Two companies are each facing a hefty fine after it was determined their games were available on unregulated gambling websites accessible to players across the province, according to the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).
On Thursday, the provincial regulatory agency announced that it has served Relax Gaming Limited, which is headquartered in Malta, and India-based Arrise Solutions Limited with Orders of Monetary Penalties amounting to $40,000 a piece.
These penalties come as a result of an AGCO investigation, which is part of the agency’s efforts to “disrupt unregulated gaming and its supply chains to safeguard Ontarians and maintain gaming integrity in the province.”
One way this is done, the AGCO says, is by monitoring the market for regulated entities supplying the unregulated sector.
Companies fined both registered with AGCO
The regulator noted that both Relax Gaming and Arrise Solutions are registered by them to “create and supply slot and casino-style games for play on Ontario’s regulated gaming sites.”
The AGCO, which reports to the Ministry of the Attorney General, said both companies have cooperated fully with the investigation and have taken swift action to restrict access to their games by Ontario players on unregulated sites.
‘Clear rules’
Website operators in the province’s iGaming market must be registered with the agency and are not allowed to offer their products to unregulated ones available to Ontario players.
“Ontario’s regulated iGaming market is built on clear rules designed to protect players and hold companies accountable,” Dr. Karin Schnarr, the AGCO’s CEO, said in a news release.
“Unregulated gaming sites operate outside that framework, meaning players have no assurance of fair games, timely withdrawals, or access to meaningful dispute resolution. When regulated games appear on unregulated sites, it risks enabling a market that exposes players to real harm.”
According to the AGCO, unregulated gaming sites do not guarantee player protections or information security and they can increase the potential risk of harm to players and criminal activity like money-laundering and match-fixing.
These consumer protections help ensure game integrity and responsible gaming safeguards, the agency said.
