Accessibility
Welcome to our Accessibility page, where our commitment to creating a web experience that’s open to everyone takes center stage.
We believe that the internet should be a space of equality and inclusivity, a place where everyone, regardless of their abilities, can access information and services with ease.
This page outlines our dedication to web accessibility, the measures we’re taking to ensure our website meets international standards, and how you, our valued users, can help us in this ongoing journey.
Our goal is not just to comply with guidelines but to foster a digital environment that truly welcomes all.
If you want to learn more about us and our commitment to principle values, please explore our website, where we discuss our vision.
At GambleOntario, we uphold the principle that the web is a resource meant to be shared and accessed by all, aligning with our core values of diversity, inclusivity and equality.
We are deeply committed to ensuring our website is accessible to individuals with disabilities, providing an equitable and user-friendly experience for everyone.
To this end, we diligently work to conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2, ensuring our content is both reachable and navigable.
Our efforts are ongoing, with regular reviews and updates reflecting our dedication to continuous improvement. We invite feedback and suggestions from our readers to help us further enhance our accessibility practices.
Together, we aim to create a barrier-free digital space where every user can find value, information, and ease of access.
What Are the WCAG Accessibility Levels?
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) serve as a comprehensive framework designed to enhance web accessibility for all users, including those with disabilities.
The most recent update, WCAG 2.2, outlines 13 guidelines categorized under four essential principles:
✅ Perceivable
✅ Operable
✅ Understandable
✅ Robust
To make a website more accessible, it is important to ensure that users can perceive information and user interface components.
One way to achieve this is by using text alternatives for non-text content. This makes it easier for users to see and hear content.
In addition, user interface components and navigation should be operable.
All functionality must be available from a keyboard, ensuring all users can operate the interface.
It is essential to make information and the operation of the user interface understandable.
To make a website accessible to everyone, it’s important to ensure that the text is easy to read and that the web pages are designed predictably.
Additionally, the content on the website should be robust enough to be correctly interpreted by a wide range of user agents, including assistive technologies.
Ensuring compatibility with both current and future user tools can help achieve this objective.
WCAG introduces three levels of compliance—A, AA, and AAA—with each level increasing in strictness. Achieving these levels signifies that a website not only provides accessible content but also supports a broader commitment to digital inclusivity.
The evolution of WCAG from versions 2.0 to 2.1 and subsequently to 2.2 reflects an ongoing commitment to improving web accessibility.
Importantly, adherence to WCAG 2.2 ensures compatibility with previous versions, streamlining the process for developers and website owners aiming to maintain contemporary accessibility standards.
Our Ongoing Plan to Apply WCAG Guidelines
At GambleOntario, we are deeply dedicated to adhering to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2, recognizing it as a vital step towards fostering an inclusive digital space.
We diligently work and improve our systems to apply these guidelines, from ensuring our content is perceivable to all users to making navigation intuitive and reliable, regardless of how our visitors interact with our site.
Our team continuously leverages WCAG’s resources, such as quick reference guides and detailed checklists, to meet and exceed compliance levels.
This commitment is reflected in our continuous efforts to evaluate and enhance our website’s accessibility, demonstrating our dedication to creating a web experience that is accessible, understandable, and enjoyable for every visitor.
We proactively strive to align our online presence with the guidelines set forth by Ontario’s Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (IASR) under Ontario Regulation 191/11.
Our commitment to these standards emphasizes our dedication to inclusivity. We ensure that our website is accessible and navigable for all users, including those with disabilities.
This initiative, rooted in our understanding of the importance of an inclusive digital environment, reflects our determination to go beyond mere compliance, embodying our Ontario-specific intent to champion accessibility for everyone who visits our site.
Accessibility Compliance Status
At GambleOntario, our journey toward achieving accessibility is ongoing and intentional.
Rather than claiming full compliance prematurely, we are focused on becoming compliant with the WCAG 2.1 AAA level—the highest standard of web accessibility.
This approach allows us to methodically enhance our website’s features, ensuring they are accessible to all users, including those with disabilities.
Our commitment to this goal is driven by a deep understanding of its importance, not just as a regulatory benchmark but as a core component of our digital ethos.
We welcome and value feedback and commentary on our website’s accessibility. Your insights are crucial as they guide our continuous efforts to improve and achieve our aspiration of full WCAG 2.1 AAA level compliance.
Accessibility Initiatives We’ve Implemented at GambleOntario
At GambleOntario, our commitment to creating an accessible online environment is evident through the practical accessibility features we’ve already incorporated.
While we’re proud of the progress we’ve made, we remain dedicated to ongoing evaluation and enhancement of our website’s accessibility.
Here’s what we’ve accomplished so far:
Alt Text for Images
We’ve made it a priority to include meaningful alt text for all images on our site.
✔️ This practice is essential for users who rely on screen readers or have images turned off, ensuring they can still grasp the content’s full context.
Enhanced Color Contrast and Text Sizing
Recognizing the diverse needs of our users, we’ve ensured our site meets minimum color contrast ratios for better readability.
✔️ We will also adjust text size up to 200%, aiding users with low vision to access our content comfortably.
Screen Reader Compatibility
Our website is developed to be fully compatible with screen readers, using proper HTML tags, like headings (<h1>, <h2>, etc.) and semantic elements (<nav>, <article>, <section>, etc.), to structure content logically.
✔️ We’re also in the process of implementing ARIA roles and properties to further support screen reader navigation and interactivity.
Strategic Use of Headings and Labels
We use headings and labels judiciously to organize content and clarify the purpose of form controls and inputs.
✔️ This approach assists users in quickly locating the information they need and understanding the site’s layout.
These implemented practices are part of our foundational efforts to ensure GambleOntario remains accessible and user-friendly. We remain dedicated to continuous improvement, actively seeking ways to enhance the accessibility and inclusivity of our website.
Upcoming Accessibility Enhancements at GambleOntario
At GambleOntario, we’re dedicated to creating a web experience accessible to all users. Our journey towards full accessibility is ongoing, and we’re excited to share the next steps we’re taking to make our website even more user-friendly.
Enhancing Keyboard Navigation
To support users who rely on keyboard navigation, we’re improving our site’s navigability without needing a mouse.
✔️ This means refining our tab order for logical navigation, ensuring all interactive elements can be accessed via keyboard, and introducing clear focus indicators to show where the keyboard focus is on the page.
Introducing Captioning and Audio Descriptions
We’re expanding the accessibility of our multimedia content by adding captions and audio descriptions. Captions will provide a textual representation of spoken words and sounds, while audio descriptions will offer detailed explanations of visual content during dialogue pauses.
✔️ These additions aim to support users who are deaf, hard of hearing, or visually impaired, ensuring they can fully enjoy our content.
Improving Error Identification and Recovery
Recognizing the importance of a seamless interaction experience, we’re focusing on enhancing our error identification and recovery mechanisms.
✔️ This includes delivering clearer error messages that not only pinpoint the error but also offer actionable solutions. By doing so, we aim to streamline the user experience making our website more intuitive and error-friendly.
These planned improvements are just a few ways we’re working to ensure GambleOntario is accessible to everyone. Stay tuned for these updates as we continue our commitment to inclusivity and accessibility for all our users.
Our Resources
You can find the list of references we used on this page. We not only quote these resources but also strive to follow their accessibility guidelines on our website.
WCAG 2 Overview | Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) | W3C
Reg. 191/11: Integrated Accessibility Standards
