AGCO Fines Suppliers Over Offshore Casino Games

Ontario’s gambling regulator has fined two licensed gaming suppliers after discovering their casino games were still accessible through unregulated websites available to players in the province.

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) issued monetary penalties of $40,000 each to Relax Gaming Limited and Arrise Solutions Limited. According to the regulator, the companies’ games appeared on offshore gambling platforms operating outside Ontario’s legal framework.

AGCO stated that all operators and suppliers serving Ontario’s regulated iGaming market must comply with provincial rules. Allowing regulated content to appear on unlicensed websites, the regulator said, weakens consumer protections and undermines the integrity of the market.

Ontario launched its regulated online gambling market in April 2022, becoming the first Canadian province to allow private operators through a formal licensing structure. At the time, AGCO introduced a six-month transition period for gray-market operators to move into compliance.

Since then, the regulator has continued to focus on player protection, responsible gambling standards and market integrity. AGCO warned that offshore gambling platforms may expose users to risks including money laundering, unfair gaming practices and limited options for dispute resolution.

The investigation found that games supplied by Relax Gaming and Arrise were still available through unregulated gambling websites that could be accessed in Ontario. AGCO confirmed that both companies cooperated after being contacted and later restricted access to their products on those platforms.

AGCO Chief Executive Officer and Registrar Dr. Karin Schnarr said the province’s regulated market is built on strict standards intended to protect consumers and ensure accountability among operators and suppliers.

She added that when licensed gaming content appears on unregulated sites, it increases the risk of harm to players by supporting platforms that operate outside Ontario’s regulatory system.

The enforcement action follows other recent regulatory measures taken by AGCO. Earlier this year, the regulator suspended PointsBet’s licence over failures linked to suspicious betting activity connected to the 2024 NBA betting scandal involving former Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter.