iGO expected to release updated AML requirements today

Also, the iGO contract is expected to be released on 12/13; at that point, operators can apply for licenses. The provincial government has suggested a 2/15 launch date, but AGCO is privately saying that they will 90 days to process license applications, so March seems more realistic.

It now seems possible that, rather than having a single “go live” date for all operators, it may be the case that there would be more of a staggered start with operators launching as their applications are approved. The Auditor General of Ontario recently published an opinion that the proposed regime in Ontario where operators partner with the IGO does not satisfy that requirement in Canadian national law that provincial governments “conduct and manage” all gaming in Canada. That opinion does not, by itself, prevent the issuance of licenses or the launching of the market, but it makes it more likely that the regime will be subject to a legal challenge in the courts.

iDEA’s consultant in Ontario will continue to engage policymakers.