AGCO penalises operators for violating iGaming standards in Ontario

Three operators in the Canadian province of Ontario have been fined CAD70,000 ($51,815) by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) for offering uncertified slot games.

AGCO cracks down on out-of-line operators

Bunchberry Limited, Mobile Incorporated Limited and LeoVegas Gaming PLC were served Notices of Monetary Penalty by the Registrar of the AGCO for alleged violations of the Standards for Internet Gaming that pertains to game integrity, in order to protect the public interest and ensure that Ontario’s internet gaming (igaming) market operates with responsibility and integrity.

According to the AGCO, the three operators allegedly provided games on their Ontario gaming sites that were not certified by the Registrar nor an Independent Testing Laboratory registered by the Registrar, violating Standards 4.08 and 4.09. Mobile Incorporated Limited also allegedly provided uncertified games from unregistered suppliers, breaching Standard 1.22.

The Standards were implemented to ensure game fairness and integrity, as well as protect Ontarians from potential harm. The AGCO requires operators to offer only certified games from registered gaming suppliers that have been approved by an AGCO-registered independent testing laboratory.

“The AGCO holds all registered operators to high standards of responsible gambling, player protection and game integrity, and monitors their activities in the interest of Ontarians,” remarked Tom Mungham, Chief Executive Officer and Registrar at AGCO.

A critical feature of our regulatory framework requires operators to only offer games that are from registered gaming suppliers and have been certified by an AGCO-registered independent testing laboratory to meet the highest standards of game integrity. Ontarians who choose to play on registered sites need the assurance that the games being provided meet these requirements.

This development is timely for the regulators in Ontario to demonstrate their commitment, as they recently praised the first year of the competitive online sports betting and internet casino market in the province as a huge accomplishment. However, at the same time, AGCO and iGaming Ontario (iGO) declared their intention to clamp down on unauthorised regional operators, emphasising that their efforts are far from over, even though the first year was a significant achievement.

Monetary penalties for the violations

Operators that are served with a Notice of Monetary Penalty have the right to appeal the decision to the Licence Appeal Tribunal, an independent adjudicative tribunal that is part of Tribunals Ontario. The AGCO stressed that registered operators must meet high standards of responsible gambling, player protection, and game integrity to participate in Ontario’s regulated, open igaming market.

Mobile Incorporated Limited has been ordered to pay a monetary penalty of $30,000 for providing uncertified games from unregistered suppliers, while LeoVegas Gaming PLC has been fined $25,000 for offering an uncertified game on their Ontario gaming site. Bunchberry Limited has been ordered to pay $15,000 for providing uncertified games on their Ontario gaming site.

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