Unibet has joined the list of operators to have received financial penalties from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) over marketing breaches.  

The regulator has accused Kindred Group-owned Unibet of violating the province’s ban on promoting bonuses and other incentives in general advertisements, and has demanded that the brand pays a penalty fee of C$48,000, or €37,085.

Ontario’s iGaming legislation explicitly prohibits broad public advertising of bonuses and other inducements to gamble.

Contrary to the province’s Standards for Internet Gaming, Unibet allegedly posted or aired multiple broad gambling inducements that promoted “generous welcome offers” between 19 May and 22 May 2022.

AGCO CEO and registrar Tom Mungham commented: “We expect all registered operators to achieve and maintain the high standards of responsible gambling, player protection and game integrity.

“The AGCO will continue to monitor these gaming sites’ activities, and ensure they are meeting their obligations under Ontario’s Gaming Control Act and the Standards,” he added.

AGCO CEO and registrar Tom Mungham: “We expect all registered operators to achieve and maintain the high standards of responsible gambling, player protection and game integrity.”

Unibet has the right to appeal the penalty at Ontario’s Licence Appeal Tribunal, which is an adjudicative tribunal independent of the AGCO and part of Tribunals Ontario.

In May, BetMGM and PointsBet were the first two operators to fall foul of the province’s marketing regulation, which came into force on 4 April as Ontario’s newly regulated iGaming market went live.

In June, DrafKing was slapped with a financial penalty over similar marketing breaches.

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