ONOnline in Ontario
Online play ends at the river
Ontario's regulated online casinos accept bets solely from people physically inside the province, which matters to anyone across the river. This page sets out where the rules apply, who runs the market and how to opt out.
By the Crossing DeskChecked October 2026
Phone in Detroit, phone in Windsor
Regulated online gambling in Ontario is for people 19 or older. The same age applies to online casino gaming and online sports betting. An account can be opened or accessed from outside the province. Bets are another matter: they can be placed solely while the player is physically in Ontario.
For a phone in Detroit, that means no bets, even with an Ontario account already set up. Across the river in Windsor the same account falls under Ontario rules, the 19+ line included. Where the player stands decides it, not where the player lives.
Regulator, iGO and OLG.ca
Ontario has a regulated online casino market with two bodies involved. The AGCO, the regulator, must register each private site. Each of those sites also needs an operating agreement with iGaming Ontario, known as iGO. A private site needs both to operate in the regulated market.
The official list of regulated sites is the iGO directory at igamingontario.ca. A name seen on a banner or a phone screen can be checked there before any money moves. Separate from the private sites, OLG.ca is the government-run online casino of Ontario.
One opt-out for online sites
BetGuard, at betguard.ca, is run by iGaming Ontario. A person aged 19 or older can use it to opt out of every regulated Ontario online gambling site at once, OLG.ca included. Terms are 6 months, 1 year, 5 years or a custom length.
It does not cover casinos people walk into, so it has no effect at the door on Riverside Drive East. That door falls under My PlayBreak, OLG's self-exclusion program, which bars entry to every Ontario casino.
Who pays for this guide
This guide earns money through paid links placed on its home page and nowhere else. Each one is marked Ad: a button in the menu, a block below the first screen and a block near the end. All three go to one private online casino partner that pays the guide a commission.
The partner is not named here and can change. The guide does not vouch for it. Readers who want to check any online casino, this partner included, can look it up in the iGO directory at igamingontario.ca.
Questions at the gate
Can a Michigan resident with an Ontario account bet from home?
No, bets require the holder to be physically in Ontario. The account itself can be opened or accessed from Michigan, but betting waits until the holder is inside the province.
Is OLG.ca run by the province?
Yes, OLG.ca is the government-run online casino of Ontario. BetGuard covers it along with the private regulated sites.
Does a BetGuard term apply at the casino door in Windsor?
No, BetGuard covers regulated Ontario online gambling sites and does not cover casinos people walk into. Entry to Caesars Windsor falls under My PlayBreak, OLG's self-exclusion program.