AGCO Announces Stricter Bonus Disclosure Rules for Ontario Online Casinos

14 October 2026

Ontario’s Alcohol and Gaming Commission has announced stricter rules for how online casinos can advertise bonuses, inducements and credit offers to players. Operating under a framework that prioritizes transparency, consent and player protection, Ontario greatly restricts how and where bonuses may be promoted.

What Changed in Regulation

The AGCO's Registrar's Standards for Gaming now strictly prohibit public advertising of gambling inducements, bonuses and credits. Under Standard 2.05, this bar on public advertising includes targeted ads and algorithm-based personalized offers. "This limits where operators can communicate bonus offers, which is a tight restriction," said Karen Smith, senior manager at AGCO.

Ontario’s standards also set new expectations for how gaming inducements are presented to players. If a player must risk their own money to receive a bonus, online casinos can no longer market it as "free." Furthermore, operators must clearly disclose all relevant terms and conditions, such as wagering requirements, at the time of the offer, per Standard 2.06.

Restricting Ad Placement

With the ban on public advertising, operators can only promote gambling bonuses in a few designated places. That includes on the operator's website itself, at the time of signup, and on gaming sites. Bonus-related offers can also appear in certain on-premises signage as set out by the AGCO.

After a player has signed up and shown active interest, operators can communicate about bonuses through direct marketing and advertising, such as emails, texts, and social media messages. However, users must opt-in to receive these direct marketing promotions, and must be provided a way to withdraw consent at any time.

Nailing Down Bonus Details

Operators must now spell out all material terms of a bonus offer as part of the promotion, not in obscure linkouts. Gamblers need explicit disclosure of:

• Maximum bet limits in connection with the bonus
• Any bet types, wager types, or specific games that are excluded from contributing to wagering requirements
• Requirements to contact someone to claim a bonus
• And if the bonus may be forfeited for any reason.

The AGCO also prohibits operators from using bonus terms without clear understanding such as "free spins", "gambling without risk", or "chance to win big prizes" unless these claims can stand up to scrutiny.

Off-Limits Language

Expected language about bonuses is fair game – but marketers may not call a promotion "free" if it requires the player to risk their own money. Operators also cannot describe payback percentages that do not apply or hide terms in supplementary links. The operator’s disclosure must also state, "Gambling can be harmful and costs money."

If a bonus offer could be construed as a form of "chase", which encourages prolonged participation, the operator must prominently display a message that gamblers should chose whether to accept or decline the offer in consideration of their personal limits.

Enforcement and Fines

The AGCO publishes sanctions and fines related to online gaming as they issue them. In recent years, operators advertising to Ontario players have faced fines as large as $54,000 for deceptive and high-risk bonus offers.

In one notable case, the AGCO fined Casino Days $54,000 over a bonus that required a $2,000 deposit, wagering bet minimums of $5 or less, and completion within 7 days. The casino might lose $3,640 after several rounds of wagering around the bonus but only take home the original $2,000.

A Focus on Youth and Athletes

In 2024, the AGCO placed additional limits on the use of individuals to appeal to minors in their releases and on the use of athletes. "Our amended standards prohibit the use of individuals who may appeal to minors, and we've limited the use of athletes in all gambling-related advertising and marketing to protecting the public." said Smith, "Athletes may be used only in conjunction with advocating for responsible gambling, and gambling operators must demonstrate compliance."

Ontario is focused on ensuring its framework for online gaming is rigorous, clear, and accountable.