How do I know if an online casino game has been independently tested for fairness?

Game fairness in Ontario's regulated online market isn't a matter of operator self-reporting — it's built into the legal framework before a single title ever goes live. Here's how the system works and what you can look for as a player.

Mandatory Pre-Launch Certification

Every igaming game, random number generator, and component of an igaming system that accepts, processes, determines the outcome of, displays, or logs details about player bets must be certified by an independent testing laboratory registered by the AGCO's Registrar before it can be provided on any gaming site. There are no exceptions — not for slots, not for table games, not for live dealer titles.

An ITL certification is a form of written assurance issued by a registered independent testing lab confirming that the technology has been tested and meets the relevant AGCO Registrar's Standards for Internet Gaming. Technologies covered by this policy simply cannot be deployed in the Ontario market without that certification.

What exactly gets tested? Testing must cover all games, as well as random number generators and pieces of igaming systems that accept, process, determine the outcome of, display, and log details about player bets. For live dealer games specifically, the relevant Casino Electronic Gaming Devices and Gaming Systems Minimum Technical Standards also apply.

Who Are the Registered Testing Labs?

The AGCO doesn't run these tests itself for the online market. For internet gaming, the AGCO has modernized its approach by overseeing certification against the Registrar's Standards through registered independent testing labs, rather than testing technology in-house. The labs doing this work are well-known international bodies. Currently registered ITLs include BMM North America, Eclipse Compliance Testing, eCOGRA, Gaming Associates Europe, Gaming Laboratories International, Global Lab Ltd., Lean Lab Company Limited (o/a Riskcherry), and Quinel Ltd.

These organizations are independent of both the operators and the game studios — that separation is the point. An ITL may not issue certifications until it has completed registration with the AGCO as a Gaming-Related Supplier and submitted confirmation — such as an independent audit — that its testing methodology has been configured to the Registrar's Standards for Internet Gaming. The AGCO publishes the current list of registered ITLs on its website; it's worth checking there directly, as the list can grow over time.

What This Means for You as a Player

The most practical signal of a fair, properly regulated site is simply whether it's operating legally in Ontario. Private gaming operators must successfully register with the AGCO and execute an operating agreement with iGaming Ontario before they may offer their games to players in Ontario. Fully registered sites display both the iGaming Ontario logo and the BetGuard logo — seeing both tells you the site is managed by iGaming Ontario and regulated by the AGCO, which means every game on it has gone through the ITL certification process described above.

Beyond the site-level check, many game studios and ITLs publish certification seals directly within individual game interfaces or in the game's information panel — look for logos from labs like eCOGRA or GLI. These are worth treating as genuine signals, not just decoration. If you want to go deeper, the AGCO's registered ITL page and the AGCO's role in registering ITLs that test and certify igaming technology against the required Registrar's Standards are both documented publicly.

One thing to keep in mind: certification confirms a game's RNG and math model meet the required standards at the time of testing. It doesn't guarantee any particular outcome on any given session — no system can do that, and anyone who implies otherwise isn't being straight with you. If gambling ever stops feeling like entertainment, ConnexOntario is available 24/7 at 1-866-531-2600.