Ontario, Canada poker appears to be growing

Shells

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Linked below is an account of how well online poker in Ontario is coming along. This article includes comparisons with the USA counterparts who have regulated poker in those states.

Ontario Online Poker Market Surpasses US Regulated States, WSOP.ca Tops Traffic Table

New Jersey Online Poker Market​

Poker NetworkTraffic 24-Hour Peak
WSOP/888 US 516
Partypoker NJ200
PokerStars NJ 145
Total861


Ontario Online Poker Market​

Poker NetworkTraffic 24-Hour Peak
WSOP Ontario 335
PokerStars Ontario230
BetMGM Ontario 135
888poker Ontario40
Total740


Michigan Online Poker Market​

Poker NetworkTraffic 24-Hour Peak
PokerStars MI 318
BetMGM MI166
WSOP MI 147
Total631


Pennsylvania Online Poker Market​

Poker NetworkTraffic 24-Hour Peak
PokerStars PA 369
WSOP PA137
BetMGM PA 83
Total539

 
DaveE

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Ughhh. To me reports like these are like saying "oooo look how well you're hopping now, you've really improved since I first cut off your leg. Here are some other guys whose legs I chopped off, you're doing pretty well compared to them. "
 
Normino

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I culdnt find any games on 888 so i ended up playing slots so far won 200 and cashed out, I will have too check out wsop maybe i can get a game (in my price range) there
 
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fundiver199

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Oh dear. For the meantime I am happy, that I am still allowed to play with people from the rest of canada on the normal pokerstars site :)
 
dreamer13

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Since Ontario is the main supplier of gamblers in the country - the province of Quebec, which is the closest to it in terms of population, has only 8.5M inhabitants, it was from there that the authorities decided to start creating reservations similar to the American model, but with minor changes. Initially, it was assumed that online gambling would become available only Canadians, but from any province or territory, and citizens and residents themselves will be banned from playing in rooms and casinos with an international pool. However, in the process of preparation, the restrictions were revised, making them tougher: only residents and residents of Ontario can play in the pool of the province, and access to international gambling companies from it will be closed.Having received negative feedback and even notes of protest from operators, the government of Canada and the authorities of Ontario softened their statements a little, noting that if other subjects of the country follow the example of the largest and also become reservations, then with a high probability they will be able to unite in a common pool.
 
Poker Orifice

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Since Ontario is the main supplier of gamblers in the country - the province of Quebec, which is the closest to it in terms of population, has only 8.5M inhabitants, it was from there that the authorities decided to start creating reservations similar to the American model, but with minor changes. Initially, it was assumed that online gambling would become available only Canadians, but from any province or territory, and citizens and residents themselves will be banned from playing in rooms and casinos with an international pool. However, in the process of preparation, the restrictions were revised, making them tougher: only residents and residents of Ontario can play in the pool of the province, and access to international gambling companies from it will be closed.Having received negative feedback and even notes of protest from operators, the government of Canada and the authorities of Ontario softened their statements a little, noting that if other subjects of the country follow the example of the largest and also become reservations, then with a high probability they will be able to unite in a common pool.
Can you provide a link for this information? (fwiw, I've heard nothing of the sort... also, the translation isn't the greatest there... ie' 'reservations'? 'subjects'?
 
Luvepoker

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If this is actually accurate and I understand it correctly, Poker in the USA is screwed. No wonder why my local politician says poker will never be legalized in this state is not worth having. I am truly sicked and shocked by these numbers. While I love this game and dont think I will stop playing, I cant help but wonder it maybe it is time to find a new game to play. No tournaments at our casino or even the one in the next state not to far away. Foxwoods only has one game on the weekends that's way out of normal player's affordability. Turning stone..................................... OK i am going to stop as I am on tilt.
 
Rockyfour

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Government really butchered this market. Closing it to only people in Ontario and adding dumb ass geo-location BS was a huge mistake.
 
AlphaCentauro

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Ontario and Canada in general is becoming a fascist regime… and poker is no different from anything else.
 
Shells

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Ontario and Canada in general is becoming a fascist regime… and poker is no different from anything else.
I'm not so sure the actions taken toward online poker by the government of Ontario can actually fall under the heading of 'fascist' but I do know the government is not operated by one individual regardless of what people think. I don't support the limitations Ontarians have been given for online poker but with online poker seemingly misunderstood by the governments, pretty much because most don't have a clue how the game is defined or played, this is what we will get until they figure out how money can actually be made. Unless the average taxpayer wants to dig deeper and find out where all the money goes, we can't conjure up ideas of what we think politicians are doing with the money and then proceed to tell the world it's all corrupt. God knows that online sports betting and casinos are bigger money makers so naturally governments see an easy way of adding money to a budget with a lot of social programs.

Just a bit of what I'm thinking at the moment.
 
AlphaCentauro

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I'm not so sure the actions taken toward online poker by the government of Ontario can actually fall under the heading of 'fascist' but I do know the government is not operated by one individual regardless of what people think. I don't support the limitations Ontarians have been given for online poker but with online poker seemingly misunderstood by the governments, pretty much because most don't have a clue how the game is defined or played, this is what we will get until they figure out how money can actually be made. Unless the average taxpayer wants to dig deeper and find out where all the money goes, we can't conjure up ideas of what we think politicians are doing with the money and then proceed to tell the world it's all corrupt. God knows that online sports betting and casinos are bigger money makers so naturally governments see an easy way of adding money to a budget with a lot of social programs.

