How long does an Ontario online casino typically keep my personal and account data after I close my account?

Closing your account doesn't wipe the slate clean — and that's partly by design. Here's what's actually driving data retention at Ontario-regulated online casinos, and how long you should realistically expect your records to stick around.

The federal floor: five years minimum for financial records

Casinos are required under the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act to keep certain records, identify clients, maintain a compliance regime, and report certain financial transactions to FINTRAC. That obligation doesn't end when you close your account. FINTRAC's record-keeping guidance specifies retention of at least five years from the date the account was closed for account-related records such as sign-up information and account applications. In plain terms: your name, date of birth, contact details, identification records, and transaction history are legally required to be kept for at least five years after you leave — full stop.

Records must be kept in such a manner that they can be provided to FINTRAC within 30 days of a request. That gives you a sense of how accessible and intact this data needs to remain — it's not being archived into some dusty corner.

What the AGCO framework adds

On the Ontario regulatory side, the AGCO's standards require operators to maintain complete records for game integrity, dispute resolution, and regulatory oversight. There shall be appropriate, accurate and complete records of transaction and game state and play information kept and made available for purposes including regulator investigations, resolving disputes, and tracking player funds. The standards don't prescribe a single number of years for all data types — they set outcome-based requirements, and operators must meet them. For the exact parameters, the AGCO's own Registrar's Standards for Internet Gaming is the definitive reference.

iGaming Ontario also holds a stake in this. iGaming Ontario retains full and unrestricted access and control of all gaming data, player registration, and transaction data as it relates to players in Ontario. That data relationship with iGO persists independently of whether your individual operator account is open or closed.

What OLG's own terms illustrate (and what it means for the broader market)

OLG.ca — the province's Crown operator — is transparent about this in its terms: notwithstanding the closure of the account, OLG will retain a player's information in accordance with its record retention policies. Private-market operators registered with iGaming Ontario follow the same legal framework, so expect comparable language in their privacy policies. The exact retention schedule for each data category can vary by operator, so check the privacy policy of your specific site for the full breakdown.

The practical picture

Putting it together: the hard minimum for financial and identity records is five years post-closure, driven by federal anti-money laundering law. Game transaction logs and regulatory records may be kept longer depending on the operator's internal retention schedule and any ongoing AGCO oversight requirements. Closing your account stops you from playing — it doesn't trigger immediate deletion of your data.

If you want to understand exactly what a specific operator holds about you and for how long, the right move is to read that site's privacy policy or submit a formal access request under PIPEDA. You can also confirm a site is genuinely registered with iGaming Ontario by looking for both the iGaming Ontario and BetGuard logos on the site — their presence signals the operator is regulated by the AGCO and managed by iGO. The full registry of registered operators lives at the iGaming Ontario website. If you ever need support around your gambling habits, ConnexOntario is reachable at 1-866-531-2600.