What does it actually mean for an online casino to be registered with the AGCO versus simply holding a licence from another country?

A foreign licence — Malta, Gibraltar, Isle of Man, Curaçao — means a casino has satisfied the rules of that jurisdiction. It says nothing about Ontario. AGCO registration is an entirely separate, Ontario-specific process, and the two are not interchangeable.

What AGCO registration actually requires

Being a fully registered and authorized operator in Ontario's igaming market means the organization has successfully received a registration from the AGCO and, with the exception of OLG.ca, has executed an operating agreement with iGaming Ontario (iGO). Both steps are mandatory — registration alone isn't enough to go live.

The path to that registration is deliberately rigorous. Some suppliers must be registered with the AGCO and have their technology certified by a registered independent testing laboratory (ITL), so the scrutiny extends beyond the operator itself to the software and systems powering the games. All registered internet gaming operators must submit an independently audited assessment of the processes and controls they have in place to meet the Registrar's Standards for Internet Gaming — what the AGCO calls a Control Activity Matrix (CAM) — which must include all controls related to the gaming site, including where the operator works with third-party suppliers such as platform providers.

To complete these steps, organizations will have met rigorous standards of game integrity, fairness, player protections, and social responsibility. Their sites must have controls preventing underage access and measures to enable more responsible gambling. They have entered legal agreements ensuring compliance with applicable laws, including anti-money laundering.

In short, a foreign licence reflects what that country decided to check. Ontario's AGCO registration reflects what Ontario decided to check — and the two lists are not the same.

Why this matters practically for players in Ottawa

Playing on a site with only a foreign licence means you have no recourse under Ontario law, no guarantee the games meet Ontario's integrity standards, and no access to Ontario's player-protection tools. On a registered Ontario site, those protections are built in by obligation.

One of the more tangible examples: all igaming operators in Ontario participate in BetGuard, a tool that allows people to opt out of all regulated online gambling in Ontario. Operators are also required to have their own self-exclusion program that meets the requirements set out in the Registrar's Standards for Internet Gaming. An offshore site has no obligation to honour either.

The AGCO's Registrar's Standards for Internet Gaming are meant to ensure that player protections, game integrity, responsible gambling safeguards, and anti-money laundering protections are in place. Those standards bind every registered operator continuously — not just at the point of application. Registrants must be in ongoing compliance with Ontario's standards, acts, and regulations.

How to confirm a site is actually registered

Look for the iGaming Ontario logo wherever you play as a sign that you're playing on a site that is being conducted and managed by iGaming Ontario, offers player protections, and meets Ontario's high standards for game integrity and responsible gambling. Per iGaming Ontario, fully registered sites also display the BetGuard logo — seeing both is a reliable signal you're on a legitimate, regulated site. If you want to verify directly, a directory of all fully registered and authorized operators and their igaming sites is available via the iGaming Ontario website.

One clarification worth flagging: there is no requirement that operators must have a business established in Canada. So a company headquartered in Europe can be fully registered with the AGCO — what matters is whether they've gone through Ontario's process, not where their offices are.

If you ever want support around your play, ConnexOntario (1-866-531-2600) is the province's free, confidential line, available around the clock. Ontario's legal gambling age is 19+.