NorthStar Bets is a regulated online casino and sportsbook for players in Ontario, run by NorthStar Gaming (Ontario) Inc. and registered with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), under an operating agreement with iGaming Ontario. The AGCO has penalized it twice: C$20,000 in 2024 for slow answers to the regulator, and an order of C$100,000 in August 2026 over anti-money laundering checks on one player, which NorthStar says it agreed to settle for C$80,000. Since May 2026 its parent company has been under a cease trade order from the Ontario Securities Commission, because its audited 2025 accounts weren't filed. NorthStar Bets has kept taking bets.
| Operator | NorthStar Gaming (Ontario) Inc. |
|---|---|
| Parent | NorthStar Gaming Holdings Inc., listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (BET); under an Ontario Securities Commission cease trade order since May 2026 |
| Regulated by | AGCO (registration) and iGaming Ontario (operating agreement) |
| Products | Casino and sports betting, at northstarbets.ca (iGaming Ontario's list, accurate as of November 6, 2026) |
| Payment methods | Visa, Mastercard (deposit only), Interac, Apple Pay (deposit only), Google Pay (deposit only) and American Express (NorthStar Bets' casino page, read November 9, 2026). The public pages we read don't give a minimum deposit or withdrawal times |
| In Ontario since | May 2022 |
| Minimum age | 19 |
| AGCO record | October 2024: C$30,000, cut to C$20,000 in December 2024. August 2026: C$100,000 order (anti-money laundering); NorthStar says it agreed to settle for C$80,000 |
| Alberta | Not on Alberta iGaming Corporation's list of registered sites (checked November 9, 2026) |
| Help | ConnexOntario, 1-866-531-2600 |
Who runs NorthStar Bets
The Ontario operator is NorthStar Gaming (Ontario) Inc. Its parent, NorthStar Gaming Holdings Inc., is a Canadian company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol BET. Its technology platform comes from Playtech, the gambling software company, which is also its largest shareholder (NorthStar release, August 27, 2026). NorthStar Bets launched in May 2022, a month after Ontario's market opened (Yogonet).
The 2026 trading halt
On May 7, 2026 NorthStar announced that the Ontario Securities Commission had issued a cease trade order against NorthStar Gaming Holdings, because it hadn't filed its audited 2025 accounts. Its auditor had withdrawn its report on the 2024 accounts, saying it could no longer rely on controls around a supplier's player-account software. NorthStar disputes that. Yogonet reported that there was no allegation of impropriety (May 13, 2026). While the order stands, trading in the company's shares is halted in Canada. A new auditor was appointed in July 2026, and NorthStar named a permanent chief executive in August 2026.
The order is about the parent company's filings and shares. It doesn't stop NorthStar Bets from taking bets, and we found no AGCO action linked to it (checked November 9, 2026).
What it offers
iGaming Ontario lists NorthStar Bets for casino games and sports betting, at northstarbets.ca. We haven't tested deposits or withdrawals.
We don't list NorthStar Bets' offers. In Ontario, operators may show bonus offers only on their own site or to players who have agreed to receive them (AGCO Registrar's Standards for Internet Gaming, standard 2.05).
NorthStar's AGCO record
October 16, 2024, C$30,000. The AGCO alleged that NorthStar had failed to keep NorthStarBets.ca accessible only to players in Ontario (standard 3.02), and had been slow to give the Registrar the information it asked for (standards 1.01 and 1.13).
December 23, 2024, cut to C$20,000. Once NorthStar provided the information, the AGCO confirmed it had not broken standard 3.02 and withdrew that C$10,000. The C$20,000 for the late answers stood, and NorthStar agreed to pay it.
August 27, 2026, C$100,000. The AGCO said NorthStar's own anti-money laundering policy treated one player's stated occupation as high risk and required enhanced checks, including on the source of funds, once lifetime deposits reached C$25,000. The player reached that in March 2024. The deposits went on for more than a year: over C$55,000 in December 2024 alone, and about C$189,395 by June 2025, when NorthStar classified the player as high risk and closed the account after the AGCO's inquiries. The AGCO cited standard 6.03. “Anti-money laundering controls must be more than policies on paper,” said Registrar Karin Schnarr.
NorthStar could ask the Licence Appeal Tribunal for a hearing within 15 days of the order. It said the same day that it had agreed to settle the matter for C$80,000, that it doesn't dispute the finding, and that the conduct is “confined to a specific period that is now behind us” (NorthStar release, August 27, 2026). The AGCO's release gives C$100,000 and doesn't mention a settlement (read November 9, 2026).
