What we regulate

The AGCO regulates alcohol, lottery and gaming, cannabis retail and horse racing in Ontario. We are committed to maintaining integrity in these sectors and protecting the safety of Ontarians.

What we do

  • Licensing and regulating establishments that sell or serve liquor, liquor delivery services, liquor manufacturers, their representatives and representatives of foreign manufacturers, and ferment on premise facilities.
  • Administering the Special Occasion Permit program.
  • Licensing manufacturers’ retail stores, which includes retail stores on the productions sites of wineries, distilleries and breweries, off-site winery retail stores and Brewers Retail Inc. stores (“The Beer Store”).
  • Licensing grocery stores to retail liquor to the public.
  • Registering operators, suppliers, retailers/sellers and gaming assistants in the lottery and gaming sectors.
  • 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).
  • Licensing games of chance at fairs and exhibitions.
  • Approving rules of play or changes to rules of play for games of chance conducted and managed by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG).
  • Excluding persons from accessing gaming premises in Ontario pursuant to the Gaming Control Act, 1992.
  • Regulating the conduct of horse racing conducted at Ontario’s licensed racetracks through the Rules of Racing for Thoroughbred, Standardbred and Quarter Horse breeds, and exercising authority for the overall governance of horse racing in Ontario.
  • Promoting safety and consistency for both horse racing participants and the equine athletes.
  • Licensing individuals and businesses involved in the horse racing industry, including the processing of applications from racing participants and for racetracks and teletheatre locations and conducting due diligence reviews and investigations of applicants for registration.
  • Licensing eligible Cannabis Retail Store Operators and Managers, authorizing Cannabis Retail Stores, approving Cannabis retail employee training programs and regulating the sale of recreational cannabis through privately run stores. 

Alcohol

Learn about the AGCO's role in regulating the sale, service and delivery of liquor in Ontario. 

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Lottery and gaming

Learn about the AGCO's role in regulating various aspects of the lottery and gaming industry in Ontario.

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Cannabis

Learn more about the AGCO's role in regulating privately-run cannabis retail stores in Ontario.

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Horse racing

Learn more about the AGCO's role in regulating horse racing.

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