Nikolai Timofejev
15 years in FinTech and payments. Maps your business model to the right licence scope and leads the file all the way to AGCO registration and the iGO Operating Agreement, including banking and payment rails.
Get a gambling license in Ontario.
Ontario does not hand out gambling licences in the European sense. AGCO registers you under the Gaming Control Act, 1992 at CAD 100,000 per site a year, and you then sign an Operating Agreement with iGaming Ontario and take bets as its agent: wagers less winnings go to iGO, which pays 80% back and keeps 20%. On 1 September 2026 the register listed 49 operators and 84 sites. Plan for 4-6 months.
27 yrs
on the international marketon the market
60+
in-house specialistsspecialists
400+
Licenses obtainedlicenses obtained
Updated
Ontario in brief
The province conducts the games. Operators run them as its agent.
The legal root is federal. Section 207(1)(a) of the Criminal Code (R.S.C. 1985, c. C-46) lets a province "conduct and manage" a lottery scheme, which is why a private operator in Ontario takes bets for the province instead of under a licence of its own. Two bodies split the work. The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario registers operators and suppliers under the Gaming Control Act, 1992 (S.O. 1992, c. 24) and O. Reg. 78/12, which sorts suppliers into five classes in s. 2, and it enforces the Registrar's Standards for Internet Gaming. iGaming Ontario conducts and manages the games and signs each operator to an Operating Agreement. iGO began on 6 July 2021 as an AGCO subsidiary; the iGaming Ontario Act, 2024 made it a standalone agency on 12 May 2025. The market opened on 4 April 2022.
Registration costs CAD 100,000 per site, per year, and each distinct site files its own application. AGCO warns that total regulatory costs can be "significantly greater" than the fee. The revenue then runs through iGO: operators remit wagers less winnings and eligible deductions, and iGO pays 80% back as variable compensation. Cashable payouts from free bets and bonuses count as deductions only up to the limit in the Operating Agreement. The market is large and mostly onshore - CAD 82.7 billion in wagers and CAD 2.9 billion in gaming revenue in FY2024-25, and 91.1% of online gamblers on regulated sites in the Ipsos study published on 21 May 2026. Play stays inside Ontario. The Court of Appeal gave an affirmative decision on international play on 12 November 2025; iGO's 2026-2029 business plan keeps international poker and fantasy liquidity on hold until the Supreme Court of Canada decides the appeal filed that December.
Two layers: AGCO registration under the Gaming Control Act, 1992 at CAD 100,000 per site a year, then an Operating Agreement with iGO. Operators take bets as iGO's agent; iGO keeps 20% of gaming revenue and pays 80% back.
49 operators and 84 sites on 1 September 2026, 91.1% of online gamblers on regulated sites, athletes banned from ads, BetGuard live since May 2026. Built from our Toronto office.
The two layers
Operator registration plus the iGO agreement - or supplier registration.
An operator needs two layers in Ontario: AGCO registration and the Operating Agreement with iGO. A gaming supplier needs one, registration as a gaming-related supplier. We fix the number of sites first, because AGCO bills each one separately.
AGCO registration plus the iGO agreement - or supplier registration.
01 - OPERATOR · AGCO + IGO
The operator layer
AGCO registration for each gaming site at CAD 100,000 a year, then the Operating Agreement with iGO, which is the final step before go-live. Covers casino games, peer-to-peer poker and sport and event betting for players aged 19 or over and physically in Ontario.
AGCO registration for each gaming site at CAD 100,000 a year, then the Operating Agreement with iGO, which is the final step before go-live. Covers casino games, peer-to-peer poker and sport and event betting for players aged 19 or over and physically in Ontario.