Just a bit of what I'm thinking at the moment.
“Fascist regime” was an analogy. I can call it a “communist regime” if that helps 😁 it is a regime anyhow made to limit our freedoms. And yes I agree that all the regulation are only made to benefit someone’s pocket.
 
johnnylawford

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I don't think this is too surprising as ON had an established market for online poker at time of regulation. In contrast, the US markets with regulated sites would have lost a lot of players over the years when there were no trusted options available in these markets. It would be interesting to compare traffic before and after regulation on Stars to see how many people in the province stopped playing when they became quarantined from the general player pool.
 
Mati532

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What good news guys, I hope you can grow even more!!!
 
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Linked below is an account of how well online poker in Ontario is coming along. This article includes comparisons with the USA counterparts who have regulated poker in those states.

Ontario Online Poker Market Surpasses US Regulated States, WSOP.ca Tops Traffic Table

New Jersey Online Poker Market​

Poker NetworkTraffic 24-Hour Peak
WSOP/888 US516
Partypoker NJ200
PokerStars NJ145
Total861


Ontario Online Poker Market​

Poker NetworkTraffic 24-Hour Peak
WSOP Ontario335
PokerStars Ontario230
BetMGM Ontario135
888poker Ontario40
Total740


Michigan Online Poker Market​

Poker NetworkTraffic 24-Hour Peak
PokerStars MI318
BetMGM MI166
WSOP MI147
Total631


Pennsylvania Online Poker Market​

Poker NetworkTraffic 24-Hour Peak
PokerStars PA369
WSOP PA137
BetMGM PA83
Total539

When was this? I am on Stars quite regularly and it always seems to have about 4 k players
 
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“Fascist regime” was an analogy. I can call it a “communist regime” if that helps 😁 it is a regime anyhow made to limit our freedoms. And yes I agree that all the regulation are only made to benefit someone’s pocket.
Complete nonsense. Keep your ridiculous politics to yourself, thank-you.
 
Statsman1

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Go Ontario go!!

Playing in Ontario DEFINITELY means a smaller player pool, and playing the same opponents far more often than when we could play internationally.

I don't know about limiting freedom - that seems a bit dramatic (you can still play) - but it does limit how much complaining I would do here on CardsChat, since it's too possible that the person I would complain about would read about it! :)

I just hope the game keeps growing. It feels like, for such (in relative terms) a small player pool, we have too many poker sites to go to (spreading out the number of players too thinly), so we just need more Ontario people to play.
 
CRStals

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If this is actually accurate and I understand it correctly, Poker in the USA is screwed. No wonder why my local politician says poker will never be legalized in this state is not worth having. I am truly sicked and shocked by these numbers. While I love this game and dont think I will stop playing, I cant help but wonder it maybe it is time to find a new game to play. No tournaments at our casino or even the one in the next state not to far away. Foxwoods only has one game on the weekends that's way out of normal player's affordability. Turning stone..................................... OK i am going to stop as I am on tilt.
Ken - there's a big difference I think that is not covered in this news story that could change your opinion.

ONLINE Poker in the US faces an uphill battle whereas in Ontario it's thriving, mainly because the live poker scene (at least the regulated live poker scene) is non-existent. There are literally 5 or 6 card rooms in the entire province, and almost all are near the border to the US. There are no card rooms in the Greater Toronto area - all are at least an hour away and the better ones are much further. So it shouldn't be a shock that online poker is doing well because it's just simply easier to access. Whereas in the US - and I definitely could be wrong here - but with the number of new casinos and cardrooms that are accessible, people get better action playing live than online - another reason that there are 4 unique networks that all launched within 6 months where there isn't a State with 4 opeators yet

It actually speaks to live poker thriving in the US more which is a better thing longer term for the industry in my opinion.
 
riff_raff312

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Being from Ontario i might have asked way too many question when they first shout down my options to play with my friends from around the world because i got this:


b24b7b88e444d5fafcc92de420bb144b.png

So just a note to those of you here in Ontario don't buck the system or you just can't play any more.Don't even mention the P word or they will freeze your account.They just want a little tax money that's all :rolleyes: it's really not that bad here.
 
Rockyfour

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I actually tried a site recently in Ontario, and it's actually very good. I take back all prior criticism against the Ontario government as long as things with this site don't go rapidly south for some reason.
 
Shells

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I actually tried a site recently in Ontario, and it's actually very good. I take back all prior criticism against the Ontario government as long as things with this site don't go rapidly south for some reason.
Which site did you try, Rocky? (out of curiosity :))
 
Rockyfour

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Which site did you try, Rocky? (out of curiosity :))
I tried WSOP.ca. I really enjoyed the generous rake back with low rake caps. The games seem to be very soft as well, at least so far. Only have played around 5 hrs but made $400 on the $25 tables so not a bad start at all lol.
 
Normino

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DId you have to submit a million documents like me to get verified? finally got verified now i just need too play weird tho I was trying to get in for the $55 ontario 100K sunday game but took too long to get approved. One of the Players at the table did not have a canadian flag beside thier name tho it was a red and green flag I've never seen before. also thier was only 20 sumthing people in that game top 12 or 18% would have made sundays game..
 
Rockyfour

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DId you have to submit a million documents like me to get verified? finally got verified now i just need too play weird tho I was trying to get in for the $55 ontario 100K sunday game but took too long to get approved. One of the Players at the table did not have a canadian flag beside thier name tho it was a red and green flag I've never seen before. also thier was only 20 sumthing people in that game top 12 or 18% would have made sundays game..
There is an option where you can pick any flag you want in the software. I looked for a pirate flag but unfortunately they didn't have one :(.

Also there verification says 'unverified' even though you are. Just email them and ask if your verified or not.
 
D0nk3y Hunt3r

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Being from Ontario i might have asked way too many question when they first shout down my options to play with my friends from around the world because i got this:
Yes, wtf for this whole scanning process. On the other room they wanted me to send them selfie with current newspaper (I'm being serious right now).
 
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