Can a registered Ontario online casino change its game odds or RTP settings after the games have been approved?

The short answer is: no, not unilaterally. Under Ontario's regulated iGaming framework, any modification to a game's RTP, odds configuration, or underlying software is treated as a new version of that game — and it must go back through the approval process before it can be deployed to players.

The rule that governs this is explicit. All iGaming games, random number generators, and components of iGaming systems that accept, process, determine outcome of, display, and log details about player bets — including any subsequent modifications — must either be approved by the Registrar or certified by an independent testing laboratory registered by the Registrar, prior to being provided for any gaming site. That phrase "including any subsequent modifications" is the key phrase. It means a game that has already been approved doesn't get a free pass the second time around if its parameters change.

The ongoing obligation doesn't stop at launch either. Monitoring and testing must be performed throughout the life of the gaming system and gaming supplies to ensure they are operating as approved. And if something goes wrong — or is discovered to be wrong — the consequences are immediate: gaming devices and systems that are discovered to suffer from integrity, security, public interest, or accounting capability concerns at any time after deployment, including those that are pre-approved, must be promptly removed from play or have other action taken to mitigate the concern — and the Registrar must be promptly notified.

Where the responsibility actually sits

It's worth understanding that this obligation runs through the whole supply chain, not just the casino brand you see at the front end. Most RTP settings in online slots and table games are baked into the game software by the game studio (the gaming-related supplier), not toggled by the operator. Operators are expected to ensure that the standards related to the operation of their player platform are met, regardless of which entity is carrying out the related activities — and depending on the circumstance, the Registrar may hold an operator, a registered supplier, or both, accountable for meeting a particular standard. So if a game studio quietly ships a configuration change that lowers a title's RTP, the operator hosting that game shares accountability for the breach.

The framework also requires that the odds themselves be documented and disclosed. Game specifications must be documented clearly indicating the operator's advantage in relation to each wager, and prior to placing a bet, the player must be provided with sufficient information to make informed decisions about chances of winning, how the game is played, and how prizes and payouts are made. That transparency obligation makes covert mid-stream RTP changes doubly problematic — they would simultaneously breach the technical approval rules and the player-information standards.

From a player's perspective, the practical upshot is that the RTP figure published for a game on an Ontario-registered site should reflect the version actually running, and any change to it requires re-certification before it goes live. If you ever suspect a game isn't performing as described, a mechanism must be in place to allow players to contact the operator in a timely fashion with issues and complaints relating to game play or any matter related to compliance with the Standards and Requirements. You can also escalate to the AGCO directly through their website. And if gambling ever stops being something you're doing for entertainment, ConnexOntario (1-866-531-2600) is available around the clock.