Across Canada, provinces can conduct and manage lottery schemes in their province in accordance with any law enacted by their provincial legislature. 

In Ontario, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) is responsible for administering the Gaming Control Act, 1992 (GCA) and, as such, regulates gaming in the province.

Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) Lotteries

The AGCO regulates lottery games (e.g. lottery tickets) conducted and managed by the OLG.

The AGCO’s primary responsibilities in this respect include:

  • Registering gaming assistants, as well as lottery retailers/sellers, employees who exercise significant decision-making authority or supervisory or training responsibility in relation to lottery games, and  gaming-related and non-gaming related suppliers ;
  • Establishing standards and requirements for the conduct, management and operation of gaming sites, lottery schemes,  or  related businesses to a gaming site or lottery scheme or for the goods or services related to that conduct, management or operation;
  • Testing and approving lottery gaming equipment and procedures;
  • Conducting inspections of retailers to ensure compliance with the GCA and its regulation, the AGCO’s standards and requirements as well as the OLG’s Retailer Policy Manual; and
  • Investigating insider wins, suspicious wins.

Casino Gaming

The AGCO regulates and oversees the land-based casino locations in the province that are conducted and managed by the OLG.

The AGCO’s overarching regulatory objective is to ensure that all casino gaming is operated within the law and with honesty and integrity and in the broader public interest. The agency undertakes a number of key activities to fulfill its regulatory mandate including:

  • Conducting eligibility assessments and registering operators, suppliers and gaming assistants who work in or supply the casino sector;
  • Testing, approving and monitoring slot machines and gaming management systems;
  • Establishing standards and requirements for the conduct, management and operation of gaming sites, lottery schemes, or related businesses to a gaming site or lottery scheme or for the goods or services related to that conduct, management or operation;
  • Inspecting, auditing and monitoring casinos for compliance with the GCA and its regulation, licence/registration conditions and the Registrar’s Standards for Gaming ;
  • Approving rules of play or changes to the rules of play for games in land-based casinos ;
  • Excluding persons from accessing gaming sites pursuant to the GCA; and
  • Working closely with OPP Casino Enforcement operations to support a safe and secure environment at all gaming sites.

Visit this page for more information about the AGCO’s role and activities in terms of testing, approval and inspection of slots and electronic gaming equipment.

Charitable Gaming

The AGCO is responsible for regulating and overseeing licensed lottery events (such as bingo, raffles and the sale of break open tickets) conducted by eligible charitable and religious organizations to raise funds to support charitable purposes.

Some of the AGCO’s activities associated with this include:

  • Conducting eligibility assessments and registering operators, suppliers, retailers/sellers and gaming assistants who work in or supply the charitable sector;
  • Administering, in partnership with municipalities and First Nations Licensing Authorities, the regulatory framework governing the issuance of charity lottery licences (e.g. bingo, raffle and break open ticket events); and
  • Inspecting, auditing and monitoring charitable gaming events/facilities for compliance with the GCA and its regulation, licence/registration requirements and standards and requirements established by the Registrar of Alcohol, Gaming and Racing.

Order-in-Council 208/2024 provides that the Registrar and municipal councils may issue lottery licences to charitable organizations. The AGCO and municipalities and First Nations licensing authorities work together to ensure that the legal requirements, including terms and conditions of the licences, are complied with by lottery licensees and any gaming suppliers used by the charities. The Registrar has issued a Lottery Licensing Policy Manual (LLPM), which is used to determine eligibility for a lottery licence and for the use of proceeds.  The LLPM sets out the types of lottery schemes for which a licence may be issued. The Registrar also issues “terms and conditions” for lottery licences, which provide detailed information on the conduct and management of licensed lottery events, which may be supplemented by municipalities or First Nations licensing authorities.

Electronic Raffles

The AGCO has put in place an Electronic Raffle Regulatory Framework that allows eligible charitable or religious organizations to be licensed to conduct and manage electronic raffles in Ontario. Electronic raffles refer to the use of computers for the sale of tickets, the selection of winners and the distribution of prizes in a licensed charity raffle. For information on the Electronic Raffle Regulatory Framework , please view Information Bulletin No. 89.

Social Gaming

The Social Gaming Licence is intended for casual social games where the total wagers are awarded to the winners, less permitted expenses. The licensee is permitted to recover up to $50 per day to cover expenses for event costs only. Fundraising is not the purpose of the licence and the licence is not for conducting games as a revenue source for applicants.

No one under the age of 18 is allowed to participate, games are not permitted to be played on or through an electronic device, and rules of play must be readily available to all players. The licensee must produce the licence on demand.  

This licence cannot take place in liquor licensed premises. However, Service Clubs and service organizations will be permitted to obtain a Social Gaming Licence even if they hold a liquor licence.

The licensee is responsible and accountable for the overall conduct and management of the Social Gaming event(s). The licensee must control and decide all operational and administrative requirements related to the conduct of the social gaming event(s) in accordance with the information supplied on the application and approved by the licence.

The licensee must comply with all federal, provincial, and municipal laws including the Criminal Code of Canada and the Gaming Control Act, 1992 and Regulations.

OLG Charitable Gaming

In an effort to revitalize charitable bingo, the OLG is working in collaboration with the charitable industry to offer electronic games in bingo halls, with a portion of the proceeds going to charities. The types of electronic games offered include:

  • Electronic bingo (similar to traditional bingo played on paper)
  • Electronic break open ticket dispensers (TapTix)
  • Electronic shutterboard bingo
  • Play on Demand electronic games, accessed by players on individual computer screens

The AGCO is responsible for regulating these electronic bingo centres and some of its key activities associated with this include:

  • Conducting eligibility assessments and registering operators, suppliers/manufacturers, retailers/sellers and gaming assistants who work in or supply the electronic bingo centres;
  • Establishing standards and requirements for the conduct, management and operation of lottery schemes, gaming sites and related businesses;
  • Testing of electronic games by the AGCO Technology Regulation and iGaming Compliance Branch for compliance with the technical standards developed by the Registrar; and
  • Regulatory assurance activities, including audits, inspections, and investigations, to ensure that the games and bingo centres are conducted in compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, standards and policies.

Internet Gaming

The OLG launched (and conducts and manages) the province’s first regulated internet gaming (igaming) platform, PlayOLG.ca, in 2015. Ontario’s private igaming market launched on April 4th, 2022. iGaming Ontario, a subsidiary of AGCO, is responsible for conducting and managing the private igaming market. The AGCO’s igaming regulatory framework aims to achieve the Government of Ontario’s objectives of providing consumer choice, ensuring player protection, and supporting the growth of the legal market.

As with its other lines of business in the gaming sector, the AGCO performs a number of activities to ensure igaming in Ontario is conducted with honesty and integrity, including:

  • Conducting eligibility assessments to determine whether applicants are suitable to be registered as operators or gaming-related suppliers, which includes independent testing labs (ITLs) and independent integrity monitors;
  • Outlining technical standards that are used by ITL’s to test and certify, among other things, online games available for Ontario players.
  • Conducting ongoing regulatory assurance activities, including regular audits, testing and site visits, to assess compliance with the GCA and the Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming.

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