About the AGCO
Vision
A world-class regulator that is innovative, proactive, inclusive and socially responsible.
Mandate
To regulate in accordance with the principles of honesty and integrity and in the public interest.
Governing Legislation
The AGCO is an arms-length regulatory agency of the provincial government, reporting to the Ministry of the Attorney General (MAG). It was established on February 23, 1998, under the Alcohol, Cannabis and Gaming Regulation and Public Protection Act, 1996 (ACGRPPA). The AGCO continues as a corporation under a new corporate governance statute, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario Act, 2019 (AGCO Act).
The AGCO is responsible for the administration of:
- Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario Act, 2019
- Liquor Licence and Control Act, 2019
- Gaming Control Act, 1992
- Order-in-Council 208/2024 (as amended)
- Cannabis Licence Act, 2018
- Horse Racing Licence Act, 2015
AGCO Subsidiary
iGaming Ontario (iGO) was established on July 6, 2021, as a subsidiary corporation of the AGCO. iGO is responsible for conducting and managing igaming through private operators in Ontario. As of April 4, 2022, private igaming operators that have registered with the AGCO and have executed an operating agreement with iGO can legally offer their games to players in Ontario. Companies who successfully enter the Ontario market are required to meet rigorous standards of game and operator integrity, fairness, player protections and social responsibility.
The AGCO’s role as regulator remains the same and is kept separate from iGaming Ontario’s commercial role. The AGCO continues to be responsible for regulatory oversight of all gaming activities in Ontario, including private igaming operators and suppliers as well as iGaming Ontario.
AGCO is responsible for the following activities as the regulator of Ontario’s igaming market:
- Develop regulatory standards (Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming).
- Determine eligibility and register igaming operators and gaming-related suppliers to ensure the integrity of sector participants.
- Register independent testing labs (ITLs) that test and certify that igaming technology meets the required Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming.
- Monitor igaming operators, suppliers and digital game offerings for compliance with regulatory obligations, including the Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming.
- Where compliance concerns are identified, bring operators and suppliers back into compliance through the use of progressive sanctions, including warnings, suspensions, monetary penalties, and in the most serious of cases, revocations.
- Work with igaming operators and suppliers to increase their understanding of regulatory obligations and to improve overall compliance.
- Address regulatory complaints and inquiries, including those related to game integrity and fairness, misuse of private information, responsible gambling violations, and money laundering.
The AGCO’s Annual Report must contain the Annual Report of its subsidiary. As such, the iGO Annual Report is appended below.
Corporate Structure
Communications and Service Experience Division
The Communications and Service Experience Division provides strategic communications advice and services, manages media relations and the AGCO’s public reputation and oversees the development of internal and external communication materials and publications. It builds understanding and acceptance of organizational objectives and policy priorities through regular communication with staff and stakeholders.
The Service Strategy and Experience Branch works with partners across the organization to strengthen its service culture and competencies and ensure customer needs are the “organizing principle” around service design and delivery. The branch includes the AGCO’s Contact Centre, which handles over 100,000 customer interactions yearly across a range of channels. It also provides oversight of the agency’s inquiries and complaints handling policy and ensures the customer experience is monitored, measured and managed.
Corporate Services Division
The Corporate Services Division provides advice and guidance on all aspects of the AGCO’s day-to-day administration and client services and plays a strategic role as a proactive facilitator of the agency’s major change initiatives.
The Human Resources and Organizational Development Branch is responsible for supporting the People First strategic goal, including full-cycle human resources operational services, wellness, employee engagement, coaching, management/labour relations, talent management and succession planning, talent data analytics/reporting and internal and external training. The Human Resources and Organizational Development Branch oversees the Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DI&A) framework.
The Finance and Administration Branch provides financial planning and reporting, accounting, payroll, procurement (including oversight of vendor management), facilities management and mail and courier services.