- March 2024: one player's deposits reach C$25,000, the point at which NorthStar's own policy required enhanced checks.
- October 16, 2024: C$30,000 penalty over location checks (standard 3.02) and slow answers to the Registrar.
- December 2024: the player deposits more than C$55,000 in the month.
- December 23, 2024: the AGCO withdraws the C$10,000 for standard 3.02; the C$20,000 for the late answers stands.
- June 2025: the player's deposits reach about C$189,395. After the AGCO's inquiries, NorthStar classifies the player as high risk and closes the account.
- August 27, 2026: C$100,000 order (standard 6.03). NorthStar says it agreed to settle for C$80,000.
Among the AGCO's penalties on online operators, C$100,000 is mid-range. FanDuel (C$350,000), theScore Bet (C$200,000 in 2026 and C$105,000 in 2025), PointsBet (C$150,000 in 2023), Betty (C$120,000) and BetMGM (C$110,000 in 2025) were ordered to pay more, and DraftKings (2022) and Apollo Entertainment (2023) the same C$100,000. The others we found were smaller, such as BetMGM's C$48,000 and PointsBet's C$30,000, both in 2022 (AGCO news releases, read November 9, 2026).
What Ontario's rules give you
Ontario's rules promise players at licensed sites that offers are achievable as shown and that nobody under 19 may play. Slots can't auto-play, there must be a minimum time between spins, and no feature may disguise a loss as a win.
A dispute goes to the operator first: use its formal complaints process and allow it up to 90 days to decide. If that doesn't resolve it, you can complain to the AGCO through iAGCO, quoting the operator's complaint reference number. The AGCO can penalize the operator, but it can't get your money back. Complaints about responsible gambling or advertising can go to the AGCO directly.
casin.com verdict
Suits Ontario players who want a casino and sportsbook from a Canadian company on a regulated site.
The 2026 AGCO case is about anti-money laundering checks on one account. It isn't about payouts.
The cease trade order is the open question. It concerns the company's filings and shares; NorthStar disputes its former auditor's position, and the site kept taking bets. We'll update this page when the order is lifted.
Not for players outside Ontario: Alberta's list doesn't have it. Outside Ontario, NorthStarBets.com is a separate site. NorthStar has described it as owned and operated by the Conseil des Abénakis de Wôlinak and licensed by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission. It isn't registered in Alberta or regulated by the AGCO, so the Ontario rules on this page don't cover it.
In the news
- Ontario's September revenue (October 30, 2026)
- The AGCO's 2026 penalties (October 27, 2026)
Questions about NorthStar Bets
Is NorthStar Bets legal in Ontario?
Yes. It is registered with the AGCO and has an operating agreement with iGaming Ontario.
Who owns NorthStar Bets?
NorthStar Gaming Holdings Inc., a company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange. Playtech is its largest shareholder (NorthStar release, August 27, 2026). The Ontario operator is NorthStar Gaming (Ontario) Inc.
Is NorthStar Bets safe?
It's regulated in Ontario by the AGCO. The AGCO penalized it in 2024 (C$20,000, slow answers) and in 2026 (C$100,000 order, anti-money laundering checks on one account). Its parent has been under a cease trade order since May 2026 over unfiled accounts, which NorthStar says stems from a dispute with its former auditor. We haven't tested deposits or withdrawals.
Has NorthStar Bets been fined?
Twice by the AGCO: C$20,000 for slow answers (2024), and an order of C$100,000 over anti-money laundering checks (August 2026), which NorthStar says it agreed to settle for C$80,000.
Why can't NorthStar shares be traded?
The Ontario Securities Commission issued a cease trade order in May 2026 because the company's audited 2025 accounts weren't filed. NorthStar Bets kept taking bets.
Can I use NorthStar Bets in Alberta?
Not as a registered site: it isn't on Alberta iGaming Corporation's list (checked November 9, 2026). Outside Ontario, NorthStarBets.com is a separate site. NorthStar has described it as owned and operated by the Conseil des Abénakis de Wôlinak and licensed by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission. It isn't registered in Alberta or regulated by the AGCO, so the Ontario rules on this page don't cover it.
See more Canada guides.
How we checked. By the casin.com team. Last checked November 9, 2026. Sources: the AGCO's releases, iGaming Ontario's and Alberta iGaming Corporation's lists, NorthStar's releases and public pages, Yogonet and casin.com news.