AGCO Fines Booming Games CA$70,000 for Prohibited Auto-Play Feature in Ontario

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has issued a CA$70,000 (US$50,947) monetary penalty against Booming Games (Malta) Limited for supplying slot games containing a prohibited auto-play feature to Ontario players. The violation represents a significant enforcement action by Canada's strictest provincial gaming regulator and underscores the jurisdiction's uncompromising approach to player protection standards.

The enforcement action followed the AGCO's proactive compliance monitoring, which detected that multiple slot titles supplied by the company included auto-play functionality accessible to Ontario players for several months. Auto-play, which enables continuous consecutive spins without active player interaction, has been explicitly banned in Ontario since 2021. Upon detection, regulators immediately ordered the operator to disable the auto-play feature across affected games.

The AGCO's investigation determined that Booming Games failed to properly configure, test, and monitor the games before and after launch in Ontario. Specifically, the company contravened two requirements under the Registrar's Standards for Internet Gaming: Requirement 2 of Standard 2.16 (supplying games with prohibited auto-play) and Requirement 3 of Standard 4.09 (failing to perform ongoing monitoring and testing of gaming systems). The penalty was issued under the Gaming Control Act, 1992.

Dr. Karin Schnarr, AGCO CEO and registrar, emphasized that game-design standards are not discretionary technical requirements but fundamental player-protection measures. She stated: "Registered suppliers must have effective controls in place to prevent prohibited features from reaching Ontario players. When those safeguards are not respected, the AGCO will take regulatory action."

Ontario's game-design framework is among North America's most stringent. Beyond the auto-play ban, standards include minimum time intervals between spins and prohibitions on features that obscure losses as wins. This regulatory rigor reflects the province's commitment to responsible gaming practices, particularly addressing concerns that auto-play features diminish opportunities for player pause and reassessment, thereby increasing prolonged gambling risk.

The province's regulatory approach appears to be resonating with consumers. Data released last year showed that nearly 84% of Ontario players use regulated sites, suggesting strong market confidence in the regulatory regime. Gross gambling revenue for the period April 2024 to March 2025 reached CA$3.20 billion, representing 32% growth year-over-year. This revenue trajectory demonstrates that stringent player protections do not impede market growth.

Under Ontario's governance structure, the Licence Appeal Tribunal, an independent body within Tribunals Ontario, permits registered suppliers 15 days to request a hearing following a monetary penalty order. This appeal mechanism provides due process while maintaining regulatory enforcement credibility.

The Booming Games enforcement action signals that the AGCO will systematically pursue violations of game-design standards regardless of supplier jurisdiction. As Ontario continues expanding its regulated iGaming market, suppliers must invest in robust pre-launch testing and ongoing compliance monitoring to avoid similar penalties.