The Risk Management and Internal Audit Branch undertakes internal audits, which provide reasonable assurance that the AGCO’s risk management, governance and internal control processes are operating effectively. The Branch also supports the agency’s Enterprise Risk Management framework and coordinates the Emergency Management Enterprise System, which includes the Business Continuity Plan.
The Project Management Office manages the AGCO’s priority projects. It ensures major projects stay on track, outcomes are aligned to strategic goals and the right resources are in the right place based on corporate needs.
The Change Management Office supports the agency by applying structured processes and tools to lead people through organizational change and helping individuals transition by engaging, adopting and implementing change.
Information and Information Technology Division
The Information and Information Technology Division (I&IT) supports the AGCO to fulfill its regulatory mandate by managing and transforming our data and technology portfolios, implementing innovative solutions and providing services that improve agency performance and our ways of working (operating model). I&IT strives to enable the AGCO to conduct digital business with agility, speed and innovation while continuing to advance I&IT’s multi-year strategic goals.
The Digital Platforms and Cybersecurity Branch is composed of five departments that ensure the delivery and operation of digital services and products. The Enterprise Architecture department creates technology roadmaps and ensures alignment to business strategy. The Cybersecurity department works to minimize the risk and impact of internal, external, deliberate and accidental threats to AGCO digital information assets. The Digital Product Delivery department delivers, maintains and supports digital products through the integration, development, support and testing of both in-house applications and third-party offerings. The Infrastructure and Operations department proactively and strategically works to ensure uptime, performance and recoverability for AGCO digital services and products. The Service Desk is a single point of contact for all end-user computing needs, resolving issues and supporting equipment to ensure productivity.
The Enterprise Data and Analytics Branch matures how the AGCO values data as a strategic asset and maximize its business value. This is accomplished through the innovation and development of modern data products that better use data to inform proactive actions in regulatory policy and operations. In addition, through a Data Governance and Information Management function they build confidence and trust in our data by ensuring it’s well defined, discoverable and of high quality, while maintaining appropriate access and use of data.
The Business Optimization and Insights Branch brings an enterprise-wide business lens to three critical digital services. First, they maximize workforce efficiency and improve work output quality through continuous improvement of processes for AGCO lines of business and shared service functions. Next, through the Digital Product Planning function they guide the growth of the AGCO digital product portfolio, ensuring alignment with strategic business outcomes and I&IT technology architecture. Lastly, they are responsible for building a culture of accountability by continually evaluating the efficiency and efficacy of AGCO programs, projects and core operations through the Performance Measurement program.
New to I&IT this past fiscal year, the Strategic Planning and Management Branch is responsible for championing I&IT’s vision and promoting its business value across the AGCO while working to better to optimize the I&IT portfolio and drive overall delivery excellence. This team is also leading the development of the AGCO Digital Strategy which will set out the vision plan and roadmap for how the AGCO matures its digital business capabilities, manages its digital investments and forecasts the required supporting resources and technology architecture.
Investigation and Enforcement Bureau
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Investigation and Enforcement Bureau (IEB or Bureau) is an OPP Bureau assigned to the AGCO. It employs approximately 164 sworn and civilian members, fully integrated within the AGCO. The Chief Superintendent reports to an OPP Deputy Commissioner as well as the CEO of the AGCO. The Bureau’s branches conduct investigations across all sectors regulated by the AGCO. The Bureau also provides investigative expertise to, and shares information with, other law enforcement agencies and regulatory and industry stakeholder agencies to ensure integrity and public safety within these regulated industries and sectors.
Legal Services Division
The Legal Services Division provides legal advice and services to the AGCO. This includes providing advice on the application of legislation, regulations and standards administered by the AGCO, providing advice and assistance in developing and drafting legislation, contracts and policies strategic direction, as well as providing advice and opinions on corporate issues and initiatives. It also provides legal advice on licensee and registrant eligibility and compliance matters within the regulatory mandate and represents the Registrar at hearings of appeals before the Licence Appeal Tribunal, the Horse Racing Appeal Panel, the Divisional Court and the Court of Appeal.
