Who do you complain to when an online gambling site will not resolve a problem with your account? Start with the site itself, which has up to 90 days to decide. After that, a dispute in Ontario goes to iGaming Ontario (iGO), a possible breach of the rules goes to the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), and a complaint in Alberta goes to Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC).

This guide explains how to complain about an online casino in Ontario and how the process differs in Alberta. None of these offices can get your money back. The AGCO says it “can't get your money back”, and AGLC says it “cannot get your money back”. A complaint can lead to a review of whether the site followed the rules. It does not become a payout order.

Details are checked against the regulators' pages as of October 6, 2026. This guide gives general information and is not legal advice.

First, check whether the site is regulated in your province

Every step in this guide assumes that the site sits inside a provincial regulated market. The AGCO takes complaints about regulated gambling sites, and AGLC does the same in Alberta. For a site outside those markets, the dispute routes below do not apply.

In Ontario, the AGCO tells players to look for the iGaming Ontario logo and to check the list on iGaming Ontario's regulated market page. Operators on that list are registered with the AGCO and hold an operating agreement with iGO. Alberta keeps its own list, the directory of registered iGaming sites from the Alberta iGaming Corporation (AiGC). The Ontario list shows an “accurate as of” date, and the Alberta directory shows none, so check the Ontario date before you rely on the list.

One limit applies to every complaint: a complaint can only go further if there is a regulator to take it to. The table shows who takes which kind of problem. Other provinces are covered in who regulates online gambling in each province.

Your situationWho takes itWhat the office can do
Dispute over a transaction or service at a regulated site in OntarioiGO, after the site's own processReview the dispute; no refunds or compensation
A regulated site in Ontario may have broken the rulesThe AGCOReview the site's compliance; no refunds
Responsible gambling, possible illegal activity or advertising in OntarioThe AGCO, directlySame review, without waiting for the site
A regulated site in AlbertaAGLCReview the site's compliance; no refunds
A site outside a regulated marketNo provincial dispute processReport suspected fraud to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC)
A payment you do not recognizeYour bank or card issuerIts own process; no promised outcome

Step 1: use the site's own complaints process

Both provinces start in the same place. The AGCO and AGLC each tell players to deal with the site first, and each describes the wait as up to 90 days.

  1. Read the terms and conditions that apply to your account or the transaction.
  2. Contact customer support and ask to use the site's formal complaints process.
  3. Put the complaint in writing, ask for a complaint reference number and note your player ID.
  4. Save every email and screenshot with its date.
  5. Wait for the site's decision, which can take up to 90 days.

iGO adds a practical tip: give the operator enough time to answer, check your spam folder and follow up with the operator before you escalate. Have the reference number and player ID ready, because every later step asks for them.

What a regulated site in Ontario must have in place

In Ontario, the Registrar's Standards for Internet Gaming (last revised May 14, 2026) set three relevant rules. Standard 1.15 requires a way for players to contact the operator about account, funds management, game play or compliance issues. Standard 1.16 says complaints and disputes must be recorded and addressed in a timely, fair, transparent and appropriate manner, with clear service standards made available to players. Standard 1.17 requires information about the AGCO to be easy to find.

Standard 1.16 also says disputes must be resolved under Ontario and Canadian law. None of the standards sets a number of days; the word used is “timely”. The 90 days is the AGCO's guidance to players, not a deadline written into the standards.

How to complain about an online casino in Ontario: iGaming Ontario or the AGCO?

Ontario has two routes after the site's decision, and they answer different questions. According to the AGCO, it addresses regulatory complaints and inquiries, while iGO sets up a dispute resolution process for customer concerns (AGCO and iGO roles). In short, iGO takes a disagreement with the operator. The AGCO takes a suspected breach of the rules.

iGaming Ontario: a dispute with the operator

iGO's complaints and disputes service standards cover three kinds of complaint. The first is a disagreement with an operator about the result of a gambling transaction or the service received. It must have been raised with the operator first, and the operator either did not respond within 90 days or gave an answer that did not settle it. The second involves an operator that used to be regulated in Ontario and has ended its igaming activity. The third is a general complaint about igaming and its regulation in Ontario.

iGO acknowledges receipt within 1 business day. The page gives no deadline for a resolution, so none can be promised. iGO also says it cannot directly settle bets, refund wagers or award compensation.

  1. Gather the name of the site, your player ID and the complaint reference number the site gave you.
  2. Open iGO's Player support page and follow the link to submit your complaint or inquiry.
  3. Or contact iGO at igaming@igamingontario.ca, by phone at (416) 326-8283 or toll-free at 1-833-554-4263.
  4. Keep the acknowledgement and every later message.

If iGO's decision does not satisfy you, its service standards say the process does not affect your right to raise concerns with the Ombudsman of Ontario. The page does not describe what the Ombudsman can review. Ask that office directly.

The AGCO: a regulated site may have broken the rules

Use this route when you think a regulated site broke the rules and you have already waited out the site's process. Complaints about responsible gambling, possible illegal activity or advertising go to the AGCO directly. For those, you do not wait for the site.

  1. Confirm that the site is on the list of regulated sites.
  2. Collect the site's name, your player ID and the complaint reference number, if you have one.
  3. Submit the complaint through the AGCO's online complaints portal, which the Internet gaming complaints page links to. You do not need to create an account.
  4. Keep the confirmation and any reply.

The AGCO describes three stages of review. These are its own descriptions, not deadlines.

StageTimeWhat can follow
Initial reviewAbout 2 business daysRequest for more information, advice to contact the site, closure or referral
Compliance reviewUp to 5 weeksRequest for information or closure with no action
Complex review3–6 months, sometimes moreSharing of results, penalties if rules were broken or closure

How to complain about an online gambling site in Alberta

Alberta's regulated igaming market opened on July 13, 2026, so the process is new. This section follows AGLC's iGaming disputes page as of October 6, 2026. Check that page for changes before you file.

