AGCO fine PointsBet Canada

Jake Graves November 10, 2023

SiGMA news

AGCO fine PointsBet Canada

The registrar of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has issued PointsBet Canada Operations 1 Inc. a penalty fine of $150,000 for violating the state’s responsible gambling requirements.

The penalty is based on various allegations that violate the responsible gambling provisions of the Regstrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming.

The alleged infractions are against numerous provisions of the Gaming Control Act and the AGCO’s Standards for Internet Gaming, resulting in a $150,000 monetary penalty.

Infringements

These violations include failing to assist players experiencing gambling harms despite multiple flags as potentially high-risk, resulting in a loss of over $500,000 in less than three months.

Additionally, the operator did not enforce the required 24-hour cooling-off period when the player cancelled their per-day deposit limit.

The operator also was found to be communicating gambling inducements, bonuses, or credits through direct advertising without the player’s active consent.

Further allegations shockingly revealed that the operator’s employees did not properly understand responsible gambling and failed to ensure that employees were trained to assist players experiencing gambling harm.

AGCO’s stance

The AGCO prioritises player protection and requires registered operators in Ontario’s iGaming market to follow specific rules for responsible gambling, including prevention, awareness, early intervention and support.

Chief Executive Officer and Registrar at the AGCO, Dr Karin Schnarr, made this statement on the matter:

“In Ontario, igaming operators have an obligation to proactively monitor their patrons’ play for signs of high-risk gambling and to take appropriate actions to intervene and reduce the potential for gambling-related harms. The AGCO will continue to focus on player protection by holding all registered operators to these high standards.”

PointsBet Canada now has the right to appeal this notice to the Licence Appeal Tribunal, an independent regulator.

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