Operations Division
The Operations Division has a broad mandate covering the AGCO’s daily and strategic operational activities.
The Licensing and Registration Branch (L&R) is responsible for reviewing and processing all application types, including licences, permits, authorizations and registrations, across all the sectors regulated by the AGCO. L&R also works with municipalities and First Nations overseeing the licensing of charitable lottery schemes.
Compliance Services is made up of regional, cross-functional Regulatory Compliance Teams who take a comprehensive, risk-based, outcomes-focused approach to regulatory compliance as well as centralized support for compliance programs and administration. Specifically, Compliance Services is composed of three branches: Regulatory Compliance Branch (RCB), Technology Regulation and iGaming Compliance Branch, and Audit and Financial Investigations Branch.
In March 2023, the Technology Regulation and iGaming Compliance Branch moved into Compliance Services. This change enables greater collaboration and team-based delivery among the AGCO’s compliance services teams as the compliance program continues to evolve, most notably in the gaming line of business. The new structure of Compliance Services is intended to reflect the growing operational interdependency amongst compliance teams given the increasing convergence of the land-based and online gaming compliance models.
RCB includes the Racing Officials (Judges and Stewards), who supervise and officiate horse races conducted at Ontario’s licensed racetracks, as well as Veterinary Services, which oversees the health and welfare of horses during racing. Veterinary Services works with the Official Veterinarians, who are employed by the racetracks but supervised by the AGCO.
The Equine Drug Unit is composed of inspectors from RCB and OPP investigators from IEB, who work together to conduct inspections and investigations into violations related to equine medication control. Their primary focus is to reduce the use and distribution of performance-enhancing drugs within the sport through a combination of inspections and investigative techniques.
The Operational Planning, Priorities, and Performance Branch (OPB) was established in 2022 to ensure that the Operations Division is focused on the highest-priority compliance issues facing the sectors regulated by the AGCO. To deliver on its mandate, the OPB identifies operational priorities on a recurring and formalized basis, coordinates the execution of operational priorities plans while managing large, complex and high-profile regulatory matters, drives divisional efforts to achieve performance goals and evaluates operational effectiveness.
The Anti-Money Laundering Unit (AML) maintains an effective anti–money laundering program designed to mitigate money laundering risks in AGCO regulated sectors. The team implements a risk- and evidence-based approach to AML, including targeted oversight activities to assess transactional accountability and reporting outcomes at gaming sites and risk mitigation, prevention, disruption and deterrence of suspected money laundering activities. The team maintains and fosters strong relationships with AGCO partners and stakeholders, including the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG), iGaming Ontario (iGO), the OPP and the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC).
Corporate Affairs, Strategic Policy and Planning Division
The Corporate Affairs, Strategic Policy and Planning Division provides a variety of strategic functions to support the delivery of the agency’s mandate.
The Corporate Affairs and Governance Branch assists the Board in fulfilling its governance responsibilities, which includes ensuring key corporate accountability measures are completed and monitoring compliance with the Memorandum of Understanding between the government and the AGCO. The branch also serves as the primary liaison with government partners to support government initiatives and conduct issues management and serves as the lead for Freedom of Information Requests received by the AGCO. A dedicated and independent unit within the branch provides administrative support to the Horse Racing Appeal Panel.
The Strategic Policy Branch provides strategic policy leadership to support the delivery of the agency’s regulatory mandate and emerging government, licensee and stakeholder regulatory policy priorities across the liquor, cannabis, gaming and horse racing sectors. The branch is responsible for the development of Registrar’s standards which are a key component of the overall regulatory framework for each of the sectors that AGCO regulates.
The Strategic Engagement and Planning Branch leads external and internal stakeholder engagement, including management of memoranda of understanding with other regulators, and holds the strategic and corporate planning function for the agency.