Ontario’s AGCO introduces new standards for Centralized Self-Exclusion Program

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission (AGCO) in Ontario has announced changes as it prepares to launch its iGaming Centralized Self-Exclusion (CSE) program next year.

Through the CSE, players in the province will be able to voluntarily exclude themselves from all regulated iGaming sites through a single process. The aim is to help reduce barriers by eliminating the need to self-exclude across multiple platforms and provide safeguards across the entire regulated market.

At the moment, operators have their own self-exclusion programs for their individual sites as this is required. While they will still have to run their own programs for their sites, where they accept new registrations and honor all existing self-exclusion agreements, the operations will also participate in the overall CSE system.

The actual document of standards will be published and take effect when the CSE platform goes live next year, with exact timing to be communicated closer to launch.

Ontario Centralized Self-Exclusion Program to launch next year

“As part of our commitment to continuous improvement, the requirement for operators to provide self-exclusion programs for their sites, as stipulated in Standard 2.14, will be revisited by the AGCO no more than 12 months following the launch of the Centralized Self-Exclusion Program,” the regulator has confirmed.

Alongside the platform, a new CSE standard has been developed and some further minor changes made. When it launches, this platform needs to be well promoted on the sites of all operators, with this being a requirement.

The terms of the Centralized Self-Exclusion Program must be clearly defined too, with these including options for six months, one year, and five years.

Operators must also prevent ‘Centrally Self-Excluded Persons’ from creating new player accounts or accessing existing accounts for as long as they continue to be self-excluded.

Operators must, no later than 24 hours after an individual is added to the Centralized Self-Exclusion Registry, take all reasonable steps to prevent any marketing material, incentives or promotions from being sent to that individual for as long as they continue to be a Centrally Self-Excluded Person.

Featured Image: Credit to Taxiarchos228 on Wikimedia Commons, CC3.O0 license

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