AGCO fines Casino Days $54,000 for ‘deceptive’ bonus offer
The Commission launched an investigation following a complaint that more than $8,500 in winnings had been confiscated from a player by Casino Days.
Key Points
- The bonus offer reportedly encouraged high-risk behavior and failed to properly disclose key terms according to the AGCO
- The investigation reviewed an apparent “welcome bonus” offer which promised new players up to $2,000
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has fined Well Played Media, which operates online casino website Casino Days, $54,000 for promoting a “deceptive” bonus offer which allegedly encouraged high-risk behavior and failed to properly disclose key terms.
“Player protection is a non-negotiable priority for the AGCO. We expect operators to be truthful and transparent about their promotions, and we also require them to ensure that those promotions do not encourage reckless or harmful patterns of play,” AGCO CEO and Registrar Dr. Karin Schnarr said.
“An offer that requires a player to sustain substantial losses for a perceived benefit is not a fair offer. This penalty sends a clear signal that we will not hesitate to take action against operators who fail to meet their obligations to protect Ontario players.”
The AGCO chose to launch an investigation after a Casino Days player complained more than $8,500 in winnings had been confiscated by the operator, having also reviewed an apparent “welcome bonus” offer which promised new players up to $2,000.
To qualify for the full bonus amount, players were forced to deposit $2,000 of their own money, wager $70,000, keep all wagers at or under $5 and complete all requirements within seven days. Investigators from the AGCO found certain terms of the bonus offer were difficult to find, having been “buried” behind multiple links on the site.
Good to know: The AGCO issued penalties of $151k to Great Canadian Entertainment for allegedly failing to prevent minors from accessing gambling activities on multiple occasions at three Toronto-area casinos on May 8
AGCO’s analysis discovered the average player would first lose up to $3,640 when trying to earn the $2,000 welcome bonus.
According to the province’s iGaming rules, registered operators are not authorized to offer bonus promotions that encourage harmful gambling behavior and fail to disclose key conditions appropriately. Operators are also not permitted to entice players with bonuses which cannot be reasonably obtained without significant gambling losses.
An iGaming operator served with an Order of Monetary Penalty by the AGCO Registrar has the right to appeal the decision to the Licence Appeal Tribunal, part of Tribunals Ontario and independent of the AGCO.
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