Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario

History and Establishment

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario was formally established on February 23, 1998, by the Government of Ontario under the authority of the Alcohol and Gaming Regulation and Public Protection Act of 1996. This legislative action consolidated regulatory responsibilities that were previously spread across several bodies. The creation of the AGCO led to the dissolution of the Liquor Licence Board of Ontario, the Racing Commission of Ontario, and the Gaming Control Commission, with their functions transferred to the new unified regulator. Over the years, the AGCO's mandate has expanded significantly in response to legislative changes and new government priorities. On April 1, 2016, the agency assumed responsibility for regulating horse racing under the Horse Racing Licence Act, 2015. Following the federal legalization of cannabis, the AGCO began regulating private cannabis retail stores on October 17, 2018, under the Cannabis Licence Act, 2018. The most recent structural change occurred on May 12, 2025, when its subsidiary, iGaming Ontario, became a standalone Crown agency.

Regulatory Mandate and Governing Legislation

The AGCO's core mandate is to regulate four distinct sectors: alcohol, gaming, horse racing, and cannabis retail. It carries out this duty by administering a suite of provincial statutes and regulations designed to ensure lawful, fair, and responsible operation within these industries. The primary acts administered by the AGCO are the Liquor Licence and Control Act, 2019, the Gaming Control Act, 1992, the Horse Racing Licence Act, 2015, and the Cannabis Licence Act, 2018. The agency also administers sections of the Charity Lottery Licensing Order-in-Council 1413/08 and, as of 2024, Order in Council 208/2024, which establishes the licensing framework for charitable gaming. The AGCO operates under the principles of honesty, integrity, and the public interest, with a focus on protecting consumers and maintaining the integrity of the markets it oversees. Its regulatory activities encompass licensing and registration, standard-setting, compliance monitoring, and enforcement. The agency's strategic direction is outlined in multi-year plans, such as the 2025 to 2028 Strategic Plan, and specific priorities are set by the government through instruments like the 2026 to 2027 Letter of Direction.

Structure and Governance

The AGCO is governed by a board of up to eleven members, all of whom are appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council. The Lieutenant Governor in Council designates one member as chair and may designate one or more members as vice-chair. Board members serve for terms specified at the time of their appointment, and their remuneration is set according to Schedule B of the Ontario government's Agencies and Appointments Directive. This board provides strategic direction and oversight for the agency's operations. The AGCO's day-to-day regulatory functions are carried out by a staff of public servants, including a registrar who holds significant authority for setting and enforcing standards, particularly in the gaming sector. The agency reports to the Attorney General of Ontario, ensuring accountability to the provincial government and, by extension, the public.

Regulation of iGaming and Online Gambling

The AGCO plays a central role in Ontario's regulated online gambling, or iGaming, market, which launched on April 4, 2022. Under the federal Criminal Code, only a provincial government may conduct and manage a lottery scheme. Ontario meets this requirement through iGaming Ontario (iGO), a Crown agency that was established as an AGCO subsidiary on July 6, 2021 and became a standalone agency on May 12, 2025. iGO conducts and manages the market, while private operators run their gaming sites as its agents under operating agreements. The AGCO's responsibility is to register and regulate these private operators and gaming-related suppliers, and to enforce the binding Registrar's Standards for Internet Gaming. The regulated market is open to players aged 19 and over and includes online casino games, sports and event betting, peer-to-peer poker, bingo, esports, and fantasy contests, while the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation retains the online lottery.

The regulatory framework for iGaming is built on three layers: the federal Criminal Code, Ontario's Gaming Control Act, 1992 and Regulation 78/12, and the detailed Registrar's Standards for Internet Gaming issued by the AGCO. These standards are organized around six key risk themes, including responsible gambling, anti-money laundering, and game integrity. Operators must document their compliance controls in a Control Activity Matrix, which is subject to an independent audit by a party that did not help build it. The AGCO charges an annual fee of C$100,000 per gaming site for operator registration. In the fiscal year ending March 2026, the Ontario iGaming market handled C$103.3 billion in cash wagers, generating C$4.27 billion in gaming revenue, a 32.6 percent increase from the prior year. An Ipsos study commissioned by the regulators found that 91.1 percent of online gamblers in Ontario used regulated sites.

