Electronic Bingo Centres
The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) is working in collaboration with the Ontario Charitable Gaming Association and the Commercial Gaming Association Ontario to revitalize charitable bingo in the province by offering electronic games in bingo halls with a portion of the proceeds going to charities. Under the Criminal Code (Canada) electronic games may only be conducted and managed by a provincial government, hence OLG will conduct and manage the new games on behalf of the government. The types of electronic games offered may include:
- Electronic bingo (similar to traditional bingo played on paper);
- Electronic break open ticket dispensers;
- Electronic shutterboard bingo;
- Play on Demand electronic games accessed by players on individual computer screens.
In Ontario, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario is responsible for regulating and overseeing the licensed lottery events (such as bingo, raffles and the sale of break open tickets) conducted by charitable and religious organizations to raise funds to support charitable purposes. The AGCO’s regulatory activities with regards to electronic bingo centres include:
- Registration of manufacturers of gaming equipment and suppliers of goods and services to the OLG;
- Registration of certain persons working in the e-bingo hall (minimum 18 years of age);
- Inspections and audits;
- Investigation of complaints and enforcement activities;
- Testing of electronic games in the AGCO Electronic Gaming Laboratory for compliance with technical standards developed by the Registrar of Alcohol and Gaming.