Ontario runs a licensed online gambling market through iGaming Ontario and the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO). Oshi is an offshore casino and is not a registered operator in that market. This page explains how the market works and does not promote signing up. If gambling is affecting you, see responsible-gaming.
How Ontario's iGaming market is set up
Since April 2022, legal online casino and sportsbook play in Ontario runs through a registered market. The AGCO is the regulator, and iGaming Ontario is the entity operators contract with to offer real-money games to Ontarians. Only registered operators may market and take play in the province, which is what separates it from the offshore casinos available elsewhere in Canada.
Oshi has been online since 2015 as an offshore operator, but it is not on the iGaming Ontario register. Its licence is an offshore one - Anjouan ALSI-202508056-FI2, held through operator Novatrix SRL - and that is not an Ontario registration. That is why we keep this page factual rather than promotional.
What 'registered' means for a player
A registered Ontario operator agrees to AGCO standards on advertising, responsible-gambling tools, player-fund handling and dispute channels. An unregistered offshore site does not answer to those standards in Ontario; recourse depends on the operator and its own regulator. For an Ontario player deciding where to play, that difference in oversight is the substance, not any bonus offer.
Comparing the two frameworks
| Aspect | Registered (iGaming Ontario / AGCO) | Offshore (e.g. Oshi) |
|---|---|---|
| Regulator | AGCO, provincial | Offshore regulator (Anjouan for Oshi) |
| Advertising rules | AGCO standards apply | Not bound by AGCO in Ontario |
| Dispute channel | Provincial framework | Through operator and its regulator |
| Status of Oshi | Not registered | Offshore, online since 2015 |
Where to check the official position
Ontarians who want the authoritative list of legal operators should consult the AGCO and iGaming Ontario directly rather than any review site, including this one. For the operator-level facts on Oshi - payments, game studios, reported payout timing - our general FAQ and the main Oshi review cover them without a provincial recommendation. If you or someone you know needs support, responsible-gaming lists the tools and helplines.
Looking at this from Quebec instead? Our Quebec page covers the same offshore-versus-regulated question for players there, where EspaceJeux is the provincial platform.
We explain how we weigh conflicting licence claims like this, and where our figures come from, on our about this guide page.