By Alex Drummond, Editor-in-Chief · March 2026
The Current Situation
Since Ontario launched its regulated iGaming market on April 4, 2022, all six licensed poker rooms have operated with ring-fenced player pools. This means that when you sit at a cash table or enter a tournament on GGPoker, 888poker, BetMGM Poker, PokerStars Ontario, PartyPoker Ontario, or Bwin Ontario, you are only playing against other people physically located in Ontario.
Ring-fencing was a practical necessity at launch. Ontario built its market under provincial authority, and there was no legal framework to allow cross-border play. The result is a smaller player pool than what these operators offer in unregulated global markets, which affects tournament prize pools, table selection at higher stakes, and overall traffic at off-peak hours.
That may be changing. A series of legal decisions in 2025 opened the door to shared liquidity, though the path from legal permission to actual implementation remains long.
Timeline of Key Events
| April 4, 2022 | Ontario opens its regulated iGaming market. Poker rooms launch with ring-fenced Ontario-only player pools. Six poker brands eventually register with iGaming Ontario. |
| 2022 to 2024 | The Ontario poker market grows steadily. AGCO data shows poker wagers reaching roughly 1.7% of the province's total regulated iGaming handle. Players and operators begin advocating for cross-border play to increase pool sizes. |
| November 14, 2025 | The Ontario Court of Appeal rules 4-1 that Ontario can legally permit its regulated poker operators to share player pools with other jurisdictions. The court finds that cross-border play does not violate the Criminal Code provisions governing gaming. |
| December 26, 2025 | Three Canadian provincial lottery corporations (BCLC, Loto-Quebec, and ALC) file an appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada, arguing that the Court of Appeal overstepped in its interpretation of federal gaming law. |
| Early 2026 | The Supreme Court appeal is pending. No changes to Ontario's ring-fenced model are expected while the case is active. The court has not yet confirmed whether it will hear the appeal. |
| 2026 (projected) | Alberta announces plans to launch its own regulated iGaming market, modeled on Ontario's approach. If both provinces eventually allow shared liquidity, interprovincial pooling could precede any international agreements. |
What Happens If the Appeal Fails
Even if the Supreme Court declines to hear the appeal or upholds the Court of Appeal decision, shared liquidity would not begin overnight. Ontario and iGaming Ontario would need to build a new regulatory framework covering several areas: which jurisdictions qualify as partners, what compliance standards operators must meet for cross-border play, how player protection rules apply across borders, and how tax and revenue-sharing arrangements work.
This framework would likely take at least a year to develop after a final ruling. Operators would then need to update their platforms, apply for any new approvals, and run testing periods before cross-border tables go live.
What It Means for Each Room
GGPoker
GGPoker operates the largest global online poker network by some traffic measures. Shared liquidity would allow Ontario players to rejoin GGPoker's worldwide tournament festivals, including WSOP Online bracelet events with larger fields and bigger guarantees. GGPoker's Ontario player pool would also benefit from increased cash game traffic, particularly at mid and high stakes where ring-fenced tables can be thin during off-peak hours.
PokerStars Ontario
PokerStars has the strongest brand recognition in global online poker. Reconnecting Ontario to the PokerStars international network would restore access to the full daily tournament schedule, major series like WCOOP and SCOOP, and the global Zoom fast-fold pool. For tournament-focused players, this would be the most significant change.
888poker
888poker operates in multiple regulated markets worldwide. Shared liquidity would boost cash game and tournament traffic for Ontario players. The room's BLAST jackpot format and freeroll schedule could also expand with a larger player base feeding the prize pools.
BetMGM Poker, PartyPoker, and Bwin
BetMGM Poker and PartyPoker both operate on the same software network. In the United States, BetMGM already participates in the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA), sharing player pools across New Jersey, Michigan, and other regulated states. If Ontario enables cross-border play, a natural path would be for BetMGM and PartyPoker to link Ontario into this US-based shared pool. Bwin, operated by the same entity as PartyPoker, would likely follow the same path.
Potential New Entrants
Some operators have indicated interest in entering the Ontario poker market specifically if shared liquidity becomes available. Larger player pools make the business case for launching in Ontario more attractive, which could mean more room choices for Ontario players in the future.
Alberta and Interprovincial Pooling
Alberta's plan to launch regulated iGaming in 2026 adds another dimension. If both Ontario and Alberta allow their regulated operators to share pools, interprovincial liquidity could become available without needing international agreements. This would be simpler from a regulatory standpoint since both provinces fall under the same federal gaming framework.
Interprovincial pooling would not match the traffic increase from connecting to global pools, but it would still increase field sizes and cash game options for players in both provinces. It could also serve as a test case for broader cross-border frameworks.
What This Means for Players
For now, nothing changes. Ontario's six poker rooms continue to operate with ring-fenced pools. The Supreme Court appeal could take months or longer to resolve, and implementation would follow on a separate timeline after that.
If you play regularly in Ontario, the practical impact of shared liquidity would be: more players at the tables, larger tournament guarantees, better game selection at higher stakes, and the ability to compete in the same events as players in other jurisdictions. For casual players, the day-to-day experience would feel similar but with slightly more table options.
We will update this page as the legal process moves forward.
GGPoker
9.4/10.0 · Feature-rich software, tournament festivals, Ontar
888poker
9.0/10.0 · Beginners, low-deposit players, freeroll seekers,
BetMGM Poker
8.8/10.0 · Rewards-focused players, bonus clearance calculato
PokerStars Ontario
8.7/10.0 · Tournament players, live event qualifiers, brand-t
Frequently Asked Questions
Shared liquidity means players in one regulated jurisdiction can sit at the same tables and enter the same tournaments as players in other jurisdictions. Right now Ontario poker rooms operate ring-fenced pools, meaning you only play against other Ontario residents.
The Ontario Court of Appeal ruled 4-1 in November 2025 that Ontario can legally allow its players to compete internationally. However, three Canadian lottery corporations have appealed this decision to the Supreme Court of Canada. No changes are in effect while the appeal is pending.
There is no confirmed start date. Even if the Supreme Court upholds the Court of Appeal ruling, Ontario would still need to build a regulatory framework, designate partner jurisdictions, and create compliance rules. This process could take a year or more after a final ruling.
Rooms with large global player networks would benefit most. GGPoker and PokerStars both operate worldwide and could reconnect Ontario players to their international pools. BetMGM and PartyPoker could potentially share pools with US states through the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA).
Alberta has announced plans to launch a regulated iGaming market similar to Ontario's. If both provinces allow shared liquidity, Canadian interprovincial pooling could become an option before any international agreements are finalized.