Ontario Launches BetGuard Province-Wide Online Self-Exclusion

iGaming Ontario launched BetGuard on 14 May 2026, a centralized self-exclusion program that lets anyone 19 or older opt out of every regulated online gambling website in Ontario, including OLG.ca, through one registration at BetGuard.ca. Until now, a player who wanted a complete break had to self-exclude separately with each operator.

Enrolment blocks access to existing accounts, prevents new ones from being opened and tells operators to stop sending direct marketing. Players can choose a term of six months, one year, five years or a custom length, and the service is free. “Player choice is key to the sustainability of our market, and that includes the choice to opt out,” said Joseph Hillier, iGaming Ontario’s president and chief executive officer.

Sarah McCarthy, chief executive of the Responsible Gambling Council, called centralized self-exclusion “one of the most effective tools we have in gambling harm prevention.” Stan Cho, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming, said the tool applies across more than 75 regulated sites.

What operators must do

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario brought new rules into force the same day. Under Standard 2.14.1 of the Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming, every operator must take part in the program and promote it on its site. iGaming Ontario must add a person to the central registry no later than one hour after registration, and operators must log that person out as soon as they receive confirmation.

Within 24 hours of enrolment, operators must stop marketing to the person and cancel and refund any outstanding bets to the player wallet. The exception is a bet on an event that starts within that 24-hour window, which may stand. Unused balances must be returned, either automatically or on request, depending on the operator. Operators must also have plans to keep excluded players out if checks against the registry are disrupted.

How sign-up works

Registration is personal: nobody can enrol another person. BetGuard asks for a government-issued photo ID, a permanent Canadian or U.S. address, a cellphone number for a verification code and an email address. Applicants photograph their ID and complete a face scan on a device with a camera, and the information should match the details on their existing gambling accounts. BetGuard advises signing out of any open player accounts first and says the ID is used only for verification and is not stored or shared.

Anyone who needs help can call the BetGuard contact centre at 416-479-0008 in the Greater Toronto Area or 1-833-776-7171 toll-free. Agents can walk callers through registration in English or French after verifying their identity.

What players should know before opting out

A BetGuard term cannot be shortened once it starts, although it can be extended at any time. When a term ends, the person can choose a new term or remove themselves from the registry. If they do neither, BetGuard keeps them excluded for a further seven years. Existing self-exclusions with individual operators do not carry over, and operators must keep running their own programs; the AGCO has said it will review that requirement within 12 months of BetGuard’s launch.

BetGuard covers only Ontario’s regulated market. It does not block offshore sites, so its help page also points to gambling-site blocking software, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Credit Canada and ConnexOntario. Players who want a shorter pause can still use the financial and time limits that every regulated operator must offer, or an operator’s own self-exclusion.

The BetGuard guide walks through registration step by step, and the responsible gambling page lists support services. ConnexOntario offers free, confidential help 24 hours a day at 1-866-531-2600, by texting CONNEX to 247247 or through chat at connexontario.ca.