Ontario Regulator Closes iGaming Self-Exclusion Loophole – Casino Reports

Just recently, iGaming Ontario announced that it has fixed an issue where players may have used a loophole in the responsible gaming program to zero online bets. The province’s iGaming market launched last year and shortly after reports surfaced there was an opportunity for bettors to exploit a glitch and void losing bets.

As a regulated market, every operator in the provincial sector is required to provide a voluntary self-exclusion program that locks up a player and keeps them out for a set period of time. The program was able to void all future bets for self-excluded players and returned unused funds to bettors. However, some users may have made use of it, regulators said.

problem now fixed

Last summer, the Ontario Alcohol and Gambling Commission said it was aware of the problem of the self-exclusion error that allowed users to void bets. Meanwhile, there was another issue where players could bet on the other side of an event through another operatorwhich would have given them the opportunity to both receive a refund and secure a sweepstakes.

This week, the regular said he has updated the rules to clarify bet cancellation and refunds for self-excluded users. While bets must be placed when a user voluntarily excludes themselves from gaming, the regulator now mandates that a bet be fully refunded only if a player signs up for a self-exclusion program before the start of the event to which the bet applies.

In its statement, AGCO said that operators are under no obligation to refund a bet if the player self-excludes after an event or series of events has started and the outcome of the bet is determined. The regulator also stated that the policy changes have been and will be made after careful consideration and discussions with the industry in force from February 28, 2023.

iGO determined that a centralized self-exclusion program requires an integrated effort from all provincially licensed operators while allowing for player privacy with a secure and confidential program. It said the centralized self-exclusion program was being implemented informed by determined best practices in academic research and from insights into international jurisdictions with multi-operator iGaming self-exclusion programs.

Dealing with illegal operations

AGCO recently issued its annual report from April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022, in which iGO made a commitment take further action against illegal operators in the province. The regulator expects more operators to switch, increasing economic benefits and revenue for the province. Now, dealing with offshore more will be one of the main items on the agenda.

Ontario’s iGaming market quickly grew to be one of the largest on the continent, and its popularity drew a lot of interest from outsiders. Accordingly GeoComplya provider of geolocation services, it clogged over 9,000 attempts by out-of-province individuals attempting to place online bets on the Super Bowl.

Source: Zochodne, Geoff”Ontario regulator closes self-exclusion loophole from online sports betting” coversMarch 9, 2023