iGaming Ontario (iGO), the agency that regulates online gambling in the province, has announced it is looking for tech partners to help create a centralized, self-exclusion list encompassing all Ontario operators.

In early 2024, iGO plans to issue an RFP for parties interested in the project. The centralized system aims to create a more secure and player-focused gaming environment in Ontario for those seeking to limit or cease their gambling activities. Through the RFP, bidders will be invited to present solutions.

The successful bidder will collaborate with iGO on a multi-year project to build the program. The goal is to establish a system that earns and maintains the trust and confidence of a broad range of stakeholders, including players and operators.

The proposed system is designed to enable players to self-exclude from all regulated iGaming operators in Ontario, including the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation’s site, through a single registration process. This necessitates that the selected bidder develop a system compatible with all operator systems, simplifying players’ self-exclusion registration, renewal, and reinstatement process.

As outlined by iGO on its website, the system needs to be “player-focused, supportive, transparent, secure, robust, and viable.” These principles aim to make the self-exclusion process accessible, non-stigmatizing, and secure, ensuring that player information is protected and shared only when necessary for administering the program.

“We are seeking interest from responsive and nimble companies that are able to build modern, innovative, secure, cloud-based Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions that are high-profile, public-facing, and critically important to building and maintaining the trust and confidence of a wide range of stakeholders,” said iGaming Ontario in the release.

Furthermore, the system is expected to be robust, featuring strong processes and secure, responsive technology. iGO wants to allow players to create and manage their self-exclusion profile, incorporating KYC identity verification processes. It also wants players to access self-exclusion options anytime while actively gambling on any regulated iGaming website.