Betty Casino Hit with AGCO Fine for Age-Verification Failures

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has penalized Betty Gaming Ltd, parent company to slots-focused Betty Casino, a $120,000 fine over what the market regulator calls ‘failures in its age-verification and player eligibility controls.’

According to the August 6, 2026 press release, the AGCO revealed that more than 20 people under Ontario’s legal gambling age of 19 years were able to create accounts, make deposits, and play on Betty.ca. 

The licensed Ontario iGaming site has since confirmed the violation, stating its dedication to work with the Ontario market regulator in guaranteeing a safe and responsible gaming environment. 

Where It All Began

Online gambling and sports betting is legal in Ontario only through licensed operators. Also, only players aged 19 years and older can participate. 

Toronto-based Betty Gaming Ltd secured its AGCO approval and, consequently, signed a commercial agreement with iGaming Ontario to run its Ontario gambling site on January 25, 2023. At the time, it was operating exclusively in Ontario’s regulated market, but has since expanded to the UK and Alberta, Canada.

From the start, Betty.ca stood out as an Ontario-centric option for casual slot players. Features like $1 minimum deposit, zero wagering, and instant withdrawals quickly gave it a distinct edge in an increasingly congested market. Clearly aimed at players who prefer a simple, community-based online gaming experience, Betty Casino didn’t take long to emerge as one of the best Ontario iGaming sites, with no run-ins with the market regulator.

That track record held up until November 25, 2025 when the platform disclosed to the AGCO that it had a vulnerability in its age-verification process. At the time, nine people below 19 years were said to have signed up , made deposits, and gambled on the site. 

By the time the AGCO issued its $120,000 fine to Betty Gaming Ltd, an extra 14 people under Ontario’s legal gambling age had created accounts on Betty.ca. However, none had deposited or gambled with real money.

Commenting on the importance of age-verification, Dr. Karin Scharr, the registrar and CEO of the AGCO, said:

“The legal age requirement is one of the most basic and important safeguards in Ontario’s regulated gaming market. Young people must not be able to create accounts, deposit money, or gamble online. Registered operators are responsible for making sure their systems work before those systems go live.”

“When those responsibilities are not met, we will take action to protect young people and uphold confidence in Ontario’s regulated market.”

Betty Casino Concurs with AGCO Ruling

Section 3.01, requirement 1(a) of the Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming in Ontario requires every licensed operator to implement adequate safeguards to prevent underage gambling. 

This includes validating player identity through layered safeguards. As common practice, players must submit a government-issued ID, passport, or driver’s license, complete cross-platform referencing, agree to geolocation checks, as well as finish AI-facial recognition, prior to account creation. 

While some may see them as frustrating, these measures are what protect youngsters and uphold the integrity of Ontario’s regulated gambling environment.  

Despite these strict requirements, technical faults in Betty’s age-verification system went undetected for a while, allowing a few youngsters to gamble on the platform. Betty Casino has acknowledged the AGCO’s findings and agreed to pay the fine, according to a statement given to Canadian Gaming Business.

“In November 2025, we identified a vulnerability in our age-verification process that allowed some individuals under 19 to create an account. We reported it to the AGCO upon discovery and immediately closed the accounts,” said a Betty spokesperson. 

“We have since implemented additional safeguards to strengthen our player eligibility controls and prevent such incidents. Our team remains committed to working with the AGCO to ensure Ontario’s regulated gaming market stays safe, and we will continue to invest in the systems and oversight needed to meet that responsibility.” 

Worth noting is that the operator did have the option to appeal the Order of Monetary Penalty within 15 days to the License Appeal Tribunal (LAT) — an arbitral body that’s part of Tribunals Ontario but operates independently from the AGCO.

Betty Casino Fine Marks AGCO’s 19th Since Ontario iGaming Launch

Since Ontario’s regulated iGaming market went live in 2022, the AGCO has issued 19 Orders of Monetary Penalty against various operators and suppliers, totalling roughly $1.5 million in fines. The first fines came in May 2022 when BetMGM and PointsBet were both fined for running inducement ads during the market’s launch period. 

While the regulator’s early enforcement focused largely on advertising violations and responsible gambling failures, its more recent actions — including the fine against Betty Casino — increasingly target age-verification and compliance failures. As a result, this new trend pushes operators to invest more heavily in compliance systems, tighten internal practices, and shore up consumer confidence in the regulated market.