The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) says its new website and mobile gaming app intended to attract mobile bettors is a success.
Named PlayOLG, the mobile gaming app allows customers to play many popular games, including blackjack, slots, and poker, and against players located in other Canadian provinces.
The website is OLG’s first attempt at mobile and online gaming, but critics say it attempts to appeal to bettors who already have accounts with offshore online betting operations, and it won’t enjoy more than nominal success.
Despite apprehensive critics, OLG says it likely will take in nearly $90 million from the mobile gaming and website for 2016.
The OLG is a crown-owned gaming operations that generates about $2 billion in revenues each year, and it wants to take advantage of online gaming to generate more.
Government officials have discussed legalizing online gaming for several years and hope it will help to generate more revenues that are needed badly after a drop-off due to the Great Recession.
Ontario officials wanted to launch the website and mobile gaming app in 2012, but has to wait until 2015 to ensure the OLG would have a viable product that would be successful.
