AGCO to end transition period for unregulated gaming operators

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) will start to penalise any unlicensed operators.

Canada.- The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has announced that from October 31 it will take action against operators that haven’t obtained licences in the jurisdiction. It hasn’t provided details of what those penalties might be.

The introduction of Standard 1.22 brings an end to the transition period for unregulated igaming operators and suppliers. The regulator noted that its key objective had been to move igaming operators and suppliers into Ontario’s regulated market as quickly and as seamlessly as possible.

To those ends, it stablished a process for existing operators to move into the regulated market without causing significant interruption to their customer base. However, any firms that remain active in the unregulated market in Ontario (or have agreements and arrangements with those in the unregulated market) must now end their activities to avoid jeopardising their eligibility for registration.

“These changes support the province’s overall goal of creating a safer, competitive and well-regulated internet gaming (igaming) market for the people of Ontario”, according to the regulator.

Meanwhile, the AGCO has announced amendments to standards for live dealer games offered in Ontario, having noted a rise in popularity of this form of igaming since the market opened on April 4. The regulator said amendments are necessary to address potential risks related to the use of physical gaming equipment including roulette wheels and playing cards, as well as the risks related to the use of live presenters.

Standard 4.09 will be amended to read that gaming systems and supplies shall be provided, installed, configured, maintained, repaired, stored, and operated in a way that ensures the integrity, safety and security of this equipment.

Meanwhile, standard 4.35 will state that access to live dealer gaming supplies shall be restricted to individuals with a business need. In terms of requirements, access privileges will be granted, modified, and revoked based on employment status and job requirements and all activities associated with these actions logged. These will be independently reviewed and confirmed periodically.

Standard 4.08 states all igaming games, random number generators and components of igaming systems that accept, process, determine outcome of, display, and log details about player bets, including any subsequent modifications, must either be approved by the Registrar or certified by an independent testing laboratory registered by the registrar, as per the AGCO’s ITL Certification Policy, prior to being provided for any gaming site.

See also: Ontario igaming revenue for first three months hits CA$162m