• Market opened: April 4, 2022.
• Annual operator registration fee: C$100,000.
• Revenue share: iGO retains 20% of gaming revenue, remitting 80% to operators.
• 2025 to 2026 cash wagers: C$103.3 billion.
• 2025 to 2026 gaming revenue: C$4.27 billion.
• Player protection: Centralized self-exclusion program (BetGuard) launched May 14, 2026.
• Advertising ban: Athletes are prohibited from appearing in igaming ads.
• Game rule: Slot machines cannot have autoplay functionality.

Key iGaming Regulations and Player Safeguards

The AGCO's Registrar's Standards for Internet Gaming contain specific and detailed requirements operators must follow to protect players and ensure game integrity. The standards are grouped into six risk themes: responsible gambling, anti-money laundering, game integrity, security, fairness, and protection of assets. Responsible gambling carries particularly heavy ongoing duties, requiring operators to proactively identify players at risk of harm, intervene, and keep detailed records of their actions. A significant enhancement to player protection arrived in 2026 with the launch of iGaming Ontario's Centralized Self-Exclusion Program, known as BetGuard. Supported by new Standard 2.14.1 issued on April 2, 2026, this program allows players to exclude themselves from every regulated site through a single registration for terms of six months, one year, or five years. Upon a player's registration, operators have 24 hours to stop all marketing, cancel outstanding wagers, and refund money to the player's wallet, with specific exceptions for wagers on events starting within that window.

The operational requirements for the centralized program are stringent. If a logged-in player is found to have joined the registry, they must be logged out immediately. Operators must also have a mechanism to return unused funds and plan for potential registry outages, as system disruptions do not suspend the duty to keep excluded players out. Alongside this central program, operators must maintain their own site-level self-exclusion programs under Standard 2.14. The AGCO has stated it will revisit this site-level requirement no more than 12 months after the central program goes live. Other critical safeguards include a ban on the use of athletes in any advertising for igaming, a prohibition on the public advertising of bonuses, and a rule that slot games cannot include autoplay features. These measures are designed to create what is considered one of the strictest online gambling regulatory environments in North America.

Enforcement and Key Regulatory Actions

The AGCO maintains an active enforcement regime to ensure compliance with its standards and acts, issuing monetary penalties and, in serious cases, proposing the suspension of registrations. Enforcement actions are taken for a variety of violations, including failures in responsible gambling protocols, anti-money laundering controls, game integrity monitoring, and advertising standards. For example, in 2026, the AGCO reached a settlement with PointsBet Canada, resolving regulatory proceedings and issuing a notice of a proposed five-day suspension over unreported suspicious betting activity on NBA games, which was a first for the Ontario iGaming market. Other notable penalties include a C$350,000 penalty against FanDuel for failures related to match-fixing signals in table tennis and a C$105,000 penalty against an operator for failing to address a high-risk player. The AGCO has also issued penalties for supplying slot games with prohibited autoplay features and for allowing underage players to create and fund accounts.

Sector-Specific Regulatory Roles

Beyond iGaming, the AGCO has distinct regulatory functions for the alcohol, horse racing, and cannabis retail sectors. For alcohol, the agency regulates the sale, service, and delivery of liquor across Ontario by issuing licences and permits to manufacturers, distributors, bars, and restaurants under the Liquor Licence and Control Act, 2019. In horse racing, the AGCO governs the operation of racetracks and oversees the licensing of all participants, from owners and trainers to jockeys and officials, under the Horse Racing Licence Act, 2015. This includes approving race date changes, as seen with the 2026 approval for a date change at Flamboro Downs. For cannabis, following its legalization, the AGCO licenses eligible retail store operators and managers and regulates the sale of cannabis in private stores under the Cannabis Licence Act, 2018. Each sector has its own set of standards, application processes, and compliance resources managed through the AGCO's online portal, iAGCO.

• Alcohol: Licences for manufacturers, distributors, bars, restaurants, and special occasion permits.
• Gaming: Registration for operators, suppliers, and gaming workers. Oversight of lottery schemes and charitable gaming.
• Horse Racing: Licences for racetracks, owners, trainers, drivers, jockeys, and officials.
• Cannabis Retail: Licences for store operators and retail managers for private stores.
• Charitable Gaming: Administration of the licensing framework under Order in Council 208/2024.

Recent Developments and Legal Challenges

The AGCO operates in a dynamic legal and policy environment, with several major developments shaping its recent work. A major element of its player protection strategy, the BetGuard centralized self-exclusion program, launched on May 14, 2026. Another significant ongoing matter is the question of international liquidity, or allowing Ontario players to compete against players outside the province. This issue was referred to the Ontario Court of Appeal by Order in Council 210/2024. In November 2025, a majority of the Court held that online gaming would remain lawful under the Criminal Code if Ontario players could play with people outside Canada under the proposed model, with Justice van Rensburg dissenting. The lottery corporations appealed this decision to the Supreme Court of Canada, which heard the appeal on October 7, 2026, and reserved its judgment. The outcome will determine whether Standard 3.02, which currently prohibits such international play, can be amended.

