AGCO Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario
The first fully licensed online casino market in Canada. Operators must hold both AGCO registration and an iGaming Ontario agreement.
- Jurisdiction: Ontario, Canada
- Self-exclusion: Per-operator mandatory.
- Verify a licence: igamingontario.ca/en/about/registered-operators →
Overview
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) regulates gambling in the Canadian province of Ontario. In April 2022, Ontario launched the first fully regulated online gambling market in Canada outside the British Columbia and Manitoba provincial monopolies. Operators wanting to serve Ontario residents must hold an AGCO registration as a Gaming-Related Supplier and a separate operating agreement with iGaming Ontario (iGO), the Crown agency that contracts with operators.
The dual-registration system means operators face two layers of oversight: AGCO for licensing eligibility, ongoing compliance and enforcement; iGO for contract terms, revenue collection and the technical platform standards. Operators that lose either status cannot legally serve Ontario players.
Player protections this licence guarantees
Ontario-specific licensing
Operators must be specifically registered to serve Ontario - a US or European licence does not transfer. This keeps the operator pool to vetted, contracted parties.
iGO contractual oversight
iGaming Ontario contracts include detailed technical standards, payout protocols and ongoing reporting requirements. Operators report financials to iGO regularly.
Centralised player complaint handling
AGCO operates a unified complaint process - players can escalate any unresolved issue from any registered operator through one channel.
Mandatory responsible gambling tools
Every registered operator must provide deposit limits, time limits, self-exclusion, and link to ConnexOntario. Tools must be accessible without contacting customer support.
Strong enforcement record
AGCO has shown willingness to fine and sanction major operators for breaches. The regulator publishes enforcement actions publicly.
Limits and trade-offs
No regulator is perfect. Things to be aware of with the AGCO:
No province-wide self-exclusion register
Unlike GAMSTOP, players must self-exclude at each Ontario operator individually. A unified register has been discussed but is not yet live.
Limited geographic scope
AGCO covers Ontario only. Canadian players outside the province use offshore operators with weaker protection.
How to verify a AGCO licence
Every AGCO-licensed operator must display its licence number in the casino footer. Find that number, then look it up on the official register:
Official register: igamingontario.ca/en/about/registered-operators →
Confirm the licence status shows "Active" and the casino's brand name appears in the registered trading names. If either fails, the operator is misrepresenting its licence - withdraw any funds and switch to a verified operator.
For a regulator-agnostic walkthrough covering UKGC, MGA, AGCO and US state regulators in one page, see our 5-minute licence verification guide.
Frequently asked about the AGCO
Is online gambling legal in Ontario?
Yes - under iGO-contracted operators registered with AGCO. Ontario was the first Canadian province to launch a fully regulated online market in April 2022. Operating without both AGCO registration and an iGO contract is illegal.
How do I verify an Ontario-licensed casino?
Visit igamingontario.ca/en/about/registered-operators - the page lists every registered operator. If a casino claims to serve Ontario players but is not on this list, it is operating illegally in the province and your funds have no Ontario consumer protection.
Are Ontario casinos open to players from other Canadian provinces?
No. Ontario-licensed operators are required to verify Ontario residency at signup and to geo-block players from other provinces. Players outside Ontario rely on provincial lottery monopolies (PlayNow, Espacejeux) or offshore operators with MGA/UKGC/Curaçao licences.
What about provincial lottery sites like PlayNow?
PlayNow (operated by BCLC for British Columbia and Manitoba), Loto-Québec and Atlantic Lottery Corporation are Crown-corporation monopolies in their respective provinces - they predate the AGCO/iGO framework and operate under separate provincial law. They are regulated, but by different authorities than AGCO.