Ontario Eyes Cross-Border Online Poker

Court Case Could Reshape Ontario’s Poker Landscape

Ontario’s online poker market is currently ring-fenced, meaning only players physically located within the province can join the tables. But that may change soon. In July, during the NCLGS (National Council of Legislators from Gaming States) summer meeting, Ontario’s Attorney General Doug Downey reportedly confirmed that the province has asked its Court of Appeal for permission to open the virtual poker room doors to US and international players — so long as those players are in jurisdictions where online poker is legal.

This isn’t a new court case, but part of a legal process that’s been quietly progressing since February 2024, when Ontario first submitted an application asking for clarity around pooled online gaming. The province wants the court’s opinion on whether it’s legal to include non-Ontario players in games that are still conducted and managed within the province. A hearing was held in November 2024, and we’re now in a holding pattern while the court weighs its decision.

Notably, several major operators (PokerStars, GGPoker, and others) have filed submissions supporting the interpretation that cross-border poker play is permissible under Canada’s Criminal Code, provided Ontario’s gaming authority maintains control over its local player base.

Could Ontario Join the US Player Pool?

That’s the big question — and for the first time, legal experts are saying yes, it’s within reach.

Ontario may not be a US state, but the structure of the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA) doesn’t explicitly exclude non-US jurisdictions. According to gaming attorney Jeff Ifrah, who was involved in drafting MSIGA, there’s nothing in the compact that prevents Ontario from joining, should the province and the member states agree to it.

In an interview with Poker Industry PRO, Ifrah explained that while MSIGA wasn’t initially designed with Canadian provinces in mind, it does not prohibit Ontario’s inclusion. That alone makes the possibility of a North American shared poker network more plausible than ever.

Currently, MSIGA connects the online poker markets of Michigan, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Nevada, West Virginia, and Delaware, making up the core of regulated US poker. If Ontario were to somehow link into this network, it could unlock one of the biggest shared liquidity pools in the world.

That said, the current signals point to Europe as the more likely early partner. Ifrah told Poker Industry PRO that Ontario appears more focused — for now — on linking with regulated markets like the UK or Germany, where player-sharing is already part of the regulatory framework.

What Happens Next?

The Ontario Court of Appeal has not yet issued a decision, and there’s no set timeline. A ruling could arrive in the coming months—or take longer. Even after that, it could still be appealed to the Supreme Court of Canada, potentially delaying any major changes.

But what’s clear is that Ontario is actively pushing to rejoin the broader poker ecosystem. And if the court gives it the green light, we could be looking at a significant shake-up in the global online poker map — with Ontario back on the international stage and possibly even facing off against players in New Jersey, Michigan, and beyond.

Until then, all eyes are on the court.