- ✓One registration per site
- ✓CAD 100,000 per site, per year
- ✓1- or 2-year term, fees to match
- ✓Operating Agreement with iGO
- ✓80% of gaming revenue paid back
- ✓Every game lab-certified first
02 - GAMING-RELATED SUPPLIER
CAD 15,000 · CAD 3,000The supplier registration
Platform providers, game studios, e-wallet providers, odds makers, integrity monitors and test labs register with AGCO as gaming-related suppliers. The Manufacturer category pays CAD 15,000 a year; other suppliers of gaming services and equipment pay CAD 3,000. Marketing affiliates are assessed case by case.
Platforms, studios, e-wallets, odds makers and labs register as gaming-related suppliers: CAD 15,000 a year for manufacturers, CAD 3,000 for the rest.
- ✓Manufacturer · CAD 15,000 a year
- ✓Other gaming supplier · CAD 3,000
- ✓Platforms, studios, e-wallets
- ✓Odds makers and integrity monitors
- ✓Independent test labs
- ✓Affiliates assessed case by case
Costs and timelines are confirmed for your case before any work begins. AGCO fees follow its published schedule; investigation costs, lab certification and the iGO performance security are itemised in your quote.
Why Ontario
A large, mostly onshore market at a fixed price per site.
Ontario charges per site and takes a fifth of gaming revenue, then leaves the rest of a large market with the operator.
✓
CAD 4.2 billion in gaming revenue
iGO reported CAD 103 billion in wagers and CAD 4.2 billion in gaming revenue for FY2025-26, unaudited and excluding OLG and pari-mutuel. The year before it was CAD 2.9 billion.FY2025-26, unaudited.
✓
91.1% play on regulated sites
The Ipsos channelization study published on 21 May 2026 put 91.1% of online gamblers on regulated sites, against about 85% a year earlier. Most of the market already plays onshore.Ipsos study, May 2026.
✓
80% stays with the operator
iGO keeps 20% of gaming revenue and returns the rest as variable compensation. Its payments to operators for FY2024-25 came to about CAD 2,327 million.iGO keeps 20%.
✓
Foreign groups apply directly
AGCO's operator guide states no Ontario-incorporation rule. It asks for disclosure of every 5% holder up the chain and criminal checks for people who live outside Canada.No local-company rule stated.
✓
A public rulebook, enforced
The Registrar's Standards are published, and so are the penalties: CAD 110,000 for BetMGM over cash inducements, CAD 150,000 for PointsBet on responsible-gambling standards.Standards and penalties published.
✓
Every brand pays again
Each distinct site needs its own registration at CAD 100,000 a year, and 49 operators already run 84 sites. A second brand has to earn its fee.CAD 100k per site, yearly.
How it compares
How Ontario differs from other routes.
Ontario prices entry as a revenue share plus a per-site fee instead of a gaming tax, and the operator never holds the gaming rights itself.
Ontario vs other jurisdictions
| Feature |  Ontario | Other jurisdictions |
|---|---|---|
| Legal form | AGCO registration + iGO agency agreement | A licence in the operator's own name |
| State take | 20% of gaming revenue kept by iGO | Gaming tax on GGR - 22% Sweden, 37.8% Netherlands |
| Fixed cost | CAD 100,000 per site, per year | Per licence, often banded by revenue |
| Liquidity | Ontario players only (Standard 3.02) | National ring-fence or a global book |
Legal form
OntarioAGCO registration + iGO agency agreement
Other jurisdictionsA licence in the operator's own name
State take
Ontario20% of gaming revenue kept by iGO
Other jurisdictionsGaming tax on GGR - 22% Sweden, 37.8% Netherlands
Fixed cost
OntarioCAD 100,000 per site, per year
Other jurisdictionsPer licence, often banded by revenue
Liquidity
OntarioOntario players only (Standard 3.02)
Other jurisdictionsNational ring-fence or a global book
Country by country
| Country | License type | Taxation | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario | AGCO registration + iGO agreement | iGO keeps 20% · 26.5% CIT | CAD 100k per site, 5% disclosure |
 United Kingdom | GC remote operating licence | RGD 40% from 1.4.2026 | Fees by GGY band, indefinite term |
 Netherlands | Ksa online licence, 5 years | 37.8% GGR in 2026 | €61,300 fee, €50,000 security |
 Sweden | Spelinspektionen licences | 22% GGR | SEK 230k fee, Spelpaus |
OntarioLicense typeAGCO registration + iGO agreement
TaxationiGO keeps 20% · 26.5% CIT
RequirementsCAD 100k per site, 5% disclosure
United KingdomLicense typeGC remote operating licence
TaxationRGD 40% from 1.4.2026
RequirementsFees by GGY band, indefinite term
NetherlandsLicense typeKsa online licence, 5 years
Taxation37.8% GGR in 2026
Requirements€61,300 fee, €50,000 security
SwedenLicense typeSpelinspektionen licences
Taxation22% GGR
RequirementsSEK 230k fee, Spelpaus
Before you apply
Requirements for the Ontario registration.Requirements for the licence.
