In 2022, Ontario became the first province in Canada to create a regulated online gambling market. In other provinces it remains illegal for Canadian companies to offer online gambling to Canadians, so its regulation in Ontario represents a major change.
The new iGaming market has developed rapidly in the province over the past couple of years, but it is still extremely important for online casinos in Ontario to be fully transparent and offer legal protections to their players, as well as inspiring confidence in the fairness of their games.
The Legal Framework Governing Ontario's Online Casinos
Online gambling in Ontario is regulated under the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and iGaming Ontario (iGO). These organisations ensure that online casinos comply with strict rules concerning fairness, transparency, and responsible gambling, in an effort to protect players from harm.
All online casinos operating in Ontario must be registered with AGCO and meet the standards provided by the Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming. The casinos are regularly assessed to ensure that they remain compliant with the Standards.
Casinos like Spin Genie that have successfully registered with the AGCO and have executed an operating agreement with iGO (a subsidiary of AGCO) can offer their games to players in Ontario.
iGaming Ontario’s Role in Protecting Players
iGaming Ontario is dedicated to making sure that online casinos are compliant with regulations and follow responsible gambling practices. This includes offering self-exclusion programs to help players to take breaks from online gambling, and promoting responsible gambling as part of the casinos’ marketing.
The organisation works closely with online casinos to ensure fair play, secure transactions, data protection, and robust anti anti-money laundering measures. Playing at AGCO-accredited casinos is the only fully legal way to gamble online in Ontario, since the alternatives involve visiting offshore casino websites that sit within a legal grey area.
By contrast, casinos that are approved by AGCO and iGO offer data protection, guaranteed fairness, tools for responsible gambling, and ease of reporting issues. This allows players in Ontario to enjoy online gambling in a safe and secure environment. On the iGO website, you can search for a casino in its directory to check that it is regulated.
Responsible Gambling Regulations Explained
The AGCO and the iGO require online casinos to follow responsible gambling regulations. All online casinos in Ontario must achieve and maintain responsible gambling accreditation through the RG Check program.
To achieve accreditation, casinos must implement a number of measures, including those below:
- A well-managed and communicated self-exclusion program that facilitates access to support.
- Marketing communications must not be misleading or target potentially vulnerable players.
- Employees must be trained on responsible gambling, problem gambling, and how their jobs impact player protection.
Some of these measures are designed to stop vulnerable individuals, such as minors or those who are self-excluding, from online gambling.
iGaming regulations in Ontario also ensure that casinos prompt responsible gambling through advertising and in-game features such as Reality Checks, which players can set up to alert them at regular intervals about how long they have been playing for, and how much they have spent during the session.
Consequences of Non-Compliance and the Importance of Player Safety
Casinos that fail to comply with Ontario’s gaming regulations can be hit with hefty fines, licence suspension, and even having their operating agreements revoked. This serves to further protect players, since it ensures that only ethical and responsible casinos are able to offer services in Ontario.
Playing on regulated sites provides legal protection for players, including the ability to file complaints through the AGCO if any issues arise.
Play Your Favorite Online Casino Games Here at Spin Genie’s Licensed Online Casino
Playing at licensed, regulated online casinos in Ontario is the only way to play online games and be fully compliant with the law. Casinos like Spin Genie are AGCO and iGO-regulated, giving you peace of mind that you are playing in a safe, secure environment that champions responsible gambling.
