The room is white, and bare. Green plastic chairs. A beige and brown coffee vending machine. Something of the backrooms to it. “GAMBLE RESPONSIBLY” it says on the wall in big neon letters. The gambler clicks the button. The terminal flashes. He smiles.

“There you go. Withdraw….”

“Great,” Compliance says, brightly. “Congratulations! But….”

The Gambler looks up.

“Have you completed your bonus terms?”

“Of course,” the Gambler says, sharply. “This isn’t my first rodeo. I looked at the latest online casino bonuses available to Canadian players, through lists like Covers.com offers. It was easier than reading 50 different terms and conditions pages to get the specifics. It’s important, I suppose. At least we have our own local licensing here in Ontario.”

Compliance smiles widely.

“An informed customer, I see,” he says. “That makes my job easier. Players should be able to trust the terms and conditions of bonus offers, and comparative resources are part of that.”

“Couldn’t agree more. So, about this withdrawal?”

“Well now, we’re going to need you to complete KYC procedures. Then we can process your withdrawal request. From there it depends on how long your banking option takes.”

“I know all that. How long is processing?”

“That depends on the operator.”

The man looks at the terminal. The screen is stuck on “CONGRATULATIONS.” Digital confetti rains down.

“OK,” compliance says. “Most of the time, it’s 24 hours. After Know Your Customer of course.”

“But you know me….”

“The machine doesn’t.”

The Gambler sighs. Puts his elbows on the table.

“This wasn’t so difficult at offshore sites, before the regulated market launched in 2022.”

“Of course,” Compliance says. “But then the province gets no tax money. And that supports….”

He gestures around the almost empty white room.

“This. And, err, schools and roads. Infrastructure. General fund stuff. Billions of dollars.”

“I don’t mind that I suppose,” the Gambler replies. “Still wish my withdrawal was faster.”

“Well….” Compliance smiles and adjusts his tie.

“If anything goes wrong, at least you have me to rely on. I’ve got your back. Professionally speaking, of course.”

Silence for a while. The hum of fans, and the buzz of glaring neon.

“Is that the only reason, things changed? Tax money?”

“Did you gamble the same then as you do now?”

“Yes. It’s a hobby. Sometimes it pays. Mostly not—but it’s something to do. Entertainment. Pass the time.”

“Well then,” says Compliance. “The province might as well make money of what is happening anyway. And, this way we can watch and make sure you are gambling responsibly.”

“I’m responsible. I don’t need a machine to tell me about my hobby.”

“Not every gambler is you,” Compliance Department says.

“And you aren’t being particularly compliant.”

“That’s not my job. I actually investigate non-compliance, you know. Keep things safe, for you.”

“I appreciate it. So what are some of the rules then? What do you do?”

Compliance sits up. Ready to reel them off like bullet points in an online gambling listicle explainer.

“We, ensure companies follow rules. These KYC checks. It helps stop money laundering, and other financial funny business. The Province was very clear on that. We also make sure you have responsible gambling tools, such as deposit limit options, time outs, province wide self exclusion…”

“I’ve used them,” the Gambler cuts in. “But you were a little bit late to that last one, eh?”

“We were. Can’t get everything right, straight away. This was a first for Canada after all.”

“So, how has it gone? I mean, I won today….”

“Congratulations, once again!” Compliance beams.

“But what about the market? Was it a success?”

“By most metrics, absolutely. You’re here aren’t you?”

“I suppose I am. How successful?”

“Well according to the great and powerful iGaming Ontario–”

The gambler shivered.

“…channelization of gambling activity has–”

“What?”

“The amount of gambling going on that has moved to regulated and taxed sites is now at 91%. Before, in the deepest, darkest days of the OLG monopoly it was at 30%. 30%—can you imagine?”

Compliance shifted in his seat. Adjusted his tie.

“I certainly lost some sleep over that state of affairs, I can tell you eh?”

“That’s good. How much tax have they made?”

“More than $2 billion overall. On operator revenue of around $10 billion.”

“Woah,” the Gambler says. He waves at the terminal. It has now moved back to the homepage. “20% BONUS ON YOUR NEXT RELOAD,” it proclaims. “WE KNOW YOU LIKE SPORTS TOO. BET ON SPORTS. (Responsibly.) ”

“That’s a lot of money. I thought I’d won a fair bit, eh? But that’s a lot. Are… people are happier with how it is now?”

“We don’t measure that metric. But, some people think we need more regulation. Less adverts. It’s changed a lot since 2022. No more sports stars in adverts. No bonuses directly advertised in public spaces.”

“But they can personalize them and send them straight to me?”

“For now, yes. Our friends in Alberta are trying out our system very soon. With a few tweaks. I’m sure we’ll learn from each other. The market, is always evolving.”

The screen pings. The GAMBLE RESPONSIBLY sign hums. KYC complete.

“WITHDRAWAL REQUEST RECIEVED. ESTIMATED PROCESSING TIME: 24 HOURS. PLEASE STAND BY.”

“Congratulations,” Compliance says. He looks around. “You may want to get a coffee.”