AGCO reads the people and the controls; iGO reads the contract and the money. A file that clears both contains the following.
01
Registration per site - one AGCO application for each distinct gaming site, CAD 100,000 a year, non-refundable.
02
Disclosure to 5% - entity forms for every corporation or trust holding 5% or more, personal forms for officers, directors and principal employees, criminal checks for anyone living outside Canada.
03
Standards gap analysis - the Registrar's Standards for Internet Gaming mapped clause by clause, with a remediation plan, filed through the iAGCO portal.
04
Certified games and systems - every game and critical gaming system certified by an AGCO-registered independent testing lab before use.
05
Registered suppliers - platform, game, e-wallet and odds suppliers registered as gaming-related suppliers before they serve you.
06
Control Activity Matrix - independently audited, due before launch for elevated-risk applicants and within three months of launch for the rest.
07
Geolocation and age - players physically in Ontario and aged 19 or over, and any attempt the geolocation cannot place inside the province blocked (Standards 3.01-3.02).
08
Player protection - money and time limits for 24 hours, 7 days and one month (Standard 2.23), plus BetGuard, the central self-exclusion program live since 14 May 2026.
09
AML programme - FINTRAC reporting as a casino: cash and virtual currency transactions of CAD 10,000 or more, casino disbursements and suspicious transactions.
10
iGO Operating Agreement - the final prerequisite before go-live, with performance security in cash, a letter of credit or a surety bond.
01
One registration per site.
02
Disclosure to 5% holders.
03
Standards gap analysis.
04
Lab-certified games.
05
Registered suppliers.
06
Control Activity Matrix.
07
Geolocation, age 19+.
08
Limits and BetGuard.
09
FINTRAC reporting.
10
iGO agreement and security.
Reflects the Gaming Control Act, 1992, O. Reg. 78/12, the Registrar's Standards for Internet Gaming and iGO onboarding as of 2026.Gaming Control Act, 1992 + Registrar's Standards, as of 2026.
How it works
From first call to the iGO operator directory.
01
Sites and products
How many sites, each billed CAD 100,000 a year, and which products: casino, peer-to-peer poker, sport and event betting.CAD 100k per site.
02
Disclosure and gap analysis
Entity and personal disclosure to the 5% level, and the Registrar's Standards mapped against your platform.5% holders, gap analysis.
03
AGCO registration
Filed through iAGCO. iGO's onboarding guide puts this step at 2+ months from a complete application.2+ months from a full file.
04
iGO onboarding
Operating Agreement, performance security and lab certification of every game. iGO tells operators to expect at least 90 days overall.90 days minimum overall.
05
Go-live
Wagers less winnings remitted to iGO, 80% paid back, BetGuard connected and FINTRAC reporting running.80% back, BetGuard on.
Quick facts
RegulatorAGCO · iGO
Market opened4 April 2022
Operator feeCAD 100,000 per site / year
Supplier feesCAD 15,000 · CAD 3,000
Revenue share80% operator · 20% iGO
Register, 1 Sept 202649 operators · 84 sites
Minimum age19
Realistic timeline4-6 months
In Ontario the registration is the easier half. The Operating Agreement and the per-site arithmetic decide whether a launch pays, so we model both before you file.
