AGCO calls on media platforms to end promotion of unregulated online gambling sites

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has called on more than a dozen traditional and digital media platforms to cease promoting unregulated online gambling sites, including offshore operator Bodog, as the province ramps up efforts to protect consumers and reinforce its regulated iGaming market.

The regulator said Bodog, operated by Il Nido Inc., continues to advertise heavily to Ontario residents despite being inaccessible in other Canadian provinces such as Quebec and Nova Scotia. Under Ontario law, all gambling operators must register with the AGCO and sign an operating agreement with iGaming Ontario in order to legally offer their services.

“By refusing to carry advertising from unregulated and high-risk operators like Bodog, media organizations can exemplify social responsibility and play an important role in protecting Ontarians and supporting Ontario’s regulated market,” said Dr. Karin Schnarr, Chief Executive Officer and Registrar of AGCO, in a statement.

Ontario launched its regulated iGaming market in April 2022. At the time, around 70% of online gambling activity occurred on so-called “grey market” sites—offshore platforms licensed in other jurisdictions such as Malta or Curaçao. The AGCO had set an October 31, 2022 deadline for these operators to become fully compliant or exit the Ontario market.

A recent IPSOS study commissioned by AGCO and iGaming Ontario showed significant progress, reporting that 83.7% of Ontarians now choose regulated gambling platforms.

However, the AGCO expressed concern that by continuing to run advertisements for unlicensed sites, media outlets may give those platforms a “veneer of legitimacy” and contribute to public confusion over what constitutes legal online gambling in Ontario.

The regulator reaffirmed its commitment to working with national and international partners to crack down on unregulated operators and safeguard the province’s iGaming framework, which enforces standards around player protection, game integrity, anti-money laundering and data privacy.