AGCO Fines Operators in Ontario
Author:
Jacob McKenzie
Crime pays: The Registrar of the Canadian province of Ontario’s chief gambling regulator, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), has issued upwards of CA$70,000 (￡41,709/€47,286/US$51,815) in fines against three operators for operating unlicensed slot games. The brands in question were Bunchberry Limited, Mobile Incorporated Limited and LeoVegas Gaming.
The Registrar of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has slapped upwards of CA$70,000 (￡41,709/€47,286/US$51,815) in fines on three operators for running unlicensed slot games in the province.
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All Operators Have a Right to Appeal AGCO’s Ruling
You know what they say – crime always pays. It has been revealed that the Registrar of the Canadian province of Ontario’s main gambling regulator, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), has sent out a total of CA$70,000 (￡41,709/€47,286/US$51,815) in fines to three operators for the violation of providing unlicensed slot games to players in the Canadian province.
The brands in question are Bunchberry Limited, Mobile Incorporated Limited and LeoVegas Gaming, who were all called out for violating Standards 4.08 and 4.09, which stipulate that all licensees are obliged to secure the necessary regulatory approval for all slots courtesy of an independent testing laboratory.
It also turned out that Mobile Incorporated was also found to have been in breach of Standard 1.22, due to the fact the unlicensed games it was offering originated from suppliers that are not registered with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).
The fines therefore broke down as such: the AGCO fined Mobile Incorporated $30,000 for a triple breach of standards, LeoVegas was fined $25,000 for its violation, and finally Bunchberry was fined only $15,000. All three operators naturally maintain the right to appeal the rulings via the License Appeal Tribunal (LAT), which is an adjudicative tribunal independent of the AGCO, acting as part of Tribunals Ontario.
AGCO Says it Holds All Operators to High Standards; All Must Abide by the Same Rules
In response to the hefty fines the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) issued against three operators in the province of Ontario, AGCO registrar and chief executive Tom Mungham noted that the organization holds all operators active in the province to the highest of standards:
“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.” – Tom Mungham, Registrar and Chief Executive, Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), Press Release
Mungham continued by emphasizing how important it is that operators only provide products that have first been approved by and registered with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), lest Ontario betting fans end up playing through channels which are not adhering to the necessary laws and regulations:
“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.”
Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) Gave Out Three New Licenses in December 2022
The last we heard from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) was back in December 2022 when it revealed three new operator licenses it had given out to the brands Ligtip Limited, Delta iGaming INC and Eclipse Entertainment Limited.
The first of the three to receive its license was Ligtip Limited, which subsequently proceeded to start implementing its Tonybet brand in Ontario through its proprietary Tonybet.ca website. Delta iGaming INC had been recently granted a new license for its Delta Bingo and Gaming brand in the province, while Eclipse Entertainment Limited was the third approved operator, now being able to run its popular High Flyer Casino brand.
Entering the province’s increasingly crowded market in November 2022 was a unique partnership between NorthStar Bets and the National Basketball Association (NBA), with NorthStar Bets becoming the basketball league’s foremost sports betting partner.
NorthStar Gaming founding partner and chief executive Michael Moskowitz celebrated the partnership by promising fans a once in a lifetime kind of betting experience as a result of the two’s fruitful relationship:
“As an authorized gaming operator, NorthStar Gaming will connect our players with official data and stats from the NBA and provide them with an insights-packed user experience. We’re excited to offer current and future NorthStar Bets players with an authentic NBA experience on our platform.” – Michael Moskowitz, Founding Partner and Chief Executive, NorthStar Gaming, Press Release
Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment (MGE) Entered Ontario Market Back in September 2022
Back in September 2022, entertainment resorts and casino operator Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment (MGE) stepped out and unveiled a new online gambling platform in Ontario, launched with the help of its Fallsview Casino Resort.
PlayFallsview gives Ontario-based betting fans the ability to put down online wagers on a selection of different professional sports leagues and is powered by the technology solutions provider Kambi, with additional Mohegan partners such as Pala Interactive and Intelitics supporting the platform’s launch.
Mohegan’s director of products, Todd Stender, took a moment to celebrate Mohegan’s partners’ efforts in supporting the launch, singling out Evolution in particular as providing the operator with live dealer games for fans to enjoy:
“We’re thrilled to be launching playfallsview.com with the help of some of the most powerful technology in the industry. Our partnerships with Pala Interactive and Kambi’s powerful sports betting platform has allowed us to deliver a full suite of the best casino content. We’re excited to be offering the top slot games our customers know and love, in addition to live dealer games via Evolution, and expanded sports wagering content powered by Kambi.”
