Ontario’s public confidence in gaming is supported by the important work performed by the Technology Regulation and Igaming Compliance (TRC) Branch.
In 2021–2022, the TRC Branch successfully navigated a significant transformation to deliver on a new mandate for overseeing all aspects of regulatory compliance of the igaming open market that is to launch in April 2022. This transformation operationalized an innovative compliance framework and created three new units within the branch: Planning and Priority Setting, Independent Test Lab Oversight, and igaming Compliance Assurance.
The role of the Planning and Priority Setting unit is to produce sector-level compliance information, analysis, plans and priorities, providing direction to compliance teams in an evidence-based compliance program.
The role of the Independent Test Lab Oversight unit is to ensure the delivery of high-quality, impartial and independent services that assess and certify gaming technology products for use in Ontario.
The role of the Igaming Compliance Assurance unit is to deliver a full suite of modern and effective compliance assurance activities that address identified compliance priorities, providing reasonable assurance of compliance for regulated internet gaming entities and technology.
The three newly formed units work in concert to create a low-burden, priority-driven compliance program in the internet gaming space.
The TRC Branch ensures the technical integrity of gaming technology by developing minimum technical standards that products must comply with and by testing and providing approvals of games and related gaming systems against those standards. This technology is used throughout the province in all gaming industries and sectors regulated by the AGCO, including casino gaming, charitable and raffle gaming, lotteries and internet gaming.
The TRC Branch is composed of highly qualified and experienced experts. It includes an in- house laboratory (the Gaming Lab) equipped with the same gaming systems used at gaming sites in Ontario.
The Gaming Lab is accredited to the international standard ISO 17025:2017 for testing laboratories, considered the international benchmark for excellence in testing laboratories. This achievement sets the AGCO apart as the only known gaming regulator with an in-house accredited gaming laboratory. This accreditation provides annual third-party assurance of the ongoing quality of the testing performed by the Gaming Lab.
In 2021–2022, the Gaming Lab conducted its annual survey of regulated entities, reaching out to Gaming-Related Suppliers to request their anonymous evaluation and feedback. Twenty-four (24) Gaming-Related Suppliers responded to the survey, with 100 per cent of responses indicating they are either very satisfied or satisfied with the overall service provided by the Gaming Lab. The Gaming Lab will conduct its annual survey in 2022–2023 to gather valuable feedback from regulated Operators to enable it to continue to provide industry-leading services.
|
|
2020–21 |
2021–22 |
|---|---|---|
|
Electronic gaming–related products requested for approval |
1,395 |
2,616 |
|
Low-risk electronic gaming products that were pre-approved |
43 |
51 |
|
Products with regulatory issues discovered by the AGCO that were consequently not approved |
87 |
193 |
|
Average turnaround time for approval |
22 calendar days |
25 calendar days |
Note: There was an increase in requests for approval of gaming-related products in 2021–22 due to industry recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.