The Registrar of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has fined three businesses in Ontario, Canada, a combined CA$ 70,000 for providing unlicensed slot machines to the province’s residents. Bunchberry Limited, Mobile Incorporated Limited, and LeoVegas Gaming, the operators, were found to be in violation of Standards 4.08 and 4.09, which demand that licensees get clearance from an independent testing laboratory for all slot machines.
Additionally, Mobile Incorporated violated Standard 1.22 because the uncertified games it provided originated from vendors that were not in good standing with the regulator. As a result of their repeated failure to meet these benchmarks, the company was fined $30,000, LeoVegas $25,000, and Bunchberry $15,000 respectively.
“The AGCO holds all registered operators to high standards of responsible gambling, player protection and game integrity, and monitors their activities in the interest of Ontarians. A critical feature of our regulatory framework requires operators to only offer games that are from registered gaming suppliers and have been certified by an AGCO-registered independent testing laboratory to meet the highest standards of game integrity. Ontarians who choose to play on registered sites need the assurance that the games being provided meet these requirements.”
AGCO registrar and chief executive Tom Mungham
Gamblers in Ontario who visit licensed sites should now feel even more confident that the games they play will be fair and secure, especially considering how fast interest in slots is growing. Each of the three operators can challenge the decisions before the License Appeal Tribunal (LAT), a branch of Tribunals Ontario that is separate from the AGCO.
Bold Move by the Regulator
AGCO is an independent authority established to regulate and monitor the gambling industry in Ontario and the horse racing industry. It is responsible for protecting the public interest and ensuring that all the operators behave ethically and responsibly.
Its regulatory system relies heavily on the need that operators provide only games that come from registered gaming suppliers and have been independently tested and verified by an AGCO-approved testing facility.
AGCO has taken this major step to guarantee that all licensed gaming operators maintain the highest levels of honesty and safety in their operations. The penalties issued serve as both a deterrent to other operators who may be tempted to provide uncertified slot machines and as a signal to players that the regulator is serious about this commitment. It is also comforting to know that it is keeping an eye out for players’ best interests and keeping the gaming industry on its toes.
