Key Takeaways:
- The body that regulates gambling and gaming in Ontario fined two betting companies less than a month after the province launched its internet gambling market.
- BetMGM was fined $48,000 by the AGCO for allegedly violating Standards 2.04 and 2.05 of the Standards for Internet Gaming.
Less than a month after the province started its internet gambling market, the body that regulates gambling, as well as gaming in Ontario, fined two betting companies.
According to a press release, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario has issued notices of financial penalties to BetMGM Canada and PointsBet Canada.
The notices were issued in response to alleged advertising and inducement violations.
With the start of its regulated internet gambling market, known as iGaming, on April 4, Ontario significantly liberalized betting rules.
Parlays were the only legal bets in the province for many years.
Also read: Ford was campaigning with Trudeau at the announcement, as per Ontario’s Liberal leader
The Canadian Criminal Code was amended in 2021 to allow single-game wagering, but in Ontario, wagering was limited to the PROLINE+, which is run by the province.
The introduction of iGaming promised to bring a regulated market to Ontario, as well as more betting options, all within a provincially regulated framework.
The AGCO fined BetMGM $48,000 for allegedly failing to follow Standards 2.04 and 2.05 of the Standards for Internet Gaming. It also stated that PointsBet had been fined $30,000 for failing to comply with Standard 2.05.
Companies are prohibited from marketing “gambling inducements, bonuses, and credits” unless they do so on their website after a player has provided “active” consent, according to Standard 2.04.
According to the AGCO, BetMGM was fined for three separate tweets that ran in early April. As per the AGCO, one tweet advertised a “$240k Launch Party,” while another was given a $10 casino bet while a $25 bet was placed.
According to the AGCO, A third tweet advertised a “Jimi Hendrix Free Spin Friday.”
With posters in GO stations and on GO trains that included “an inducement to play for free,” PointsBet was accused of breaking the same standard.
In a statement, Scott Vanderwel, CEO of PointsBet Canada, said, “On behalf of PointsBet Canada, I apologize for our error in interpreting the standards set forth by the Alcohol as well as Gaming Commission. Of Ontario (AGCO) that led to this outcome.”
According to the AGCO, BetMGM also broke its own rules by tweeting that “the more money you put in per bet, the better your chances of winning.” As per the rules, adverts must be “truthful” as well as “not mislead players or misrepresent products.”
BetMGM did not respond to a request for comment from Global News right away.
“The AGCO holds all registration operators to high standards of responsible gambling, player protection, and game integrity and monitors their activities to make sure it meets their obligations,” said AGCO CEO and Registrar Tom Mungham in a statement.
Source: Global news
Get Canada and Ontario’s top News, Market news, and other worldwide news only on Ontario Independent
