AGCO issues $100,000 in penalties to Apollo Entertainment for violations of internet gaming responsible gambling standards

The Registrar of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has served Apollo Entertainment Ltd. (Apollo) with a Notice of Monetary Penalty totaling $100,000 for failing to meet Ontario’s responsible gambling requirements.

The penalty relates to multiple alleged violations of the responsible gambling provisions in the Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming (the Standards), including, but not limited to:

• Failing to conduct required interventions with players who may be experiencing gambling related harms. This included the case of a player experiencing over $2 million in losses in under four months without receiving interventions from the gaming site operator during that period.
• Failing to implement an adequate voluntary self-exclusion program, as well as providing insufficient tools for players to set financial and time-based gambling limits (i.e., loss and deposit limits).
• Failing to ensure their employees understood the importance of responsible gambling, including assisting players who may be experiencing gambling related harms.

Apollo has been responsive to the AGCO’s regulatory findings since being advised of these issues and has already taken significant steps to strengthen the control environment on its sites to address the shortcomings identified by the AGCO.

The AGCO’s responsible gambling framework was developed following an in-depth review of approaches taken in leading jurisdictions around the world. It was also the subject of significant stakeholder consultations, including with Ontario’s responsible gambling community. The Standards address a wide range of high-risk gambling issues, including prevention, awareness, early intervention, and support.

A registered operator served with a Notice of Monetary Penalty by the AGCO has the right to appeal the Registrar’s action to the Licence Appeal Tribunal (LAT), which is an adjudicative tribunal independent of the AGCO and part of Tribunals Ontario.

“The AGCO’s goal is to ensure Ontarians can enjoy online gambling on sites that operate fairly, responsibly and provide important player protections. All registered operators have an obligation to proactively monitor patron play for signs of high-risk gambling, and must take appropriate actions to intervene and reduce the potential for gambling-related harm.” – said Tom Mungham, Chief Executive Officer and Registrar – AGCO