Ontario AGCO Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario
This is the alcohol and gambling regulator of the Canadian province of Ontario. It opened a private online casino market in April 2022 together with its subsidiary iGaming Ontario (iGO), and online revenue for fiscal 2024-25 was CAD 3.2 billion.
| English | Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario |
|---|---|
| Classification | Licenses & Regulation |
| Agency | Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) |
| Founded | 1998 |
| Location | Toronto, Canada |
| Online market opening | April 4, 2022 |
| Operations management | iGaming Ontario (iGO, an AGCO subsidiary) |
| Registration fee | CAD 100,000 per site per year |
| Operators | 49 operators, 84 sites (2024-25) |
| 2024-25 revenue | CAD 3.2 billion (casino CAD 2.4 billion) |
| 2024-25 wagers | CAD 82.7 billion |
| Active accounts | About 1.1 million (March 2025) |
Overview
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) is the agency that regulates alcohol, cannabis, horse racing, and gambling in the Canadian province of Ontario. It was created in 1998 and is headquartered in Toronto.
In Canada, only online casinos run directly by each provincial government were originally legal. On April 4, 2022, Ontario became the first Canadian province to open its online casino, slot, and sports betting market to private operators. To do this, it created a subsidiary under the AGCO, iGaming Ontario (iGO).
History
Roles of the AGCO and iGO
| Agency | Role |
|---|---|
| AGCO | Registration and review of operators and game suppliers, rulemaking, oversight and sanctions |
| iGO | The entity that signs operating agreements with operators and “manages” the online gaming business |
Under Canada’s Criminal Code, only provincial governments can conduct gambling, so legally the provincial government (iGO) runs the online casino and private companies participate as its agents. Operators deposit revenue earned in Ontario into iGO’s account, and iGO returns a set share.
Market size
| Item (fiscal year 2024-25) | Amount | Year over year |
|---|---|---|
| Total revenue (player losses) | CA$3.2 billion | +32% |
| Casino | CA$2.4 billion | +36% |
| Sports betting | CA$724 million | +23% |
| Poker | CA$66 million | Similar |
| Total wagers | CA$82.7 billion (casinos CA$69.6 billion) | +31% |
Three quarters of revenue comes from casinos, and most of that is slots. March 2025 alone reached CA$294.8 million. 49 operators ran 84 sites, with about 1.1 million active accounts.
Operating rules
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Registration fee | CA$100,000 per year per website |
| Responsible gambling | Mandatory RG Check accreditation from the Responsible Gambling Council |
| Minimum age | 19 years old |
| Access region | Available only within Ontario |
| Game suppliers | Supplier registration with the AGCO required |
Advertising regulation
After advertising grew excessively following the market opening, Ontario banned the use of athletes and celebrities popular with young people in gambling ads starting in February 2024. General ads that lead with bonuses are also restricted, so bonus information can only be shown to registered players.
Relationship with slot providers
Slot providers must also register with the AGCO as suppliers before they can provide games to Ontario operators. Major providers including Pragmatic Play have completed registration.
Relationship with other jurisdictions
Analyses suggest that quite a few people still use unlicensed sites even after Ontario’s market opened. The relationship with Kahnawake, which issued licenses based on Indigenous self-governance, also remains controversial. Along with the US states of New Jersey and Michigan, it is considered one of North America’s leading regulated markets.
Location
The AGCO is headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.