Moving forward, the use of animated characters, social media personalities, and famous figures in advertisements on print, television, social media, or radio is banned. Any content deemed attractive to minors may lead to the revocation of an operating license.
Additional regulations include limitations on gambling ads near educational institutions, although athletes can still appear in campaigns promoting responsible gambling.
In a statement made last August, Tom Mungham, the then-registrar and CEO of the AGCO, remarked: 'Young people are significantly influenced by the athletes and celebrities they admire. Consequently, we are implementing stricter measures to safeguard Ontario's youth by prohibiting these prominent figures from endorsing online betting.'
Camille Quenneville, a representative from the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), described it as a pivotal step in modern regulatory practices : 'With the rise of gamification in online gambling, young individuals are particularly vulnerable to harm related to gambling. These new restrictions represent an essential first move in the necessary regulatory response to the concerning trends in online gambling among Ontario's youth.'
Bunchberry Limited, Mobile Incorporated Limited, and LeoVegas have recently faced penalties from the AGCO, each incurring fines of $70,000 after being found guilty of offering unapproved games on their platforms.