It has been a slow, quiet summer for Ontario sports betting. Just not when it comes to provincial regulators.
It all started July 18, when Lalit Aggarwal announced he was stepping down as chair of AGCO’s board of directors. Aggarwal said he wanted to spend more time with his family and focus on his business affairs.
Aggarwal became chair of the AGCO board in June 2019, and of course was there when the Ontario regulated iGaming (also known as online casino) market went live April 2022. He oversaw the development and implementation of the iGaming management structure as well as the regulatory framework to support Canada’s first open and competitive internet gaming market.
Aggarwal was there for the establishment of AGCO’s subsidiary, iGaming Ontario, which oversees Ontario online casino activity.
Changes at Chair Positions
The AGCO board’s vice chair, Heidi Reinhart, took on the chair’s responsibilities in an interim role when Aggarwal departed.
Then on July 21, Dave Forestell, who was chairman of the board of iGaming Ontario (and was also on the AGCO board) was named permanent chair of its board of directors, replacing Aggarwal.
And on July 31, Reinhart was appointed chair of iGaming Ontario, just a week or so after she was announced as the interim replacement for Aggarwal. She will, of course, replace Forestell.
And don’t forget, AGCO chief executive officer Tom Mungham is set to retire this fall. When he was still chair of the board, Aggarwal announced in March the AGCO board had begun its search for Mungham’s replacement. There are no updates to report as yet on a replacement for Mungham.
Still Awaiting Possible Ad Standard Changes
Meanwhile, the industry — which launched fully legal, regulated Ontario sportsbook apps as well as online casino options in April 2022 — still awaits an AGCO announcement regarding possible changes to the Advertising Standards revolving around celebrity endorsements and whether to ban those.
A deadline of May 15 had been set for submissions of opinions and perspectives from industry stakeholders.
Mungham said the AGCO received 38 responses to that consultation, from land-based operators as well as those running Ontario casino apps. Others weighing in have been the charitable gaming sector and associations in the health sector, such as the Canadian Mental Health Association.
