AGCO Slams Apollo Entertainment with a $100,000 Fine

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) announced that its registrar has handed a Notice of Monetary Penalty of CAD 100,000 (around $74,300 in USD) to Apollo Entertainment. According to the commission, the operator has breached its responsible gambling responsibilities.

The AGCO listed a number of reasons for the measure. The regulator explained that Apollo Entertainment violated a number of rules outlined in the registrar’s Standards for Internet gaming.

As reported by the commission, Apollo Entertainment allegedly failed to conduct the required intervention with high-risk players. The authority noted that one of its clients had lost more than $2 million Canadian dollars without prompting intervention from the operator.

In addition to that, Apollo Entertainment did not implement an adequate voluntary self-exclusion scheme for its customers. Furthermore, the operator lacked sufficient tools to allow players to set financial and time-based gambling limits and moderate their gambling behavior.

To make matters worse, Apollo Entertainment also failed to communicate the importance of safer gambling to its employees.

The AGCO noted that the alleged breaches include but “are not limited to” the aforementioned violations.

The AGCO also added that Apollo Entertainment can appeal the measure to the License Appeal Tribunal, a body independent from the AGCO.

In June, the regulator also issued fines to Fitzdares and BV Gaming, two companies that violated its responsible gambling standards. The AGCO’s regulatory framework is designed with the modern iGaming sector in mind and inspired by the latest regulatory measures in notable global markets.

Apollo Will Do Better

While the AGCO identified multiple failings, it acknowledged Apollo Entertainment’s desire to do better. According to the regulator, the operator has been collaborative with the process and is already taking significant steps to bolster its safer gambling capabilities.

AGCO’s registrar and chief executive officer, Tom Mungham, released a statement on the matter, highlighting the commission’s commitment to providing Ontarian players with safe and healthy gambling products.

Because of that, Mungham said, all licensed companies must work hard to protect their players from harm.

All registered operators have an obligation to proactively monitor patron play for signs of high-risk gambling, and must take appropriate actions to intervene and reduce the potential for gambling-related harm.
Tom Mungham, CEO & registrar, AGCO

Last month, the AGCO strengthened its team with the appointment of a new chairman. The one up to the task was the experienced Dave Forestell.