A key aspect of the Ontario iGaming and single-event sports betting market when it launched on April 4, 2022 was a commitment to prevent broad public advertising of bonuses and other gambling inducements.
To that end, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has issued two fines regarding marketing infractions. These fines have been handed to BetMGM Canada and PointsBet Canada.
“The AGCO holds all registered operators to high standards of responsible gambling, player protection and game integrity, and monitors their activities to ensure they are meeting their obligations under Ontario’s Gaming Control Act and the Standards.” said Tom Mungham, CEO and Registrar at the AGCO.
BetMGM Canada has been handed a fine of $48,000 for advertising a “$250K Launch Party” advertisement, including a contest offer where the first-place winner gets $100K in casino bonus. The post was initially tweeted on April 4, 2022, and later, tweeted again on April 11, 2022.
This was allegedly followed by a “Jimi Hendrix Free Spin Friday”, including a chance to win 100 free spins in return for following the registrant’s Twitter account. The post was initially tweeted on April 8, 2022.
The AGCO listed a series of other alleged infringements by the operator.
Concurrently, PointsBet Canada received a $30,000 fine for putting posters up at two train stations with an inducement to play for free.
These charges are evidence of the seriousness of Ontario’s commitment to these advertising laws, something that is yet to be seen on a large scale in the US.
