Exiting the Unregulated Ontario Market

Last Updated

The following additional policy direction is intended to provide clear guidance on requirements for exiting the unregulated market, ensuring smooth transition from the unregulated to the regulated market in Ontario, and, to the extent possible, ensuring that Operators in the process of becoming registered do not experience blackout periods before going live in the regulated Ontario market.

For Operators:

  •  As of February 28, 2022, Operators must have all of their gaming sites and the gaming sites of all related entities and entities in which the Operator has any ownership or financial interest:

    • Registered by the AGCO; or

    • Subject to an application for registration with the AGCO; or

    • Not operating in the Ontario market.

  • Operators who have applied for registration may continue to operate those gaming sites that are subject to applications for registration in the unregulated Ontario market until such time as they are approved and launched in the regulated Ontario market – but not later than August 31, 2022.

  • Where an Operator is providing gaming-related services to other entities in the unregulated Ontario market, they may continue to do so after February 28, 2022, but only:

    • To entities (including both other gaming sites and Gaming-Related Suppliers) that are subject to applications for registration with the AGCO as of February 28, 2022.

    • Until August 31, 2022.

For Gaming-Related Suppliers:

  • As of February 28, 2022, Gaming-Related Suppliers and all related entities and entities in which the Gaming-Related supplier has any ownership or financial interest must be either:

    • Registered by the AGCO; or

    • Subject to an application for registration with the AGCO; or

    • Not providing any products or services in the Ontario market

  • Gaming Related Suppliers who are registered or have submitted their application for registration by February 28, 2022 may continue to provide services in the unregulated Ontario market (in addition to the regulated market) after February 28, 2022, but only:

    • To gaming sites and Gaming-Related Suppliers that are subject to applications for registration with the AGCO as of February 28, 2022.

    • Until August 31, 2022.

For Both Operators and Gaming-Related Suppliers

  • As noted above, Operators and Gaming-Related Suppliers who are currently active in the unregulated market must, by February 28, 2022, either be registered, have submitted their application for registration, or have exited the Ontario market. Failing to do so will be taken into account in any Operator or Gaming-Related Supplier application for registration that is received after February 28, 2022 and may result in AGCO refusal to issue a registration.

The Registrar reserves the right to consider all circumstances.