Other notable developments include the coming into force of the iGaming Ontario Act, 2024, which formalized iGO's separation from the AGCO, and the federal Bill S-211, the National Framework on Sports Betting Advertising Act. The AGCO continues to update its standards through published bulletins and aligns its operations with government priorities outlined in documents like the 2026 to 2027 Letter of Direction. These directions often emphasize specific priorities such as safeguarding vulnerable people and ensuring the lawful operation of gaming with integrity. The agency's enforcement activity remains steady, reflecting its commitment to a compliant market, as evidenced by the range of monetary penalties and the unprecedented proposed suspension of an operator in 2026.

Questions about Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario

What does the AGCO regulate in Ontario?

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario regulates the alcohol, gaming, horse racing, and cannabis retail sectors in Ontario. It administers the Liquor Licence and Control Act, the Gaming Control Act, the Horse Racing Licence Act, and the Cannabis Licence Act. The AGCO also administers sections of the Charity Lottery Licensing Order-in-Council. Its work promotes the lawful operation of gaming with integrity and safeguards that protect vulnerable people from gambling-related harm.

When did online gambling become legal in Ontario?

Ontario opened Canada's first competitive regulated online gambling market on April 4, 2022. This followed the establishment of iGaming Ontario on July 6, 2021, as a subsidiary of the AGCO to oversee online gaming operations. Online casino, sports and event betting, peer-to-peer poker and bingo, esports and fantasy contests are open to players aged 19 and over. The AGCO's Registrar's Standards for Internet Gaming took effect when the market opened.

How does the AGCO protect players from gambling harm?

The AGCO enforces strict responsible gambling standards for operators. Key protections include requiring operators to identify and intervene with players showing signs of risky behaviour. A major tool is the BetGuard centralized self-exclusion program, launched on May 14, 2026, which lets players exclude themselves from all regulated sites at once for six-month, one-year, or five-year terms. Operators must also refrain from using athletes in advertisements and cannot publicly advertise bonuses, and slot games are prohibited from having autoplay features.

How much does an Ontario iGaming operator licence cost?

To register as an internet gaming operator with the AGCO, the annual fee is C$100,000 per gaming site. This is a registration fee paid to the regulator. Separately, operators share their gaming revenue with iGaming Ontario, which retains 20 percent and remits 80 percent back to the operator. This revenue share is a contractual arrangement, not a tax.

Can Ontario players gamble with people outside the province?

As of late 2026, Ontario players cannot yet play against players located outside Ontario, as per Standard 3.02. The legality of enabling such international play is under consideration by the courts. In November 2025, a majority of the Ontario Court of Appeal held that the proposed model would be lawful. The lottery corporations appealed this decision to the Supreme Court of Canada, which heard the case on October 7, 2026, and has reserved its judgment.

What is the difference between the AGCO and iGaming Ontario?

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) is the Crown regulatory agency that registers and regulates online gambling operators and suppliers, and enforces the binding Registrar's Standards for Internet Gaming. In contrast, iGaming Ontario (iGO) is the Crown agency that conducts and manages the online gambling market, with private operators running their sites as its agents under operating agreements. iGaming Ontario was established on July 6, 2021, as a subsidiary of the AGCO but became a standalone agency on May 12, 2025. The AGCO's regulatory responsibilities are rooted in the Gaming Control Act, 1992, while iGO's operational role stems from the federal Criminal Code, which reserves the conduct and management of gambling to the provinces. This division means the AGCO focuses on licensing, setting standards, and compliance enforcement, whereas iGO handles the market's day-to-day operation and revenue sharing with operators.

Sources and further reading

• Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (Wikipedia)
• Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario | Alcohol and Gaming ... (agco.ca)
• Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (pas.gov.on.ca)
• Ontario iGaming Regulations 2026: Operator Compliance (licencegaming.com)
• Ontario (Canada) Gambling Licence and Regulation (2026) (igaming-times.com)
• AGCO Corporation (agcocorp.com)
• Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario | Alcohol and Gaming ... (agco.ca)

Checked by the Nosy Mag desk. Last updated 2026-11-10.