iGaming Ontario Launches BetGuard, Covering All 82 Licensed Operators

Ontario's regulated iGaming market gained its first centralized self-exclusion tool on May 14, 2026, when iGaming Ontario launched BetGuard - a single-registration platform that blocks access across all 82 licensed online gaming operators in the province simultaneously. However, at the time of the market's maturation, there were 50 active operators with more than 2.6 million active player accounts.

The Details

Before BetGuard, players seeking to self-exclude had to contact each operator individually, a fragmented process that created real barriers for people trying to step away from gambling. Through BetGuard.ca, anyone aged 19 or older can now register once and be locked out of every regulated Ontario platform, including account creation, existing account access, and all marketing communications. Exclusion periods run 6 months, 1 year, 5 years, or a custom term chosen by the player.

The system was built by Integrity Compliance 360 (IC360) and Dataworks Group (formerly IXUP), the company that designed, delivered and now operates Australia's national self-exclusion register, BetStop - making BetGuard the first centralized system of its kind in North America.

The AGCO formalized operator participation through Standard 2.14.1, which took effect on the launch date. Under that standard, operators must prominently display BetGuard on their sites, block excluded players from all accounts, suppress marketing, and refund any unused funds while canceling wagers placed within 24 hours of exclusion.