The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario recently issued fines against three Ontario online casino operators for alleged integrity infractions.
AGCO-registered gaming operators, ComeOn, Conquestador, and LeoVegas were served monetary penalty notices for allegedly providing games on their sites “not approved by the AGCO Registrar nor certified by an Independent Testing Laboratory registered by the Registrar.”
Further, Mobile Incorporated Ltd., the operator of Conquestador, is also on the hook for supposedly providing games from suppliers not registered with the AGCO.
This, however, is not the AGCO’s first time levying fines against non-compliant operators. In May 2022, BetMGM Canada and PointsBet Canada earned fines for disobeying advertising policies in the Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming.
Fines vary between operators
For their roles in contravening the AGCO’s standards, each operator must pay the corresponding fine:
- Mobile Incorporated Ltd. (Conquestador): $30,000
- LeoVegas: $25,000
- Bunchberry Ltd. (ComeOn): $15,000
Each company has the right to appeal the registrar’s decision to the Licence Appeal Tribunal, an adjudicative tribunal part of Tribunals Ontario that is independent of the AGCO.
AGCO stands firm by zero tolerance policy
As Ontario’s regulatory body for all things gambling, the AGCO is responsible for ensuring operators comply with industry guidelines.
“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,” said Todd Mungham, AGCO CEO.
When violations occur, the AGCO has contingencies in place to hold operators accountable for breaching stakeholder trust.
“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,” said Mungham. “Ontarians who choose to play on registered sites need the assurance that the games being provided meet these requirements.”
Whether by design or misjudgement, any operator which defies the AGCO’s “clear requirements” must answer for its improprieties.
Breakdown of standards violated by each operator
Here are the gaming standards that each operator violated, specifically, per the AGCO.
Standards 1.22 (Unregulated Activities)
As it stands, Mobile Incorporated (Conquestador) is the only operator of the three that broke Standard 1.22. In sum, it states that operators must not engage with any unregistered game suppliers and cease any unregulated activities until registration is granted.
To get here, Conquestador is liable for providing uncertified games from two unregistered suppliers on its Ontario gaming site.
Standards 4.08 (Game Integrity)
Unlike Standards 1.22, all three operators are responsible for infringing on Standards 4.08. This section details that all offerings require approval by the Registrar or certification from a third-party laboratory prior to inclusion in any gaming site.
As such, Conquestador, ComeON, and LeoVegas all provided an uncertified game on their Ontario gaming site.
Standards 4.09 (Game Integrity)
Each of the three entities are at fault under Standards 4.09, which mainly protects integrity, safety, and security concerns.
In essence, 4.09 works in tandem with 4.08 because all three operators were, once again, dinged for providing uncertified games.
