Canada’s AGCO relaxes oversight rules for lottery terminals
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has amended its lottery regulations, removing the requirement that staff maintain direct visual oversight of self-serve lottery terminals (SSTs).
Since 2 February, retailers can now monitor SSTs using closed-circuit television (CCTV) or other video systems, rather than relying solely on a direct line of sight. Previously, Ontario Lottery and Gaming (OLG) and retail operators were required to position staff so that every use of an SST was observed in person. Under the new rules, sellers may choose between the traditional line-of-sight approach or camera-based monitoring. AGCO said the change reflects both the evolving risk profile of SSTs and the regulator’s goal of expanding their use in third-party locations.
Surveillance protocols
SSTs are often placed in high-traffic areas like convenience stores, malls, and transit hubs. Retailers opting for video monitoring must follow strict protocols. First, cameras must be in good working condition. Their systems must also record and store footage in high definition. Images must clearly capture the SST in use, and finally, video must be retained for at least seven days—or longer if required by the registrar—and provided to AGCO upon request.
Having this option allows some retailers to benefit from this since constant staff presence near the terminal may not always be practised. In addition, it potentially lowers labour costs and frees employees to focus on customer service.
Safeguards against misuse
Operators must also ensure that each SST includes a disablement mechanism. This safeguard is particularly important under line-of-sight monitoring, allowing staff to shut down a terminal if an ineligible person attempts access or if tampering is suspected.
While SSTs allow quick, self-paced purchases without waiting in line for a store clerk without having to interact with staff, they also attract at-risk groups like compulsive gamblers to engage in chasing losses without interruption.
Additionally, unlike a cashier, a machine cannot easily identify intoxicated individuals, detect obvious signs of distress or consistently enforce age limits.
Part of modernisation efforts
AGCO emphasised that the changes are part of its broader modernisation strategy. For one, casinos have already been given exceptions it. In 2025, SSTs were introduced on Ontario casino floors, where regulators granted exceptions to the line-of-sight rule due to the size of gaming areas. Instead of requiring staff to be stationed near every machine, casinos were permitted to rely on alternative monitoring methods.
Most Canadian provinces have been cautious with SSTs. Still, other provinces either restrict them to pilot programmes or rely on traditional staffed sales.
In British Columbia, there is no widespread SST rollout. The lottery sales remain staff-assisted. Meanwhile, in Alberta, lottery tickets are sold through staffed terminals in retail outlets. In the east, Quebec is operated by Loto-Québec, and sales are primarily through staffed retailers and online platforms. The Atlantic provinces are managed by the Atlantic Lottery Corporation (ALC). They focus on lottery sales, which are managed by staff, and emphasise online lottery growth.
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