Ontario’s newly regulated iGaming sector is growing at a rapid pace. Now, it seems as if more and more people are calling for the official opening of the market to be pushed back.
One such voice is that of Windsor MP Lisa Gretzky. She shares the view that the timing for launching a privatised online gambling sector in the province isn’t ideal right now.
The MP shares the view of many others in that a regulated iGaming market could deal the final blow to an already-struggling land-based casino sector.
The Good And The Bad
Ontario’s iGaming sector opened its doors for applications by private operators on April 4th, 2022. This is good news for revenue, taxes, entertainment-hungry players, and operators eagerly wanting to do business. However, it could potentially be lethal news for land-based gaming establishments still reeling from the effects of the global health crisis.
This point of view agrees with a report published not too long ago by the Great Canadian Gaming Corporation. According to the report, the comparatively lower taxes imposed on online gambling sites would ultimately mean the collapse of the traditional casino industry.
The MP isn’t proposing that the online gaming market be cancelled. According to Gretzky, such a launch should simply be delayed until the land-based casino sector has had time to recover from temporary closures.
Gretzky also pointed out that a massive portion of Ontario’s infrastructure centres around the land-based casino industry – including healthcare and education. Also, should government proceed with giving the green light for an immediate launch, Gretzky said she believed that thousands of jobs could be lost with near-immediate effect.
Unifor Concerned Over Jobs
Adding its voice to the collective concerned about job-losses had been labour union Unifor.
The union said more than 1,000 jobs will most likely be lost in the event of an immediate launch of Ontario’s iGaming market. With so much of the focus no on iGaming, said a representative of Unifor, chances are many land-based casinos will never fully recover.
