Gaming regulators launch free tool letting Canadians check whether gambling sites are licensed

The process is simple. A user enters a gambling site’s URL, and the tool returns the available licensing information for covered IAGR member jurisdictions.

According to IAGR, the results draw on regulatory records and other verified, publicly available sources. The platform also points users to the relevant regulatory authority, shows information about operators subject to blocking measures where that data exists, and lets users report entries that may need correcting or updating.

The tool was developed by Sharp Vision, a Paris-based regulatory technology company. The firm helps regulators monitor markets, analyze betting and payment data, and identify unlicensed online gambling sites.

IAGR chief executive Kevin Mullally said the tool gives every consumer a way to quickly check whether they are visiting a legitimate website. He added that a professional-looking site or a recognizable name can create confidence without proving that the operator is properly licensed in that location.

The AGCO is supporting the campaign and participating in the awareness week. AGCO CEO and Registrar Dr. Karin Schnarr pointed to the standards that apply in the province’s regulated market, which cover responsible gambling, personal information protection, game integrity and anti-money laundering controls.

“Ontario’s regulated igaming market is built on clear standards that protect players, from responsible gaming safeguards to strong anti-money laundering controls,” Schnarr said.

The awareness week itself targets unauthorized websites that operate without meeting jurisdiction-specific requirements and without a licence from a recognized local gaming body. IAGR also says the campaign includes a consumer-facing creative platform showing how such operators can look familiar and entertaining while offering none of the safeguards of licensed sites.

IAGR is clear that a result is not a guarantee.

The association cautions that licensing status varies between jurisdictions, so a site authorized in one place may not be permitted in another. That matters in Canada, where gambling is regulated province by province and coverage in the tool follows IAGR membership rather than the whole country. The platform also does not replace checks with national or provincial regulators, and IAGR states that a listing does not guarantee a website is safe.

For players in a covered province, the tool works best as a first check before opening an account or making a deposit, with the regulator’s own register as the final word.