I’m excited to be joining a strong and vibrant organization that works every day to ensure consumer protection, efficient business practices, and a people-first focus.
In a statement made on Monday, the Board of Directors of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) announced the appointment of Dr. Karin Schnarr as their new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and registrar.
Schnarr is set to assume her new role on September 18, replacing Tom Mungham, the CEO who was in charge during the exciting launch of regulated online gambling in Ontario in April last year.
The news comes just weeks after the appointment of Heidi Reinhart as the Chair of iGaming Ontario, the subsidiary of AGCO in charge of regulating and supervising iGaming specifically.
The two are set to lead the province’s iGaming sector into the final quarter of 2023, where they will hope to further boost the industry and continue to provide excellence in regulation and supervision over the numerous Ontario online poker, casino, and sports betting operators.
Reputable Public Servant Takes Charge of AGCO
The appointment of Dr. Schnarr as the CEO and Registrar of the AGCO was announced on Monday in light of Tom Mungham’s departure from the position. The AGCO announced his retirement in March of this year.
Dr. Schnarr is a proven senior executive with vast experience in both public and private sectors, who has spent eight years serving as chief of staff for a number of ministers in the Government of Ontario.
Her work extended to the Government’s Task Force on Women and the Economy, where she served as Chair, with a Chair position at the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario and a Vice-Chair position at the Waterloo Regional Police Services Board.
Schnarr made a short announcement of her own on her LinkedIn profile, stating she was honored to be selected for the CEO and Registrar positions of AGCO.
“I’m excited to be joining a strong and vibrant organization that works every day to ensure consumer protection, efficient business practices, and a people-first focus,” Schnarr said on LinkedIn. “My sincere thanks to the Board for this opportunity — I am aware of the large shoes I will be filling of retiring AGCO CEO Tom Mungham.
“I’m looking forward to taking on this role and can’t wait to get started.”
iGaming Industry Flourishing in Ontario
iGaming first launched in the province in April last year, with Ontario sports betting, online casino gaming, and online poker all going live simultaneously, and dozens of operators taking their first online wagers within the first few weeks.
The AGCO set up iGaming Ontario (iGO) to help facilitate the launch of iGaming in the province. iGO’s reporting on the revenues and profits of the various operators and verticals in the province was a bit spotty in the early quarters, but the regulator recently put out a detailed report on wagers and revenues of all verticals across 2022 and the first quarter of 2023.
According to the report, the vast majority of all iGaming revenue in Ontario in both 2022 and Q1 of 2023 came from casino gaming and sports betting. Online poker accounted for a small fraction of wagers and revenues collected.
iGaming operators managed to collect well over a billion CAD in revenues over the first year of operation, with the trend of growth continuing into the first quarter of 2023.
With a new CEO in place, AGCO will look to continue these trends in Q4 of 2023 and beyond while ensuring a fair and safe gaming atmosphere for all the players and that operators can continue to work in a healthy business surrounding to the benefit of all parties involved.
