The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has amended its Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming as the province moves closer to launching iGaming Ontario’s new Centralized Self‑Exclusion (CSE) program.
The CSE system, expected to debut in the first half of 2026, will allow players to voluntarily self‑exclude from all regulated online gambling sites in Ontario through a single, streamlined process. The program will be administered by iGaming Ontario.
iGaming Ontario President and CEO Joseph Hillier told Casino.org in December that the rollout remains on track for the first half of next year. The agency did not immediately respond to a request for an updated timeline.
Revised Standard Aims to Protect Self‑Excluded Players
AGCO said this week it has tightened the language in Requirement 12 of the new CSE standards (2.14.1) after receiving industry feedback. The regulator said the revision is intended to make the requirement clearer and ensure that players who choose to self‑exclude cannot access gaming sites, even during system outages or service disruptions.
Protecting self‑excluded players “under all circumstances” remains a priority, the AGCO said.
Under existing rules, all licensed operators must already offer site‑specific self‑exclusion tools. The CSE program will replace the need for players to enroll separately on multiple platforms.
Operators Required to Participate
Licensed operators will be required to integrate with the centralized system, promote it on their platforms, and offer clearly defined exclusion terms of six months, one year, or five years.
The market has been awaiting the CSE launch since August 2024, when iGaming Ontario selected Integrity Compliance 360 (IC360) and IXUP to build the system. IC360 is known for its technology‑driven integrity solutions, including ProhiBet, while IXUP has supported Australia’s BetStop program.
