The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has announced new changes to existing policies for charitable lotteries.
The updates have been made to align with existing charity lottery products and remove caps on seller commission and prohibition. This is, according to the AGCO, to create an outcomes-based regulatory approach.
The focus of these policy changes is on integral AGCO-governed elements such as the Lottery Licensing Policy Manual, Raffle Licence Terms and Conditions, and Media Bingo Terms and Conditions.
AGCO makes changes to charity lottery products
The key changes allow licensed Canadian charities more autonomy when striking agreements such as commissions with sellers and weigh the cost of entering into business with a provider based on the services they receive.
This autonomy, says the AGCO statement, will allow a situation where “charitable organizations will have greater flexibility to make decisions that best serve their fundraising objectives.”
AGCO is strict on charity lottery requirements
The AGCO has set out some clear boundaries that must be adhered to by licensed charities. These include approval for other expenses incurred under their license agreements, keeping up-to-date records, and retaining receipts for and commission paid to sellers for their services.
This is to ensure that the AGCO can audit a charity that has a link to a lottery service or vendor at any time, as per their policies, the Criminal Code, and anything concerning conducting and managing a charitable gaming scheme.
Charities must also only operate their charity lottery or fundraising attempts through any service akin to a lottery within the confines of Ontario.
In related AGCO news, the regulator has had a busy 2025 enforcing a crackdown on both illegal gambling and promotional offers that don’t meet the standards expected of a licensed operator.
As we reported, the AGCO was stern when taking on a swathe of lottery machines in Ontario that were branded as Prime Slot. Many people in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), including retailers, were shocked to find the machines were, in fact, unlicensed and illegal.
Further to the action against the branded slot machines, in July 2025, the AGCO also handed out a heavy $54k fine to Well Played Media. The fine came into force when Casino Days, a product run by the gambling operator, was reportedly advertising a welcome offer that was “deceptive” according to the AGCO.
Featured image: AGCO official.
