Gambling Licences
Ontario's AGCO LicenceGambling licences are what make the online casino world go round. Want to understand more about them? Read the Gambling Licences guide to get all the information you could ever need about licences.
Why are gambling licences so important?
Without a gambling licence, you wouldn’t be able to operate in the regulated, sometimes called white, market. A gambling licence allows an online operator to access a new market. After a licence has been issued, players can be assured that they can play in a safe and fair environment.
A licence is an ongoing obligation, not a one-time stamp. Ontario operators have to follow the AGCO’s anti-money-laundering rules, which include checking where a player’s money comes from on suspicious or large cash play and reporting dubious transactions. The AGCO has its own Anti-Money Laundering Unit. When it suspects a casino has fallen short, it can open a compliance review even after the police have finished their own work. In practice, if a casino asks you to verify your identity or your source of funds, that’s the licence working as intended.
Here at OntarioCasinos, our team only promotes licensed online casinos. If anything were to ever change, we’ll be sure to remove the online casino in question.
What are Gambling commissions and how do they operate?
Gambling commissions are authorities that are responsible for keeping the online casino market of their province, state, or country, safe for players to enjoy themselves.
They are responsible for legalizing and regulating the market at hand, in this case, Ontario. Through regulation, new operators are able to joining the market, bringing in more online casino game options for players to choose from.
Gambling licences in Ontario
Since May 12, 2025,iGaming Ontario (IGO) no longer operates as a subsidiary of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO). The iGaming Ontario Act, 2024 received Royal Assent in November 2024 and made iGO a standalone Crown agency with its own board, reporting directly to the provincial ministry. The split also settled a long-running conflict-of-interest concern, because OLG and private operators now answer to the same rules.
For players, nothing changes at the cashier or the lobby. The AGCO still registers operators, sets the Registrar’s Standards and enforces compliance. iGO’s job is to manage the commercial agreements with those operators. So the bottom line stays the same: if a casino isn’t registered with the AGCO and contracted with iGO, it has no business taking bets from Ontarians.
How to get a gambling licence?
The process of getting a gambling licence is straightforward, but there are a few requirements that must be met. Here’s what needs to be done.
What are the criteria for casinos to be licensed?
The only way for an online casino to get licensed in Ontario, is to apply through the AGCO portal, and it’s simple at that. We’re going to break down everything down below.
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| The IGO is the authority that regulates the market, and the AGCO is the authority that actually gives out the licence. |
1. ITL Verification
Operators need to make sure that all the games and products providers must be verified and audited by the ITL (Independent Testing Laboratory) to be able to operate in the province of Ontario.
2. Register on the AGCO website
To be able to do anything, you need to have an account on the AGCO website. When you do this, you’ll be able to use your account to apply for licences, view any legal documents concerned with those applications, and more.
3. Implementation of Control Activities
As an operator, you would need to implement control activities to make sure that you’re meeting the AGCO’s regulatory requirements and objectives. Control activities refer to the process that the operator must follow to comply with the AGCO’s standards.
4. Participate in the required training
The operator’s team is required to partake in specific training. This is the submitting Regulatory Submissions and Notifications training that operators need to be doing through the AGCO portal.
5. Setting up iAGCO Regulatory Reporting
The whole team will need to give out the necessary information to set up ‘Online Authorized Accounts’ to be able to submit and access iAGCO submissions and notifications.
6. Get access to the Secure Data and Information Communication Channels
The AGCO will provide the operator with instructions on how to use and access their secure data exchange services. This is so that the operator and the AGCO can securely and successfully exchange information.
7. Confirm Technology Compliance to the AGCO
The operators need to confirm and provide evidence to the AGCO that the technology systems they are using, are compliant with their standards.
Getting licensed is only the first step. Every slot an Ontario casino adds has to be certified by an AGCO-registered independent testing lab, and it has to come from a supplier the AGCO has registered. Skipping either step is costly.
In 2023, the AGCO fined three operators a combined $70,000, with individual penalties between $15,000 and $30,000, for releasing uncertified slots. One of them had also used an unlicensed game provider. Operators can challenge these penalties before the Licence Appeal Tribunal, which is independent of the AGCO. Still, the message is clear: if a game is in an Ontario lobby, someone has checked it.
Can a casino operate without a licence?
In a regulated market, no. At least not out in the open. We cannot stress this enough: always play at a regulated online casino to avoid any preventable issues.
The AGCO will take legal action against any unregulated online casino brands still operating in the Ontario grey market. Even though the unregulated is diminishing, it’s still not completely gone.
Be sure to check what online casino reviews we have to make sure you’re playing at a safe, fair, and regulated online casino. You can also find this information out from the IGO website.
What are Blacklisted casinos?
Blacklisted casinos are online casinos that are operating in the grey market. This means that these online casinos are not compliant with the AGCO’s regulations and standards.
License or Nothing
Always remember to play at a regulated Ontario online casino. They must be licensed by the AGCO and regulated by the IGO.
Getting a licence is necessary to operate in Ontario, so know that if you’re playing at a regulated online casino, you’re playing in a safe environment.
Make sure you bookmark this page to remain updated on gambling licences in Ontario!
Frequently Asked Questions
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