The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario has fined Booming Games (Malta) Limited C$70,000 after several of the supplier's slots featured a prohibited auto-play function accessible to players in the province for several months.
The regulator identified the breach during a compliance review and ordered the feature disabled immediately. Auto-play, which allows consecutive spins without player input, is explicitly banned under Ontario's game design standards. AGCO considers the mechanic increases the risk of extended sessions and potential harm by removing the player's opportunity to pause and assess their behaviour.
The investigation found that Booming Games failed to carry out proper configuration, testing and monitoring of its games before and after launch in the province. The penalty was issued for breaching two requirements of Ontario's internet gaming standards: supplying slots with auto-play (requirement 2 of standard 2.16) and failure to maintain continuous monitoring of gaming systems (requirement 3 of standard 4.09).
AGCO chief executive Karin Schnarr said the province's game design standards are baseline player protections built into the regulated market, not optional technical requirements. Registered suppliers must have effective controls to ensure prohibited features do not reach players in Ontario.
Ontario enforces some of the strictest standards in North America, including a full auto-play ban, minimum intervals between spins, and a prohibition on features that disguise losses as wins. Nearly 84% of residents now play on legal sites. GGR for the twelve months to March 2025 reached C$3.20bn, up 32% year on year.
The supplier may request a hearing within 15 days of receiving the penalty order through the Licence Appeal Tribunal.
