AGCO Fines Booming Games C$70K Over Auto-Play

Jonathan Rodriguez

Written by: Jonathan Rodriguez

Published: Mon Aug 24, 2026, 10:00 am ET

Read Time: 3 minutes

AGCO Fines Booming Games C$70K Over Auto-Play

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The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has fined Booming Games C$70,000 over a prohibited auto-play feature. AGCO's penalty highlights the regulator's continued focus on player protection across Ontario gambling.

Booming Games faced the penalty after several online slot titles offered auto-play functionality to Ontario players. The feature allowed players to automatically run successive spins without manually starting each wager.

Ontario's gaming standards prohibit auto-play features on online slot games. The rules aim to provide players with pauses between wagers.

As a result, players have opportunities to assess their activity before continuing to gamble.

AGCO Identifies Compliance Breach

The AGCO determined that Booming Games failed to prevent the prohibited functionality from reaching players. The issue remained available for several months before the supplier identified and addressed it.

According to the regulator, the breach reflected weaknesses in the supplier's testing and monitoring procedures. Those controls should ensure games comply with Ontario's requirements before and after their launch.

AGCO Chief Executive Officer and Registrar Dr. Karin Schnarr stressed the importance of those responsibilities.

"Ontario's game design standards are fundamental player-protection measures built into the regulated iGaming market – they are not optional technical requirements. Registered suppliers must have effective controls in place to prevent prohibited features from reaching Ontario players. When those safeguards are not respected, the AGCO will take regulatory action."

The comments underline the regulator's expectations for suppliers operating within Ontario's regulated market. They also demonstrate that compliance extends beyond operators running online casinos.

Booming Games Accepts Responsibility

Booming Games accepted the AGCO's ruling and acknowledged responsibility for the breach. Dani Paleu, Booming Games' COO, said the company accepted the regulator's decision.

"We accept the AGCO's ruling and take full responsibility for the breach," Paleu said.

The company also said it acted quickly after discovering the issue.

"We acted immediately once the issue was identified, and we have since strengthened how market-specific game options are verified against each regulator's requirements, both before a site goes live and on an ongoing basis afterwards."

The company has therefore strengthened its verification processes following the incident. Those changes focus on market-specific requirements and ongoing checks after games become available.

Auto-Play Remains a Player Protection Concern

Ontario prohibits auto-play because the functionality can remove pauses between individual wagers. Players must instead manually initiate each spin on regulated slot games.

That requirement creates a natural interruption between wagers and encourages greater awareness of gambling activity.

For Ontario gambling operators and suppliers, these rules form part of the province's broader responsible gambling framework.

The AGCO continues to enforce these standards across the regulated iGaming sector.

Wider Compliance Message for Ontario iGaming

The Booming Games penalty also carries implications for suppliers supporting online casinos in Ontario. Rather than focusing solely on operators, the AGCO is holding suppliers accountable for game-level compliance.

That approach places greater responsibility on companies developing and distributing gambling content. Suppliers must therefore ensure their products meet Ontario requirements throughout their lifecycle.

Pre-launch testing alone may not be enough when market-specific configurations can change afterward. Instead, suppliers need effective monitoring systems that can identify potential compliance issues promptly.

The C$70,000 penalty consequently reinforces the importance of continuous regulatory oversight. It also sends a clear message to companies seeking to participate in Ontario's regulated market.

The AGCO expects suppliers to build player-protection requirements into their products and compliance processes.

For Booming Games, the company has accepted responsibility and strengthened its procedures following the breach.

For the wider industry, the case shows that prohibited game features can result in direct regulatory action.

Ontario's continued enforcement also demonstrates its commitment to maintaining strict standards across its regulated iGaming market.

Jonathan Rodriguez
Jonathan Rodriguez

Jonathan is an avid basketball fan, and is often looking forward to the next upcoming NBA season when not checking players' stats during games. He also likes to keep his ears on the ground for the latest rumblings in the online casino industry.

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