How does Ontario's iGaming licensing framework decide which operators are allowed to offer games to Ontario residents?

Ontario's framework for deciding which operators can serve players — including those in Ottawa — runs on a two-track system. An operator must satisfy both tracks before a single game can go live. Miss either one, and they're out.

Track one: AGCO registration

Operators who want to join Ontario's regulated market must take steps with both iGaming Ontario and the AGCO before being allowed to provide their products and services to players in Ontario. The AGCO's side of that process is the harder gate to clear.

The AGCO will only register operators who act with honesty, integrity, in accordance with the law, and in the public interest. In assessing eligibility, the AGCO carries out risk assessments and due diligence investigations, including assessments of each operator's character, financial history, and competence. In plain terms: ownership structures get scrutinized, financial backing gets verified, and anyone with integrity concerns gets turned away.

Before the AGCO even processes an application, any games and supporting critical gaming systems must be certified by an independent testing laboratory (ITL) registered with the AGCO. So the games themselves have to pass technical certification — randomness, fairness, and proper function — independently of the operator's own say-so. All registered operators are also required to submit an independently audited assessment of the processes and controls they have in place to meet the Registrar's Standards for Internet Gaming — the AGCO calls this a Control Activity Matrix (CAM).

Track two: the iGaming Ontario operating agreement

iGaming Ontario was established as a separate and distinct legal entity to conduct and manage internet gaming in the province when provided through private gaming companies. On May 12, 2025, the iGaming Ontario Act was proclaimed and iGaming Ontario became an independent agency. That independence matters: the AGCO handles pure regulation, while iGO runs the commercial side of the market.

Operators seeking to participate in the Ontario regulated igaming scheme must also enter into a commercial agreement with iGaming Ontario. The final step before entering the regulated market is executing that operating agreement with iGO. iGaming Ontario also determines which games may be offered to players in Ontario through its sites.

What the Registrar's Standards actually require

The Standards provide outcomes that operators and gaming-related suppliers must meet to address key areas of regulatory risk — including prevention of underage access, game integrity, privacy and information security, anti-money laundering, and responsible gambling.

Companies who successfully enter the Ontario market are required to meet rigorous standards of game and operator integrity, fairness, player protections, and social responsibility. Those aren't aspirational bullet points — they're conditions of staying registered. The AGCO can and does impose additional terms on individual operators, and the Registrar may refuse a registration if the applicant is carrying on activities that would be in contravention of the Standards.

Responsible-gambling tools are baked into those standards, not bolted on. Operators are required to support Ontario's centralized self-exclusion service, BetGuard, and to display both the iGaming Ontario and BetGuard logos — a quick way for Ottawa players to confirm a site is properly registered. If you ever need support, ConnexOntario (1-866-531-2600) is the provincial line.

How to confirm a site has cleared both gates

The live registry of approved operators is maintained by iGaming Ontario — that's the authoritative source, since registrations are added and removed over time. Any site serving Ontario players without clearing both the AGCO registration and the iGO operating agreement is operating outside the regulated market, which means no certified games, no verified player protections, and no recourse if something goes wrong. The 19+ age requirement applies across every registered platform without exception.