CANADIAN REGULATION
On July 17, 2025, the AGCO put out an unnumbered news release (“news release” is the new name for the information bulletin) announcing that it took steps to revoke the lottery seller registrations of retailers in the Greater Toronto Area that were “found to be offering unapproved electronic gaming machines under the Prime Skill brand”. 21 The AGCO conducted enforcement actions on locations with Prime Skill’s games, issuing 42 Notices of Non-Compliance and 11 Notices of Proposal to Revoke. A Proposal to Revoke means that the AGCO will no longer allow an establishment to serve alcohol, or, in the case of convenience stores, to sell lottery products and alcohol. On September 26, 2025, the AGCO put out an unnumbered news release announcing that more than 50 “Prime Slots” machines had been removed from liquor-licensed and lottery retail establishments. 22 GotSkill? machines were not mentioned in the news release. Where are they now? Prime Skill has stated that it intends to provide the legality of its machines and the integrity of its operations “through every available means, whether through legal documentation, expert analysis or, if necessary, before the courts.” 23 It has filed a Notice of Application with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, and a case conference is scheduled for May 29, 2026. 24 Meanwhile, on GotSkill?’s website, there is a post from April 2025 celebrating 10 years of GotSkill? 25 We are not aware of any licensees facing consequences due to hosting GotSkill? Games.
Prime Skill: Not given the same (mixed) chance (and skill) Compare the GotSkill? saga to a more recent approach taken by the AGCO against a different skill-game provider, Prime Skill Games (“Prime Skill”). Prime Skill’s skill-gaming machines look like slot machines, except that the result of each game can be known to a player by successfully solving a mathematical equation. A player can see up to 1000 results in advance by solving equations. Further, there is always a winning play available to players, which is discoverable by solving equations for each game and game play amount. Prime Skill Games were available in bars, restaurants, and convenience stores. Unlike with GotSkill?, where the AGCO agreed with Pong/ Play for Fun/SBG to let the courts decide the legal status of the games (and allow the games to be played in licensed establishments until a decision was reached), the AGCO’s in house testing lab assessed Prime Skill’s games by playing the games, reviewing the gaming system architecture and source code, and examining the game play, flow, logic, and player options. The testing lab, likely in conjunction with the AGCO’s legal team, determined that the game provided by Prime Skill was a game of mixed chance and skill. The AGCO only has authority over regulated entities and, therefore, does not have authority over Prime Skill, because Prime Skill is not registered with the AGCO. Therefore, the AGCO focused on its licensees (bars and restaurants are liquor licensees, convenience stores may be lottery and potentially liquor licensees) that placed Prime Skill games in their locations. AGCO inspectors were sent to various locations with Prime Skill machines and performed inspections.
21 AGCO, AGCO takes action to remove unapproved gambling machines from Ontario convenience stores , https://www.agco.ca/en/news/agco-takes-action-remove-unapproved-gambling-mach,,ines-ontario-convenience-stores, retrieved November 17, 2025. 22 AGCO, AGCO continues crackdown on illegal gaming machines: over 50 devices removed after province-wide sweep , https://www.agco.ca/en/news/agco-continues-crackdown-illegal-gaming-machines-over-50-devices-removed-after-province-wide, retrieved November 17, 2025. 23 Canadian Gaming Business, Prime Skill Games challenges AGCO after Toronto-area machines removed , https://www.canadiangamingbusiness.com/2025/07/21/agco-removes-unapproved-gambling-machines/, retrieved November 17, 2025. 24 Prime Skill Games Inc. V. Alcohol and Gaming Commission Of Ontario, Case Number Cv-25-00750354-0000 25 SBG, Canadian skill-based games company celebrating 10 years of business and service within Ontario’s hospitality sector , https://www. gotskill.ca/post/canadian-skill-based-games-company-celebrating-10-years-of-business-and-service-within-ontario-s-hos, retrieved November 17, 2025.
IMGL MAGAZINE | DECEMBER 2025
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