How old do you have to be to open an account at a regulated online casino in Ontario?

19. That's the answer — and it's a hard floor, not a guideline.

You must be 19 years of age or older to participate in all internet gaming products conducted and managed by iGaming Ontario. That applies to every regulated online casino, sportsbook, and poker site operating in the province, including those available to players here in Toronto. There are no exceptions for casino games or sports betting — the rule is uniform across the market.

What operators are required to do about it

The intent of the AGCO's standards is to ensure that an individual's age is verified before they are able to access areas of a website where they are able to play lottery and casino games. In practice, this means you'll be asked to provide identity documents during registration — date of birth is among the minimum data points operators are required to collect upon registration. Operators must also actively monitor for underage access; operators shall not knowingly permit an individual to engage in prohibited activities and shall take steps to actively monitor and prevent such prohibited activity.

One practical note: it is not a regulatory requirement for operators to verify the age of a user in order for them to view the various lottery schemes available for play — so browsing a site's game lobby without an account is generally permitted. The age gate kicks in the moment you try to actually play.

How to confirm a site is legitimately regulated

Before creating an account anywhere, check that the site displays both the iGaming Ontario logo and the BetGuard logo — per iGaming Ontario, those two marks together confirm the site is managed by iGaming Ontario and regulated by the AGCO. The full, live list of approved operators is maintained at the iGaming Ontario website, which is the only authoritative source for that — operator counts shift as registrations are added or removed, so the registry is always more current than any third-party list.

If you ever want to take a break, you can use BetGuard to opt out of all regulated online gambling in Ontario in a single step. And if you or someone you know needs to talk through a gambling concern, ConnexOntario (1-866-531-2600) is the province's support line.