A former black-market sportsbook in the United States is ready to wade into the regulated Ontario sports betting market.
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario approved globally known Pinnacle for an ON sports betting license last week. The sportsbook still needs to sign an agreement with iGaming Ontario prior to launching.
Based in Curacao, Pinnacle has operated in the Ontario gray market for decades, as well as previously in the black market in the US and UK. Now, recognizing potential competition from regulated markets, Pinnacle does appear to be embracing the regulation it long skirted in the US.
“Ontario’s sports fans and bettors deserve the best betting opportunities, and we’re excited to now service them with just that with the recent approval of our registration from the AGCO,” Pinnacle CEO Paris Smith said in a release. “There’s a robust, fair regulatory regime in place, along with a knowledgeable sports and betting audience, and we’re excited to be able to take our ‘Winners Welcome’ mantra to the market and take Ontarian betting to the next level.”