting, iGaming and poker.
- 888 will launch their offerings on April 4, 2022.
- 888 is now licensed in 19 markets including 7 US states.
Did we tell you that we’re completely stoked on Ontario sports betting? Oh yeah–that’s what our entire previous article was about. Ontario looks to have created the most intelligent and coherent regulatory framework for sports betting of any jurisdiction in North America. You can read our previous article for a ‘deep dive’ into some of the regulations but tl;dr: reasonable fees, no tethering, no limits on competition, few restrictions on sports and bets offered.
Sometime within the next week, I’ll pull together a list of sportsbooks that have indicated in some form or another that they’ll be launching in Ontario. Some of these are already listed on the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) website. The rest are based on indications elsewhere that an Ontario launch is forthcoming–note that these aren’t based on my ‘guess’ but on semi-legitimate information. For example, we know that BetMGM is Ontario bound since it was mentioned in the most recent earnings presentation by MGM Resorts’ partner in their sports betting/interactive gaming endeavor, Entain PLC.
Another company that we know is planning to launch in Ontario is 888 Holdings. In fact, they sent out a press release on that very topic:
Online betting and gaming firm 888 is getting ready to launch in Ontario after being awarded an igaming license for the province by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).
The regulated Ontario market is set to open on April 4. From the launch, operators that have registered with the AGCO and have executed an operating agreement with its subsidiary iGaming Ontario (iGO) can begin to offer games to players within the region.
888 will offer its casino, sport, and poker products to players located across the province via its proprietary technology when the market opens.
I’m assuming that they’ll be operating in Ontario under the 888 brand names (888Sports, 888Poker, 888Casino). That’s what they’ve done in the US except in Colorado where they operate SI Sportsbook in partnership with Sports Illustrated. At one point, they indicated that they’d also be launching an eponymously branded sportsbook in Colorado but as of yet it hasn’t happened. 888 now holds licenses in 19 regulated markets including 7 US states.
Itai Pazner, CEO of 888 Holdings Plc, commented on his company’s forthcoming launch in Ontario:
“We are delighted to have been awarded a licence by the AGCO and look forward to launching in the market when it officially opens. “
“As a group, our focus is on strengthening our presence and offer to customers across key regulated markets. To that end, Ontario represents an attractive long-term growth opportunity for 888 and this is an extremely strategically important milestone for us.”
“As we prepare for launch in the coming weeks, we are excited to bring all of 888’s leading products and games to new audiences across the province, providing our unique and differentiated experiences to players.”
More news on Ontario sportsbook launch plans in the days to come!
