Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario

What this authority does

Ontario launched its regulated online market on 4 April 2022, replacing a situation in which the provincial lottery corporation ran the only legal site while a large grey market operated alongside it. The model separates two functions: the AGCO registers and supervises operators and suppliers, while a separate body established alongside it, iGaming Ontario, holds the commercial agreements under which registered operators conduct business.

That structure exists because of the Canadian Criminal Code, which requires that lawful gaming be conducted and managed by the province. Operators are therefore not licensees in the European sense; they operate under agreement with a provincial entity, and a share of gross gaming revenue goes to it.

Ontario's advertising standards are among the strictest in North America. Inducements and bonuses cannot be advertised publicly, only communicated directly to customers who have consented, and the use of athletes in gambling advertising was prohibited in 2024 except in limited responsible-gambling contexts. The province also publishes quarterly market data by vertical, which makes it one of the better documented markets anywhere.

Licences it issues

• Internet gaming operator registration
• Gaming-related supplier registration

What supervision concentrates on

• Registration of operators and suppliers
• The Registrar's Standards, including advertising rules
• Commercial agreements through iGaming Ontario

Markets on file under this authority