On the ground in Ontario
Run from our Toronto office.
Prifinance - Ontario
Toronto · Ontario
Toronto, Ontario
01
The AGCO file
Application, disclosure forms and the Standards gap analysis assembled and filed through iAGCO, with AGCO's questions answered from Toronto.Filed through iAGCO.
02
The iGO contract
Onboarding runs in parallel with registration - each iGO step takes 2 business days to 2 weeks - and the performance security is arranged before signature.Run in parallel.
03
The supplier chain
Platform, studios and payment providers checked against the supplier rules, and lab certification booked early for every game.Checked before launch.
04
Marketing review
Campaigns read against Standards 2.03-2.06 before they run: no athletes, no public bonus ads, no "risk-free" offers.Read against 2.03-2.06.
We also have offices in
Tallinn
Estonia
Väike-Paala tn 1
Vilnius
Lithuania
Gedimino pr. 2
Prague
Czech Republic
Vlkova 532/8, Žižkov
Dubai
UAE
33 Level, Al Saqr Business Tower
Madeira
Portugal
Rua da Alegria 31, 1F
Budapest
Hungary
Korányi Sándor u. 4
Istanbul
Turkey
Perpa Ticaret Merkezi, A Blok
Good to know
Taxation of gaming operators in Ontario.
The province takes its share through iGO's revenue split. Federal and Ontario corporate tax then applies to what the operator keeps.
20% kept by iGO
Operators remit wagers less winnings and eligible deductions, and iGO pays 80% back as variable compensation. In FY2024-25 those payments came to about CAD 2,327 million.80% paid back.
Bonus deductions, capped
Cashable payouts from free bets and bonuses reduce the revenue base only up to the limit written into the Operating Agreement.Set in the agreement.
13% HST, self-assessed
iGO self-assesses GST/HST of 13% on the fees it pays operators for their services under the Operating Agreements.Self-assessed by iGO.
Corporate tax 26.5%
The federal net general rate of 15% plus Ontario's general rate of 11.5%, charged on the operating company's profit.15% + 11.5%.
AGCO fees outside HST
HST does not apply to registration fees. They are non-refundable, and any payment of CAD 30,000 or more goes by wire or EFT.No HST.
Players' lottery winnings
The CRA lists lottery winnings of any amount as not taxed, unless they are income from employment, business or property.Not taxed for players.
Tax summary
Provincial share20% of gaming revenue
Operator compensation80% of gaming revenue
GST/HST on operator fees13%, self-assessed by iGO
Corporate tax26.5% (15% + 11.5%)
AGCO feesNo HST · non-refundable
*As of 2026 per iGO's FY2024-25 financial statements, AGCO's fee pages and CRA rates. Group and founder-level outcomes are modelled per structure.
Turnkey professional support
Experienced lawyers and international consultants.
We provide end-to-end support, from company registration and the application file to regulatory interaction and compliance oversight - with an individualized approach to each client.
Oleksii Kindratenko
Builds the application itself: the operating company and its disclosure forms, AML/KYC policy pack, capital structure and tax registrations. His document sets are the reason reviews finish in months, not years.
Eugeniu Bevziuc
First point of contact for international founders. Runs the whole setup remotely, across time zones and languages - from the first call to a live, licensed operator.
Follow Prifinance
Active across our channels.
Ontario · AGCO
Launch your gaming project in Ontario with expert support.
Full-service assistance - from AGCO disclosure and the Standards gap analysis to the iGO Operating Agreement and go-live - run through our Toronto office.
Get a consultation →Free legal opinion
Is Ontario the right fit for your project?
Our legal team will analyze your case at no cost and provide a written legal opinion: which jurisdiction, licence scope, or route fits your business.
