The Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke (MCK), a vocal critic of the Ontario government’s handling of online gaming, is taking them to court over what it alleges is mismanagement.
The gambling industry is regulated by not only the government of Ontario, but iGaming Ontario and the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).
The tribe lobbied against C-218, a bill that made new forms of gambling in Canada legal. That law went into effect in June 2021. The MCK alleges that because of the changes to how the gaming is managed, Ontario now has 35 operators and iGaming Ontario is not willing to oversee the activities that happens on private operators’ sites. They further contend that those businesses are allowed to conduct and manage their business.
Ontario became the first province giving customers the ability to bet on casino games and sports through online websites and mobile apps on their phone.
That is causing serious losses of revenue to the MCK Ratsenhaienhs Council Chief Mike Delisle, Jr., said in a news release.
“Ontario’s actions are causing a significant loss of important revenues for our community,” Delisle, Jr., said. “Until these actions were taken, we were operating legally, safely and successfully across Canada. To be shut out of Ontario—by far the largest province in Canada—will have devastating effects on a source of income that has supplemented programs and services in our community for the last two decades.”
Delisle said taking iGaming Ontario and the Attorney General to court as a “last resort.”
The MCK also said that the changes to online gaming ignores the rights of the tribe to “operate and regulate safe and responsible gaming.”
“MCK has facilitated, conducted, and safely regulated gaming activities on behalf of the Mohawks of Kahnawake for decades,” Delisle said.
