Ontario regulator AGCO fines Betty Gaming after underage gambling failures uncovered online

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has imposed a fine of C$120,000 on Betty Gaming Ltd. in response to the company's failure to effectively implement age-verification and player eligibility systems on its online gambling platform, Betty.ca. The AGCO determined that underage individuals were able to create and fund accounts, with nine users under the age of 19 successfully opening accounts and gambling funds, and another 14 users creating accounts but not making any deposits.

The regulator emphasized that the legal age requirement is one of the most fundamental safeguards in Ontario's regulated gaming market, and any breaches can undermine trust in the system. Operators are responsible for ensuring that their technology functions correctly before it is put into use, and when those systems fail, the AGCO takes action to protect young people and maintain confidence in the province's regulated online gaming market.

Dr. Karin Schnarr, Chief Executive Officer and Registrar of AGCO, stated that young people must not be able to create accounts, deposit money, or gamble online. The monetary penalties stem from alleged violations of the Registrar’s Standards for Gaming, which prohibit operators from allowing underage individuals to create accounts or gamble online, and require companies to collect and validate relevant player information prior to account creation.