What is the legal relationship between iGaming Ontario and private casino operators under the provincial framework?

Two bodies, one framework — and a very deliberate split of roles

Ontario's regulated online casino market is built on a structural distinction that surprises a lot of players: private operators don't simply get a licence and go do their own thing. They enter a dual relationship — one regulatory, one commercial — with two separate provincial bodies whose roles are kept deliberately apart.

The AGCO is the regulator for the province, while iGaming Ontario is the commercial "conduct and manage" entity. On May 12, 2025, the iGaming Ontario Act was proclaimed and iGaming Ontario became an independent agency. It reports to the Attorney General of Ontario and operates at arm's length from the AGCO, so that the Registrar's role as regulator remains unchanged and entirely separate from the commercial role — a governance structure designed to avoid real or perceived conflicts of interest.

What each body actually does with a private operator

Private gaming operators must successfully register with the AGCO and execute an operating agreement with iGaming Ontario before they may begin offering their games to players in Ontario. Those are two distinct legal steps, not one.

The AGCO side is purely regulatory: operators and their suppliers apply for registration under the Gaming Control Act, 1992, and the AGCO will only register those who act with honesty, integrity, in accordance with the law, and in the public interest. The AGCO establishes and upholds the Registrar's Standards for Internet Gaming applicable to OLG's internet gaming site, to iGaming Ontario, and to all registered operators and suppliers. If an operator falls short after launch, the AGCO can bring them back into compliance through progressive sanctions — warnings, suspensions, monetary penalties, and in the most serious cases, revocations.

The iGaming Ontario side is commercial and contractual. iGO commercially manages internet gaming offerings through private operators in accordance with the Criminal Code, the Gaming Control Act, the iGaming Ontario Act, and the Registrar's Standards — fulfilling its conduct-and-manage duties through the development, execution, and oversight of Operating Agreements, along with the policies and procedures that balance consumer protection, red tape reduction, and revenue generation.

A critical detail on ownership of the revenue: iGaming Ontario controls the gross gaming revenue accruing from the operation of regulated sites, requiring that GGR be kept separate from the operator's other funds, and providing that GGR is the sole and absolute property of iGaming Ontario until iGO pays the operators their defined revenue share. Private operators, in other words, are acting as agents of iGaming Ontario within the Ontario market — iGaming Ontario is the operating mind of the regulated sites and conducts and manages them pursuant to the Gaming Control legislation, its operating agreements, and iGO policies.

What this means for Toronto players day-to-day

Being a fully registered and authorized operator means the organization has successfully received a registration from the AGCO and executed an operating agreement with iGO — and to complete those steps, the organization will have met rigorous standards of game integrity, fairness, player protections, and social responsibility. You can verify any site's status on the official iGaming Ontario registry, which is the live source of truth for which operators are currently authorized.

Responsible gambling obligations flow through both layers of this structure. All igaming operators in Ontario participate in BetGuard, a tool that allows people to opt out of all regulated online gambling in Ontario. Operators are also required to have their own self-exclusion program that meets the requirements set out in the Registrar's Standards for Internet Gaming. If you ever feel your play is becoming something other than entertainment, ConnexOntario (1-866-531-2600) is the provincial support line — and the 19+ age requirement applies across every operator in the scheme. Regulated sites are required to prominently display the iGaming Ontario logo, and operators must comply with iGaming Ontario's policies and directions regarding marketing and advertising. That logo — alongside the BetGuard logo — is your quick visual confirmation that a site is operating inside the regulated framework, not outside it.