AGCO fines Unibet for alleged advertising infractions

Unibet, owned by Kindred Group, has been fined CA$48,000 (US$37,128) by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario.

Canada.- The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has issued an Order of Monetary Penalty against Kindred Group’s Unibet. The firm has been fined CA$48,000 (US$37,128) for breaching Ontario’s rules on advertising and inducements.

According to AGCO, the penalty is for alleged infractions of the Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming. Standard 2.05 prohibits marketing materials that “communicate gambling inducements, bonuses and credits,” except on an operator’s website or, once a player has given their consent, through direct advertising.

Unibet allegedly broke the rule between May 19 and May 22 when it used a series of ads promoting “generous welcome offers”.

Tom Mungham, AGCO’s chief executive and registrar, said: “We expect all registered operators to achieve and maintain the high standards of responsible gambling, player protection and game integrity. The AGCO will continue to monitor these gaming sites’ activities, and ensure they are meeting their obligations under Ontario’s Gaming Control Act and the Standards.”

Unibet has the option to appeal against the penalty to the License Appeal Tribunal (LAT), an adjudicative body independent of the AGCO. 

Kindred received a licence for Unibet in Ontario in March. It was Kindred’s seventh licence in North America. In May, AGCO issued its first fines for breaches of regulations just one month after Ontario’s igaming market opened, fining BetMGM Canada for infractions of standards for advertising and inducements.

Greentube gains Ontario licence in further North American expansion

Greentube, the NOVOMATIC Digital Gaming and Entertainment division, has received a supplier licence from the regulator in Ontario, as it targets further success in markets across North America.

The new licence, gained from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), will see Greentube enter a market which implemented regulated online gaming in April. It follows on from other launches in Canada, including British Columbia, Manitoba and Quebec, while Greentube has also entered the regulated US market in New Jersey and Michigan.