New free tool checks if a gambling site is licensed in Ontario

The International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR) launched CheckBeforeYouPlay.org on November 9, 2026. The free tool shows whether an online gambling site is licensed where you live. In Canada, it covers Ontario, British Columbia and Manitoba. The launch opened IAGR’s first Illegal Gambling Awareness Week, which runs from November 9 to 13.

What CheckBeforeYouPlay.org shows

CheckBeforeYouPlay.org matches a site’s web address against regulator records and other verified public sources. You pick your province or country, paste the address, and the tool returns the licensing details it holds. Each jurisdiction’s page also names its regulator, lists its licensed sites and lists the sites that regulator has blocked. IAGR built the tool with Sharp Vision, a French company whose software regulators already use to track unauthorized gambling sites.

IAGR lists the tool’s limits on its opening screen. The checker covers IAGR members only, and its records may miss recent changes. A listing is not a promise that a site is safe, so IAGR asks players to confirm with the regulator before they register, deposit or share personal details.

How to check if a gambling site is licensed in your province

The right check depends on where you play.

• Ontario: Run the site through CheckBeforeYouPlay.org, then confirm it in iGaming Ontario’s directory of regulated sites. Regulated Ontario sites also show the iGaming Ontario and BetGuard logos. Our Ontario guide lists operators registered with the AGCO, with links to our casino reviews.
• Alberta: The tool does not cover Alberta yet. Alberta players can use the live-site list kept by the Alberta iGaming Corporation (AiGC), or the registration list of the AGLC, Alberta’s gaming regulator. Since October 13, 2026, a site missing from the AiGC list is outside Alberta’s regulated market.
• British Columbia and Manitoba: Run the site through CheckBeforeYouPlay.org, then confirm it with your provincial regulator.

Each province sets its own rules for online play, as our Canadian gambling law guide explains.

What the AGCO and iGaming Ontario said

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) backed the campaign week. Dr. Karin Schnarr, the AGCO’s CEO and Registrar, said Ontarians “deserve to know who they’re dealing with before they place a bet.”

The AGCO also shared a player’s case it could not act on. A player reported a $21,000 jackpot at an online casino. When the player asked to withdraw, the casino demanded a second round of documents that the player’s bank could not supply. The AGCO could not step in, because the casino was not regulated in Ontario.

iGaming Ontario (iGO) issued its own notice, which counts more than 80 regulated Ontario sites run by dozens of operators. Every one of them offers BetGuard self-exclusion and the same complaint process.

Why a licence checker matters now

Unlicensed sites often copy the look of regulated brands. Kevin Mullally, IAGR’s CEO, said players “mistake familiarity for trust.” Players on those sites risk unpaid winnings, misused personal details and no regulator to complain to.

Most Ontario players already use regulated sites. iGO reported in May 2026 that the share is above 90%, so the tool targets the rest. Regulators abroad joined the week too, including Great Britain’s Gambling Commission and the Arizona Department of Gaming.

Alberta remains the gap. Its private market opened in July 2026, and the AiGC and AGLC lists are still the official checks there. Our Alberta online casinos page includes only sites on the AiGC list.

Ontario: 19+. Play within your limits. If gambling is a problem, call ConnexOntario at 1-866-531-2600 or visit connexontario.ca. More help is on our responsible gambling page.

Alberta: 18+. Play within your limits. For support, call the Alberta Addiction Helpline at 1-866-332-2322 or visit GameSense (gamesenseab.ca). Alberta tools are on our Alberta responsible gambling page.