Penn National Gaming’s subsidiary, theScore, achieved Gaming Laboratories International GLI-33 certification for its mobile sports betting and igaming app.
Back in August, Ontario named GLI an independent testing laboratory for its soon-to-launch competitive gambling market.
Obtaining the GLI-33 certification is one of the requirements companies must achieve before offering legal online sports betting in the province.
And theScore definitely is aiming to become a regulated operator in Ontario. But first, the firm must go through all necessary approvals and satisfy pre-launch requirements.
These are imposed by the Alcohol Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and iGaming Ontario, and AGCO subsidiary responsible for overseeing private operators.
Preparation for Ontario’s market launch
theScore looks forward to offering Ontarians its online sports betting and igaming services.
“We’re pleased to be one of the first online gaming operators to secure GLI-33 certification in Ontario,” said John Levy, theScore’s CEO.
“We are eager to launch theScore Bet in our home market and showcase our unrivaled combination of media and gaming to fans across the province. This approval is a credit to our first-rate product and engineering team who have been hard at work to ready theScore Bet for launch in Ontario.”
The province of Ontario is expected to commence regulated online igaming and sports betting with private operators in Q1 2022.
The AGCO officially began accepting operator and supplier applications on Sept. 13.
Interested parties have already begun submitting applications for registration through iAGCO and are in the process of securing market access.
As stated on the agency’s webpage:
“Registered operators that have entered into an agreement with iGaming Ontario may start offering their products and services to people in Ontario’s regulated market.”
The province of Ontario planned to launch by the end of 2021, but not everything has gone as expected.
The delay is a concern among private sector operators and online sportsbooks who plan to legally operate and invest in the market.
But, once the market does launch, Ontario sportsbooks could generate up to CAD $570m in sports betting revenue within the first year.
And with a population of nearly 15 million people, there’s no doubt Ontario sports betting offers incredible potential.
