Play OLG set to launch early 2015

Around 40% of Canada’s adult population will have access to government licensed/operated online casino games for the first time ever when Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation’s (OLG) casino site launches in the new year.

Play OLG (at playolg.ca) soft-launched last Friday, inviting 500 customers to play their games, 84 of whom accepted the invitation according to the Toronto Sun.

It is expected that the casino will be made available to all Ontario resident adults early next year, joining Canada’s other online casino provinces in British Columbia, Manitoba and Quebec.

The launch is a little later than the Ontario government’s originally planned target of 2012. Guess delays are inevitable when it comes to politically sensitive government projects, and/or those involving input from Rob Ford. Either way, the wait will soon be over.

Play OLG will offer games powered by casino software developer SPIELO G2 (Lottomatica subsidiary) under a 5 year license deal. OLG are remaining tight lipped on how much they hoped to make from their new venture in that time with vice president of gaming John Wisternoff telling the media Friday that the information was deemed commercially sensitive.

The media shouldn’t be too disappointed with this. Recent history when it comes to government licensed online casinos in both Canada and the US suggests actual revenues will come in no where near projections anyway (on the downside). This has been the experience in Quebec and New Jersey.

No live dealers at Play OLG. Not initially anyway. But with the likes of Amaya and Microgaming (studio) based in Toronto it would seem a logical fit down the track.