Written assessment within 2-5 business days
Request a free conclusion →FAQ
The Ontario igaming registration, answered.
Is it a licence or a contract?+
Both layers apply. AGCO registers the operator under the Gaming Control Act, 1992, and iGaming Ontario signs an Operating Agreement under which the operator accepts bets as iGO's agent. The agreement is the final prerequisite before go-live.
What does AGCO registration cost?+
CAD 100,000 per site, per year, non-refundable, on a one- or two-year term with fees to match. AGCO can also charge the reasonable costs of its investigation and warns that total regulatory costs can be significantly greater than the fee.
How does the revenue share work?+
Operators remit all wagers less winnings and eligible deductions to iGO, which pays 80% of that gaming revenue back as variable compensation and keeps 20%. Bonus-funded payouts count as deductions only up to the limit set in the Operating Agreement.
Do gaming suppliers need to register?+
Yes, as gaming-related suppliers: platform providers, game developers, e-wallet providers, odds makers, integrity monitors and test labs. The fee is CAD 15,000 a year for manufacturers and CAD 3,000 for other gaming suppliers. Marketing affiliates are assessed case by case.
How long does it take?+
iGO tells operators to expect a minimum of 90 days to be registered and sign the Operating Agreement, and its onboarding guide puts AGCO registration alone at 2+ months from a complete application. With lab certification and the gap analysis, we plan for 4-6 months.
Can a foreign company register?+
AGCO's operator guide states no Ontario-incorporation rule. It does ask for disclosure of every 5% holder up the chain and criminal checks for individuals living outside Canada. We confirm the entity design with AGCO per case.
What are the advertising rules?+
Strict. Since 28 February 2024 Standard 2.03 bars active or retired athletes from igaming ads except in responsible-gambling messages, along with celebrities, influencers and cartoon figures likely to appeal to minors. Bonuses may be advertised only on your own site or by consented direct marketing.
What is BetGuard?+
Ontario's centralized self-exclusion tool, run by iGO and launched on 14 May 2026. Players pick 6 months, 1 year, 5 years or a custom term, and the exclusion covers every regulated site, OLG included. Participation is mandatory under Standard 2.14.1.
Ontario or the United Kingdom for a casino and betting operator?+
The UK licence is held in your own name, has no fixed term and covers a remote market of GBP 8.3 billion GGY in 2025-26, though Remote Gaming Duty rose to 40% on 1 April 2026. Ontario returns 80% of gaming revenue but bills CAD 100,000 per site. We model both on your numbers.
Why Prifinance for Ontario?+
We build the AGCO file - disclosure, the Standards gap analysis, supplier checks - and run the iGO onboarding alongside it from our Toronto office. You get one plan covering registration, the Operating Agreement and the per-site economics.
Licence or contract?+
Both: AGCO plus iGO.
Cost?+
CAD 100k per site, yearly.
Revenue share?+
80% back, iGO keeps 20%.
Suppliers?+
CAD 15k or CAD 3k a year.
How long?+
90 days minimum; plan 4-6 months.
Foreign company?+
No local-company rule stated.
Advertising?+
No athletes, no public bonuses.
BetGuard?+
Central self-exclusion, May 2026.
Or the UK?+
Own licence vs 80% share.
Why you?+
Toronto office, both layers.
Client notes
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One message away from your Ontario gambling licence.
Get a free legal opinion on your project - our legal team will analyze your case at no cost and provide a written legal opinion: which jurisdiction, licence scope, or route fits your business.Free legal opinion: whether Ontario's per-site economics work for your brands, and what the AGCO and iGO files need.
✓Written legal opinion within 2-5 business days - free of charge✓A clear recommendation on the right licence scope, not a sales pitch✓Transparent fixed fees, confirmed up front✓EN · RU · ES speaking team
Prifinance is an independent law and advisory firm. We are not a regulator and are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), iGaming Ontario or any other public authority. Authorisations are granted by, and obtained directly from, the competent authorities.