In a notable step forward for online gaming in Canada, the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) has partnered with Woodbine Entertainment Group (WEG) to bring live horse racing bets to its digital platforms. This collaboration now enables players across Ontario to place wagers on horse races—both local and international—through OLG.ca and the OLG app.
OLG is the first provincial lottery and gaming agency in Canada to offer this type of online horse race betting experience. The product is powered by HPIbet, Canada’s top digital platform for horse race wagering, which recently launched a dedicated app to complement its long-standing web offering.
The partnership goes live just days ahead of The King’s Plate at Woodbine Racetrack, set for August 16, offering bettors a timely opportunity to engage with one of Canada’s premier racing events.
Seamless Integration with a Broader Industry Vision
According to OLG’s Chief Gaming Officer Dave Pridmore, the addition of online horse race betting provides a new way for players to experience the sport. “We are excited to offer access to this experience to our online players, providing another way for them to engage in the thrilling sport of horse racing,”Pridmore stated. “This collaboration represents an important step in our mandate of supporting the sport and a vibrant, competitive and sustainable horse racing industry in Ontario.”
The solution was designed as a plug-and-play integration, streamlining the experience for users and making it accessible through familiar OLG channels. It also opens the door for other Ontario-based operators to potentially adopt the same model and expand access even further.
All bets made through this platform use the pari-mutuel wagering system. Under this system, wagers are pooled together, and winnings are divided among successful bets after deductions, ensuring fairness and returning a share of revenue to support the racing ecosystem.
Michael Copeland, CEO of Woodbine Entertainment, highlighted the importance of this development for the sport: “This launch brings the excitement of horse racing to even more people across the province in a convenient and modern way — enhancing the experience for bettors while driving new interest in our sport,” said Copeland. “It’s another step forward for the growth of horse racing in Ontario, and we’re grateful to OLG for their continued support and willingness to collaborate and innovate alongside us.”
Boost for Ontario’s Horse Racing and Digital Gaming Landscape
The timing of the rollout coincides with growing interest in legal sports wagering across Ontario. OLG’s offering now joins bet365’s, which introduced horse race betting in 2022, making Proline only the second platform in the province to support the feature. Both route their wagers through Woodbine’s betting system and adhere to Canadian legal requirements.
Historically, Woodbine has held exclusive rights to operate pari-mutuel wagering in Ontario, ensuring that the revenue generated supports the domestic horse racing industry. While fixed-odds betting is common in some global markets, Canadian regulators and industry leaders like former Woodbine CEO Jim Lawson have emphasized the importance of pari-mutuel systems to ensure economic sustainability for breeders, trainers, and track operators.
As part of its ongoing commitment to player safety, OLG ensures that all users of its website and app have access to tools for responsible approach to gambling, promoting informed and healthy gaming behaviors.
Source:
“OLG Launches Online Horse Racing Wagers with Woodbine”, news.worldcasinodirectory.com, Aug 13, 2025
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