Supreme Court decision on player pooling will determine future of online poker in Ontario
An executive with GGPoker's parent company warns that ring-fencing will continue to drive players to unregulated offshore sites if pooling is blocked.
TORONTO — The Supreme Court of Canada's pending decision on international player pooling will determine the future of regulated online poker in Ontario, an industry executive says.
Sarne Lightman, managing director of GGPoker parent NSUS Group, warned that ring-fencing the province will ultimately drive Canadian players back toward unregulated offshore sites.
"Ontario has built one of the most successful regulated iGaming markets in North America, but poker is the exception," said Lightman.
He said poker's peer-to-peer nature requires a critical mass of players, which the current small market lacks.
READ MORE: Brazilian gaming groups ask Supreme Court to suspend betting ban
READ MORE: Stake Brazil wins court order to operate until October 25 under strict conditions
"Unlike slots or sports betting, poker is a peer-to-peer game that needs a critical mass of players at the same time," said Lightman. "The small liquidity has dramatically reduced tournament prize pools, and many game types and blind levels are no longer offered."
According to iGaming Ontario's August report, peer-to-peer poker accounted for just over 1% of the province's CA$9.74 billion in total wagering, representing roughly CA$122 million.
"We see no future for poker in a provincially ring-fenced Canada," said Lightman. "This isn't only a commercial concern."
The Supreme Court heard arguments on Oct. 7 in a case that could reshape the market.
The central question is whether Ontario-based players should be allowed to compete against international opponents in peer-to-peer games like online poker and daily fantasy sports.
Ontario, supported by Alberta, the Canadian Gaming Association and gaming operators, argued that international liquidity should be allowed under the Criminal Code as long as the province continues to conduct and manage legal iGaming within provincial borders.
Lightman said each regulator would remain fully responsible for its own operators and players, as they join international pools, without needing government-to-government treaties, similar to the United Kingdom and European model.
"Having several regulators oversee the same network makes it safer, not riskier," said Lightman.
Provincial lottery corporations representing British Columbia, Quebec, Manitoba and the Atlantic provinces challenged Ontario's interpretation, arguing that pooling players across international borders exceeds provincial jurisdiction.
The Supreme Court heard both sides and reserved its decision, with no timeline announced for a ruling.
Lightman said the nature of the judges' questions during the hearing doesn't necessarily indicate where the justices are leaning, and he remains confident the court will uphold last year's Ontario Court of Appeal decision.
He said the ring-fenced market has "drastically" damaged the poker experience in Ontario.
"Outside peak hours, the tables are thin, and that hits recreational players hardest," said Lightman. "As the rest of the gambling market grows, poker has stagnated, with players slowly bleeding off to unregulated black-market poker companies."
He said unregulated sites offer global liquidity but lack proper anti-money laundering and safer gambling protections.
"The black market is ultimately a liquidity competitor: players go where the biggest pools, the most games and the largest tournaments are," said Lightman.
Toronto-headquartered NSUS Group, licensed and operating in Ontario, runs GGPoker.ca and, in 2024, acquired the World Series of Poker brand from Caesars Entertainment.
Lightman dismissed the concept of interprovincial pooling agreements between Ontario and Alberta as inadequate.
"Liquidity sharing between Ontario and Alberta would not meaningfully change the current situation," said Lightman. "Even if an agreement could be reached between Alberta and Ontario, a two-province pool would be the U.S. compact model in miniature: too small to compete with the global black market."
He noted that Alberta forced all unlicensed operators to cease operations recently, and poker players have already migrated to unregulated offshore sites.
The Supreme Court case followed a 4-1 decision by the Ontario Court of Appeal in November 2025 that supported international liquidity.