Scratch cards
An online scratch card is an instant-win game where the outcome is determined the moment the ticket is purchased. Players reveal a grid of symbols or numbers — typically by clicking or dragging — and any matching combinations pay fixed prizes. There is no skill element and no decision after buying the ticket.
The underlying mechanism is an RNG that generates the outcome at purchase. Unlike physical lottery scratch tickets (where prizes are pre-set across a print run of tickets), online casino scratch cards use a continuous RNG model, similar to slots.
RTP and House Edge in Online Scratch Cards
RTP on online scratch cards varies more than almost any other casino game category because many providers allow operators to configure multiple RTP settings for the same title. Hacksaw Gaming — one of the largest scratch-card developers online — offers four selectable settings per game: 96%, 94%, 92%, and 88%. The version running at a given casino depends on the operator’s configuration, not the title name.
Practical implication: Two players at different Ontario-licensed operators can play a game with the same name and receive significantly different theoretical returns. The lobby description may show the highest-available RTP. Always check the in-game information screen.
Examples of published RTPs across the category:
| Game | Provider | Reported RTP |
| Scratch Dice | BGaming | 97.20% |
| Stack’em Scratch | Hacksaw Gaming | 92.28% (operator-configurable) |
| Joker Bombs Scratch | Hacksaw Gaming | 96.48% (top config) |
| Scratch a Million | Hacksaw Gaming | 50.29%* |
*Scratch a Million is a jackpot-skewed instant game where the prize pool is concentrated in large top prizes. The 50.29% published RTP reflects a lottery-style distribution of prizes, not a standard gaming RTP — most tickets return nothing or a small amount, with rare large payouts pulling the theoretical average up.
Online Scratch Cards vs. OLG Scratch Tickets
These are two different product categories under different regulatory frameworks:
Online casino scratch cards (the subject of this page) are software-based RNG games supplied by iGaming providers (Hacksaw Gaming, Pragmatic Play, Microgaming, BGaming, Playtech) and available at AGCO-registered private operators in Ontario. They operate under the AGCO’s iGaming standards.
OLG INSTANT digital games on OLG.ca are a separate product — conducted-and-managed by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation under provincial lottery authority. Titles include Plinko, The Big Spin, Crossword, Money Machine and Lightning Lotto. OLG does not consistently publish per-game RTP for its INSTANT products; prize-return figures from community sources vary and should be treated as estimates rather than verified data.
OLG retail scratch tickets (physical $1–$100 tickets sold at retail) are a third, separate product not available through online casino operators at all.
Providers for Online Scratch Cards
- Hacksaw Gaming — largest dedicated online scratch-card catalogue; AGCO-registered; titles include Wanted Dead or a Wild Scratch, Chaos Crew Scratch, Stack’em Scratch, Shave the Beard, RIP City Scratch, and dozens of others.
- Pragmatic Play — scratch-card variants of several slot themes.
- Microgaming/Games Global — classic and themed scratch-card titles; available through Games Global network operators.
- BGaming — Scratch Dice (97.20% RTP), Capymania Scratch.
- NetEnt and Playtech — smaller scratch-card selections within broader casino catalogues.
Other provinces (BCLC’s PlayNow, Loto-Québec, ALC, PlayAlberta) each run their own digital instant-win products through their provincial Crown operators.
Scratch Cards in the Regulated Ontario Market
AGCO-licensed private operators carry provider-supplied RNG scratch cards in their games lobby — typically within a dedicated “Instants” or “Scratch Cards” section. They are distinct from OLG’s lottery-style instants.
The 19+ age requirement applies. No Ontario-specific restrictions on scratch-card play beyond standard AGCO operator standards for responsible gambling tools (deposit limits, session timers, self-exclusion).
Suitable for players who want instant results with no decisions, short-session casual play, or low-stakes entertainment; suits lottery players who want a faster digital equivalent; not suited for players looking for long sessions, strategic play, or high RTP.