Any individual or business actively involved in horse racing must be licensed by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO). This includes owners of race horses, trainers, drivers and jockeys, grooms, anyone requiring access to the backstretch or paddock of the racetrack, pari-mutuel clerks and management staff of the racetrack. The business that operates the racetrack must also be licensed and must apply to licence any off-track sites, otherwise known as teletheatres. 

All AGCO horse racing licences are issued on an annual basis.

Horse racing licences are issued through the office of the Registrar. In assessing the suitability for licensing, issues of honesty, integrity and probity are considered. 

As the regulator of all facets of the horse racing industry, the AGCO acts in a manner that promotes high standards of integrity, honesty, good business practices and accountability. The AGCO assumes responsibility for minimizing risks to the public interest and strives to maintain public confidence in the integrity of the horse racing industry.

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