The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) announced Thursday it handed out $40,000 fines to a pair of iGaming distributors for offering their products unlawfully.
Key Takeaways
- The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario fined Relax Gaming Limited and Arrise Solutions Limited $40,000 each.
- Both companies promptly restricted access to their games.
- The move is part of the AGCO’s broader push against unregulated gambling activity.
Relax Gaming Limited and Arrise Solutions Limited, both registered with the AGCO to create and supply slot and casino-style games, provided their products to various unregulated gaming sites for Ontario players.
“Ontario’s regulated iGaming market is built on clear rules designed to protect players and hold companies accountable,” Dr. Karin Schnarr, CEO and registrar of the AGCO, said. “Unregulated gaming sites operate outside that framework, meaning players have no assurance of fair games, timely withdrawals, or access to meaningful dispute resolution,”
The AGCO said both companies cooperated with the investigation and promptly restricted access to their games on the unregulated sites.
The move maintains the AGCO's increased pressure against unregulated operations, which dates back over a year.
“When regulated games appear on unregulated sites, it risks enabling a market that exposes players to real harm,” Dr. Schnarr added.
As Ontario online casinos continue to outpace their retail counterparts, regulated sites distinguish themselves from unregulated ones through responsible gambling tools, independently audited random number generators, regulatory oversight, and tax contributions to the province.
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Broader crackdown
The AGCO has remained vigilant in other areas as well.
Earlier this year, it moved to suspend sports betting operator PointsBet for five days for failing to report suspicious betting related to the Jontay Porter betting scandal in 2024.
“PointsBet’s alleged systemic failure to properly monitor, detect, document and report suspicious betting patterns related to the 2024 bet-rigging scheme involving (the NBA's) Jontay Porter, which has been the focus of a major criminal investigation in the United States,” the AGCO said.
“The timely identification and reporting of such issues warn sports leagues, integrity monitors, regulators and law enforcement of potential integrity concerns,” it added. “It also alerts gaming operators across the globe, which allows them to take necessary steps to protect their patrons from bets lacking integrity.”
