What legal authority does the AGCO have to take action against an online casino that breaks the rules?

Picture this: a Toronto player notices that a registered Ontario casino site has been letting them wager well above the deposit limit they set, ignoring it entirely. Who actually has the power to do something about that — and what can they do? That's the AGCO's job, and its toolkit is more substantial than most players realize.

The legal foundation

The AGCO is an Ontario provincial regulatory agency reporting to the Ministry of the Attorney General, constituted as a corporation under the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario Act, 2019. Its authority over online casinos flows specifically from the Gaming Control Act, 1992 (GCA). Under the GCA, the Registrar is authorized to establish risk-based standards to regulate Ontario's gaming sector. Sections 3.8 and 3.9 of the GCA require registrants, employees and other persons retained by OLG and iGaming Ontario to comply with the Standards and Requirements established by the Registrar. In other words, every operator that wants to serve Toronto players must agree, as a condition of registration, to play by those rules — and the AGCO has the statutory power to hold them to it.

A graduated ladder of sanctions

Where regulatory expectations are not met, the AGCO may use a full spectrum of compliance responses — education, warnings, financial penalties, suspensions, and in the most serious cases, revocations. The AGCO generally deploys a progressive approach to sanctions, but in cases where severe incidents occur, it will act proportionately to ensure the public is protected.

Breaking that down in practice:

• Warnings and education — the starting point for minor or first-time compliance gaps, with the goal of getting the operator back on track without escalating.
• Monetary penalties — the AGCO uses monetary penalties as an additional compliance tool for registrants who have contravened the Gaming Control Act, 1992 and its regulations; a monetary penalty is a financial consequence where the registrant pays a defined amount as a result of a contravention. They are designed to promote compliance so that the suspension or revocation of a registration does not become a necessary measure. Real-world examples from the AGCO's own enforcement record: penalties issued to internet gaming operators for offering uncertified slot games, and $110,000 in penalties to BetMGM Canada for advertising inducements in violation of the Standards.
• Suspension or revocation — in the case of a repeated or severe infraction, the Registrar may propose immediate suspension or revocation where appropriate. Losing registration means losing the right to operate in Ontario entirely.

Ongoing monitoring, not just reactive enforcement

The AGCO monitors igaming operators, suppliers and digital game offerings for compliance with regulatory obligations, including the Registrar's Standards for Internet Gaming. This is active surveillance, not a complaint-only system. The AGCO also addresses regulatory complaints and inquiries, including those related to game integrity and fairness, misuse of private information, responsible gambling violations, and money laundering.

The Standards themselves are deliberately broad in scope. The Registrar's Standards for Internet Gaming are meant to ensure that player protections, game integrity, responsible gambling safeguards and anti-money laundering protections are in place. That covers everything from how deposit limits must work to how self-excluded players must be blocked — and an operator's failure on any of those fronts is fair game for enforcement action. The AGCO also has an Ontario Provincial Police bureau attached to it for gaming-related criminal matters, so serious issues like money laundering can escalate beyond regulatory penalties into police investigation territory.

Appeals and the dual-layer structure

A registered gaming operator served with an Order of Monetary Penalty by the AGCO has the right to appeal the Registrar's action to the Licence Appeal Tribunal (LAT), an adjudicative tribunal independent of the AGCO and part of Tribunals Ontario. So there is a check on the AGCO's own decisions — operators aren't without recourse.

Worth noting for context: iGaming Ontario became an independent agency as of May 2025 and is responsible for conducting and managing igaming when provided through private operators. iGO's operating agreements add a second layer of contractual obligations on top of the AGCO's regulatory ones — iGO may suspend and/or terminate the operating agreement of an operator that breaches its contract terms, independent of any AGCO penalty.

For players, the practical upshot is straightforward: if you think a licensed Ontario site has broken the rules, you can file a complaint directly with the AGCO at agco.ca. The regulator's enforcement record shows it does act — and the consequences for operators can be significant. If you ever want to confirm a site is legitimately registered before you play, the iGaming Ontario registry is the live source of truth, and regulated sites will display both the iGaming Ontario and BetGuard logos. Problem gambling support is available any time through ConnexOntario at 1-866-531-2600.