iGaming Ontario (iGO)

iGaming Ontario is a relatively new online gaming market, formed in 2021 in conjunction with The Government of Ontario and the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).

iGO officially went live on the 4th of April 2022 with the aim of overseeing all gambling websites offered by private operators, providing protection and support for players and making sure that operators are compliant with their high standards for game integrity, responsible gambling and prevention of money laundering.

What is iGO and what does it do?

iGO is responsible for conducting and managing igaming provided by private operators in the province of Ontario. It is a subsidiary of the AGCO, which acts as the regulatory authority of the igaming market. These entities work together to establish and uphold the legal standards and requirements as set out in the Registrar's Standards for Internet Gaming, in accordance with the Gaming Control Act (1992).

Some of the main duties of iGaming Ontario are to:

• Execute operating agreements with private igaming Operators, once they have been registered by the AGCO, and oversee contract obligations for provision of their services in Ontario’s regulated igaming scheme
• Implement and oversee reconciliation of igaming revenues on behalf of the province.
• Provide market insights and help Operators integrate into the new market.
• Implement responsible gambling requirements for Operators.
• Develop and oversee iGaming Ontario’s anti-money laundering program and policies.
• Establish a dispute resolution process to respond to customer concerns.

Having a regulated market means that players can now play with confidence, safe in the knowledge that their winnings will be paid to them, that the games are fair, and the casinos are backed by legitimate businesses.

There are also tight controls in place to prevent fraud and the funding of terrorism, and every player must complete an I.D. verification process when creating an account at a casino. Players will be reminded each year to update this information.

Complaints and disputes

iGaming Ontario is obligated to make sure that there is a dispute resolution process accessible to players. iGO states on their website that they are unable to directly settle bets, refund wagers or award compensation. However, players are encouraged to submit any legitimate complaints to the operator in question, in accordance with the operator's complaint procedure.

If no resolution can be found with the operator, a complaint can then be escalated to iGO for review. There is also a free online tool to help players decide how is best to proceed and how to submit a complaint to iGO.

How to check a license

All online gambling websites that are allowed to operate in Ontario should have the iGaming Ontario logo displayed on their website, but you can also check if a casino is offered by a legal, regulated operator by checking the igaming site directory.

Here you can find a form which allows you to search the register for a specific website, and there is also a complete list of every regulated website currently available. This list is updated every time a new site offered by an authorized operator is approved.

Responsible gambling

A large part of iGO's responsibilities involve ensuring that operators provide players with easy access to responsible gambling tools, resources and information. For example, every operator must give players the ability to set limits on deposits and losses at the point of registration. They are further expected to:

• Achieve (and maintain) an accreditation from the Responsible Gambling Council
• Run problem gambling prevention and responsible gambling campaigns
• Participate in a future centralized program to enable players to exclude from all regulated igaming websites in Ontario
• Share anonymized player data to aid in advanicng research into responsible gambling

These requirements are in addition to responsible gambling standards set out by Ontario's regulator, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), and are in place as part of iGO's quest to deliver more refined player protections.

There are also guidelines for each operator regarding how a self-exclusion procedure must be implemented. As there is currently no possibilty for players to exclude themselves from all iGO casinos at the same time (this is currently being developed), each operator must offer its own self-exclusion program.

Contact Information

iGaming Ontario

Address: 90 Sheppard Avenue East, Suite 310, Toronto, Ontario, M2NOA4

Tel: 1 833 554-4263

E-mail: igaming@igamingontario.ca

Website: https://igamingontario.ca/