Exclusive: Ontario to Tighten Live Dealer Standards, After Two Months of Consultations

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) said its registrar received feedback that its rules governing live dealer games didn’t offer enough player protection.
Ontario to Tighten Live Dealer Standards, After Two Months of Consultations
By
October 07, 2022

Provincial regulators said the decision to tighten rules for live dealer games at real money Ontario online casinos resulted from comments received during two months of consultations this summer.

On Tuesday, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) announced that it would amend two standards from its registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming, and would add two new standards.

One of the two amended standards goes into effect on October 31. Both of the new standards will also take effect on that day. Meanwhile, the second amended standard will take effect on April 4, 2023.

Changes Have Been Under Consideration For Months

A spokesperson for AGCO said changes to the rules governing live dealer games have been in the works for months.

AGCO consulted on a proposed Registrar’s Standard in August and September to address the potential risks related to the use of physical gaming equipment — including, among others, roulette wheels and playing cards — and the risks related to the use of live presenters,” the spokesperson told Canada Gaming Review on Thursday.

“The Registrar considered the submissions received and determined that amendments to the Registrar’s Standards are necessary for the benefit of Ontarians.”

The regulator did not elaborate on the nature of the consultations and did not disclose how many submissions the registrar had received. But on Tuesday, it said it was compelled to tighten the live dealer standards due to the “growing popularity” of live dealer games in the province.

The following three changes are to take effect on October 31:

  • Standard 4.09, which provided for certain protections of gaming systems, was amended to include “gaming supplies.” The protections cover the installation, configuration, maintenance, repair, storage, and operation of such supplies and systems.
  • AGCO added Standard 4.35, which calls for restricting access to live dealer gaming supplies only to “individuals with a business need.” Access would be based on employment status and job requirements and subject to periodic review.
  • Another new rule, Standard 4.36, will require operators to implement controls that “ensure live dealer game presenters do not compromise the integrity of a game.”

The AGCO also amended Standard 4.08. The rule will now require that “all iGaming games, random number generators and components of igaming systems that accept, process, determine outcome of, display, and log details about player bets, including any subsequent modifications” are approved by either the AGCO’s registrar or an independent certified laboratory.

“Live dealer games must either be approved by the Registrar or certified by an independent testing laboratory registered by the Registrar — like all other iGaming games,” the AGCO spokesperson said. “Standard 4.08 will come into force six months from now, on April 4, 2023, in order to give enough time for operators and gaming-related suppliers to get their equipment certified.

“Operators and suppliers must ensure that their live dealer games meet all applicable existing standards as well, including those related to game integrity, employee screening and training, and detecting and preventing collusion and cheating.”

Ontario’s online casino gambling market launched on April 4. Since then, many of the province’s 28 active online casino operators have offered live dealer games. Learn more about legal gambling in the province in our complete guide to real money Ontario online casinos.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call the Virginia Council on Problem Gambling (VACPG) helpline at 1-888-532-3500

Keep reading: