OLG senior vice-president Greg McKenzie holds up tickets for the new lottery, Poker Lotto. The new game gives you a chance to win twice. (DAVE THOMAS/QMI Agency)

TORONTO - The Ontario government is getting a whole lotto grief over its newest poker-themed gambling venture.

NDP MPP Peter Kormos is calling for a moratorium on more gambling products after the launch this week of Poker Lotto, a new $2 instant win and nightly draw lottery ticket, just weeks after the government announced it would permit online gambling.

"McGuinty's channelling Tony Soprano ... instead of a premier, we've got a racketeer," Kormos said Wednesday. "It's not the job of the OLG (Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp.) to shake down the Ontario public. The public is not being dealt a fair hand."

The new poker lottery draws players in with the promise of instant wins as well as a draw every night of the week including Sunday, Kormos said.

While online gambling will be limited to those 19 years of age or older, the new Poker Lotto tickets can be sold to anyone 18 years of age and up.

Until the OLG can determine who's gaming and why, it's inappropriate to expand gambling, Kormos said.

Kormos is also suggesting that lottery vendors post warnings, similar to those on cigarettes or alcohol, that the product could be bad for their financial health.

"Why aren't there huge signs at every lottery terminal telling people that they probably just blew $2 and that the chance them winning the big payoff are one in two million," he said.

Conservative Leader Tim Hudak also expressed reservations about the new gambling option.

Hudak said the government is always looking for more ways to separate people from their cash.

"It just strikes me that all Dalton McGuinty is interested in is taking more money out of the pockets of Ontario families," he said.

Andrew Chornenky, a spokesman for Ontario Finance Minister Dwight Duncan, who oversees the OLG, said Poker Lotto is about staying competitive and current, offering games that are relevant.

Kormos was prepared to adapt to the changing gambling world when he was a member of the Ontario government led by then NDPer Bob Rae, he said.

"He was part of the government that introduced casino gambling to Ontario," he said.

Greg McKenzie, OLG senior vice-president, said the organization is responding to the popularity of poker.

"This is a very exciting time for us to be able to provide new, exciting games for our players," McKenzie said. "It keeps the game fresh. Our market continues to grow and we anticipate Poker Lotto to generate $60 million annually."

A Poker Lotto ticket uses card symbols instead of numbers.

Players can win up to $5,000 instantly, but also must hold onto their ticket for nightly draws of up to $100,000.

The odds of winning any prize are 1 in 3.66, while the $100,000 prize carries odds of one in 2.6 million.

One-third of the money generated by the OLG goes to the province and the remainder is used for operations and to pay out prizes.