Ontario regulator fines Malta-based Booming Games $70,000 over banned auto-play feature

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario has fined Booming Games (Malta) Limited CA$70,000 for breaching the province's ban on auto-play in slot games.

The penalty follows a compliance sweep that found several of the supplier's titles offered the prohibited feature to Ontario players for months. Auto-play, which runs consecutive spins without player interaction, has been banned in Ontario since 2021.

The AGCO said the violation was detected through proactive and targeted compliance efforts. It ordered the affected games' auto-play function to be disabled immediately after notifying the operator.

An investigation concluded that Booming Games failed to properly configure, test, and monitor certain games before and after launch. The breaches involve supplying slot games with auto-play, as well as failing to conduct ongoing monitoring and testing of gaming systems.

The penalty was issued under the Gaming Control Act, 1992.

Dr Karin Schnarr, AGCO CEO and registrar, said Ontario's game design standards are fundamental player-protection measures built into the regulated iGaming market, not optional technical requirements. She stated that registered suppliers must have effective controls to prevent prohibited features from reaching Ontario players, and that the AGCO will take regulatory action when those safeguards are not respected.

Ontario operates one of North America's strictest iGaming regimes. Beyond the auto-play ban, standards include minimum spin intervals and prohibitions on features that disguise losses as wins.

The province's regulated market has gained strong traction. Nearly 84% of players use licensed sites, and gross gambling revenue hit CA$3.20 billion between April 2024 and March 2025, up 32% from the previous year.

Registered suppliers have up to 15 days to request a hearing from the Licence Appeal Tribunal following a monetary penalty order.

For Malta's iGaming sector, this case is a reminder that offshore regulators are watching game design closely. Suppliers entering Ontario need airtight compliance testing before launch and ongoing monitoring to avoid costly penalties.