Today, the AGCO released a discussion paper and draft regulatory standards for sport and event betting in Ontario. These standards are intended to apply to all sports, esports, novelty, betting exchange, and fantasy sports products and, once finalized, will form part of the Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming, which were published on July 14, 2021.
With the recent passage of Bill C-218 (Safe and Regulated Sports Betting Act) that amends Canada’s Criminal Code to legalize single event sports betting in the country, the AGCO is moving quickly to build a regulatory framework that will allow for a regulated, open, and competitive market for sport and event betting in Ontario. The AGCO’s framework aims to achieve the Government of Ontario’s objectives of providing consumer choice, ensuring consumer protection, supporting the growth of the legal market, generating provincial revenues, and reducing red tape.
The main objective of the proposed sport and event betting standards is to minimize the potential risk of betting markets being compromised through activities such as insider betting or game manipulation including:
- Requiring operators to actively monitor the betting markets for suspicious betting activity
- Prohibiting insiders, including coaches, athletes and referees, from betting on certain events
- Ensuring that sport and event offerings meet acceptable betting criteria and are not objectionable
Integration into Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming
Once finalized, the proposed sport and event betting standards will be embedded within the recently developed Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming, which also includes comprehensive outcomes-based rules in such areas as responsible gambling, anti-money laundering, consumer protection, and information security. This integrated structure means that the Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming will also apply to sport and event betting.
How to provide input
To provide your input on the AGCO’s proposed standards for sport and event betting, please register for the AGCO’s igaming engagement portal. The deadline for submissions is August 18, 2021.
This engagement is the final regulatory engagement for igaming. It’s part of the series of engagement opportunities that the AGCO undertook with stakeholders in advance of the establishment of Ontario’s new framework for igaming.
For efficiency, feedback provided through these engagements will be used by the AGCO to inform the regulatory framework, and by iGaming Ontario, a subsidiary of the AGCO in its operations. The AGCO and iGaming Ontario will appropriately manage potential real or perceived conflicts of interest.
You can find information on past engagements on the AGCO’s engagement portal homepage.
Stay Informed
Visit the AGCO’s igaming webpage for updates related to the future of igaming in Ontario and subscribe here to receive periodic email updates.
The AGCO has created a roadmap infographic to provide clarity to Ontarians and businesses on the province’s path to introducing a competitive igaming marketplace. Please note that the timeline of the key milestones identified on this roadmap is an estimate and subject to change.