Ontario’s gambling regulator has imposed a $70,000 penalty on Booming Games Limited after prohibited auto-play functionality remained available on multiple slot games for several months.
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) said its investigation found shortcomings in the supplier’s configuration, testing and monitoring of games offered to players in the province. The affected games appeared on a licensed operator’s platform, although the operator itself was not identified.
Booming Games received its Ontario licence in early 2024 and supplies titles including Buffalo Hold and Win, Cash Pigs and The Wild Wings of Phoenix to licensed operators. The company will not appeal the penalty.
“We accept the AGCO’s ruling and take full responsibility for the breach,” Booming Games COO Dani Paleu told Canadian Gaming Business.
“We acted immediately once the issue was identified, and we have since strengthened how market-specific game options are verified against each regulator’s requirements, both before a site goes live and on an ongoing basis afterwards.”
Why Auto-Play Remains Prohibited
Ontario bars auto-play on online slot games because the function lets players run successive spins without manually starting each wager. The regulator considers the manual action an important pause that gives players an opportunity to reassess their activity.
“Requiring players to manually start each spin creates a deliberate pause between wagers,” the AGCO said. “This pause can help maintain player awareness and control, reduce prolonged and uninterrupted play, and reduce the risk of gambling-related harm.”
The province also imposes minimum time requirements between spins and prohibits features that can present losses as wins through celebratory sounds or other misleading feedback. Auto-play can be used during bonus rounds when players do not wager additional money.
The AGCO said its compliance work identified the issue through targeted monitoring. After notifying the operator involved, the auto-play functionality on the affected games was disabled.
Supplier Faces Two Regulatory Breaches
The penalty covers two violations under Ontario’s internet gaming standards. Booming Games supplied slot games containing auto-play functionality and failed to conduct the required testing and monitoring throughout the life of its gaming system and supplies.
The regulator said registered suppliers must ensure their products comply with provincial requirements both before launch and during continued operation.
“Ontario’s game design standards are fundamental player-protection measures built into the regulated igaming market – they are not optional technical requirements. Registered suppliers must have effective controls in place to prevent prohibited features from reaching Ontario players. When those safeguards are not respected, the AGCO will take regulatory action.”
The order follows other enforcement action by the AGCO. On Aug. 6, the regulator fined Betty Casino $120,000 after 23 underage users opened accounts and nine placed bets. The regulator also fined theScore Bet $105,000 in October 2025, FanDuel $350,000 in January 2026 and two suppliers, Relax Gaming and Arrise Solutions, $40,000 each in May.
PointsBet Canada received a five-day suspension in February over alleged failures involving suspicious betting connected to former NBA player Jontay Porter. The company appealed, with a tribunal hearing scheduled for October.
Source:
“AGCO orders $70,000 penalty on Booming Games for undermining player protection with prohibited auto-play feature”, newswire.ca. August 20, 2026