  1. Check the site's terms and conditions and follow the complaints process outlined on the site. AGLC says regulated sites should describe that process online, including the estimated time for a decision.
  2. Wait for the decision. AGLC says this can take up to 90 days.
  3. If you think a regulated site has broken the rules, gather the name of the site, your player ID and the complaint reference number the site issued to you.
  4. Complete the form titled “Register a complaint with AGLC iGaming Compliance” on AGLC's disputes page.

Concerns about responsible gambling, possible illegal activity or advertising can go to AGLC without the wait. AGLC describes three review stages: about 3 business days for the initial review, up to 5 weeks for a compliance review and 3 to 6 months or more for a complex one. Do not carry one province's timing over to the other.

The AiGC may also be involved. AGLC's iGaming page describes the AiGC as responsible for, among other things, public complaints. The pages checked for this guide do not explain how the two organizations share a player's complaint. AGLC's disputes page sets out the process and the form, so start there.

What the regulator actually checks, and what it cannot do

A regulator's complaint process asks one question: did the site follow the rules? It does not ask who is owed money. A review can end with a request for information, a closure or, after a complex review, penalties against the site. None of those is a payment to you.

QuestionOntarioAlberta
Who takes itiGO for disputes; the AGCO for rule breachesAGLC
WhenAfter the site's decision, up to 90 days; some topics go straight to the AGCOAfter the site's decision, up to 90 days; some topics go straight to AGLC
What to bringSite name, player ID, reference numberSite name, player ID, reference number
First responseiGO: receipt within 1 business day; AGCO: initial review in about 2 business daysInitial review in about 3 business days
What it will not doGet your money back or make the site pay; iGO cannot settle bets or refund wagersGet your money back or make the site pay

Neither regulator's complaints page names a separate body that decides money disputes between a player and a site. If the outcome leaves you unsatisfied, the AGCO's page suggests considering independent legal advice about the dispute. Court procedures and time limits for claims are outside the scope of this guide.

Outside Ontario and Alberta, the process differs. Other provinces have their own arrangements, for example BCLC in British Columbia, Loto-Québec in Quebec and Atlantic Lottery in the Atlantic provinces. The AGCO and AGLC routes above do not apply there, and those organizations' own complaint procedures are not covered here.

What if the site is not regulated in your province?

Here the routes above end, because there is no regulator with a dispute process for the site. iGO says it does not resolve disputes about gambling transactions at unregulated igaming operators and has no legal relationship with them. The AGCO warns that payouts at such sites may be delayed, withheld or inaccurate.

A site that only claims to be regulated is still an unregulated site, and the same limits apply. The AGCO does take reports of possible illegal activity directly, which is one way to let it know about such a site. It does not say what happens next. For how the imitations work, see how fake casino ads and cloned sites work.

What remains is protecting yourself. For a wider view, start with gambling scams and complaints: where to start.

  1. Keep your evidence: account details, emails, screenshots and payment records, each with its date.
  2. Tell your bank or card issuer right away about any payment you do not recognize. The Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments (OBSI) helps resolve disputes between consumers and financial services firms such as banks. It does not take disputes with the gambling site itself. No outcome is guaranteed.
  3. Report suspected fraud to the CAFC at its reporting page or at 1-888-495-8501. The CAFC keeps a central record of reports. Investigating is the job of your local police.
  4. Ignore offers to recover your money for a fee. The CAFC warns never to pay an advance fee to obtain a refund.

After the site's decision: who to contact and where to get help

How to complain about an online casino in Ontario or Alberta follows the same sequence of steps. The route differs only after the site's decision.

  • Ontario: the site, up to 90 days, then iGO for a dispute or the AGCO for a rule breach.
  • Alberta: the site, up to 90 days, then AGLC.
  • A site outside the regulated market: keep the evidence, tell your bank and report suspected fraud to the CAFC.

A dispute over money is sometimes the moment a person sees how much gambling has cost. If gambling is affecting you or someone you care about, ConnexOntario offers free and confidential support in Ontario at 1-866-531-2600 (connexontario.ca). In Alberta, the Alberta Health Services Addiction Helpline is 1-866-332-2322. Other provinces have their own helplines.

What do people ask most about gambling complaints?

How to complain about an online casino in Ontario: what are the steps?

Ask the site to use its formal complaints process and wait up to 90 days for a decision. Then take a dispute to iGaming Ontario, or a suspected breach of the rules to the AGCO, with the site name, your player ID and the complaint reference number.

Can the AGCO get your money back from an online gambling site?

No. The AGCO says it cannot get your money back or make the site give it back. A complaint can lead to a review of whether the site broke the rules, which is a different outcome from a refund.

What is the difference between complaining to iGaming Ontario and to the AGCO?

iGO takes a disagreement with an operator about a gambling transaction or the service you received. The AGCO takes a suspected breach of the rules by a regulated site. Neither can refund wagers or order the site to pay you.

Who do you complain to about an online gambling site in Alberta?

Start with the site's complaints process. If you think a regulated site broke the rules, AGLC accepts complaints through the form on its iGaming disputes page. AGLC says it cannot get your money back or make the site give it back.

What can you do if the site is not regulated in Ontario or Alberta?

iGO has no legal relationship with unregulated operators and does not resolve those disputes. Keep your evidence, tell your bank about payments you do not recognize and report suspected fraud to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

Is there a gambling ombudsman in Ontario or Alberta?

Neither regulator's complaints page names a separate body for money disputes. In Ontario, iGO's service standards mention the Ombudsman of Ontario for concerns about iGO's results. The pages do not say what that office can review, so ask it directly.

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