Ontario police have warned residents about fake online gambling ads doing the rounds on social media. [Image: Shutterstock.com]

Making false claims

People in Canada are falling victim to ads that fraudulently claim to be promoting online gambling platforms, but instead are trying to steal personal information and people’s money.

warning residents specifically about ads relating to WinSpirit Casino

Authorities in multiple provinces have noticed these fake social media posts, with the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) warning residents specifically about ads relating to WinSpirit Casino. Once a person clicks on the post, it takes them to a page to download an app that claims to be related to Casino Rama, a licensed property in Orillia.

Warning the people of Ontario

In reality, WinSpirit Casino has no connection with the property and is not licensed to operate in Ontario. A company with a Cyprus registration manages the payments for the platform and WinSpirit Casino has its address in Curacao.

always double-check that the platform they’re using is on the list of licensed gambling sites

The OPP released a statement alongside the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (ALGCO) about the matter, telling gamblers to always double-check that the platform they’re using is on the list of licensed gambling sites. ALGCO ensures that all regulated platforms “are held to high standards of game integrity, data security, and player protections.”

A nationwide issue

A similar type of scam has been running in other provinces. Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries warned people in January about Facebook ads that claimed to be promoting a Club Regent Casino online gambling app. The Winnipeg property does not offer any type of online gambling.

Alberta Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis made a similar announcement at the start of the year about fraudulent ads that claimed to be pushing online gambling platforms supposedly connected to land-based properties. None of the racing venues or casinos in the province are legally permitted to have online gambling sites; the sole legal online platform is the provincially run PlayAlberta website.

The authorities in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia also noticed similar scams.