# Ontario's athlete rule for operator ads: what changed on February 28, 2024

> Since February 28, 2024, AGCO Standard 2.03 bars Ontario operators from using active or former athletes under contract in ads. Why this site shows no athletes.

Source: https://reviewstandings.com/agco-standard-2-03-athlete-rule-2024-02-28/
Updated: 2026-11-13

Since February 28, 2024, the revised AGCO Standard 2.03 stops Ontario operators from using active or former athletes under contract in their advertising. AGCO published guidance on it on February 8, 2024. The standard speaks to operators, not to editorial sites, but we follow the same limit and show no athletes anywhere.

## What the standard says, as we read it

**AGCO Standard 2.03 · AGCO guidance of 2024-02-08 and Registrar's Standards · checked 2026-11-13**

| Point | Wording as we read it | Before 2024-02-28 |
|---|---|---|
| Audience | Do not target minors, self-excluded people or people at high risk | Not confirmed |
| Characters and personalities | No cartoon characters, influencers or celebrities who appeal to minors | Not confirmed |
| Athletes | No active or former athletes under contract with the operator | Not confirmed |
| In force | 2024-02-28 | Not applicable |

The exact wording is in the Registrar's Standards; check it there before relying on our summary.

**Takeaway:** the rule is about who may appear in an operator's ads, and it applies from 2024-02-28.

## What this means for this site

- No athletes, celebrities, cartoon characters, team logos or league logos appear on this site.
- Whether the standard covers a site without an operator contract is an open legal question. We follow the limit anyway.
- The advertising code that names affiliates is covered on the [CGA Code page](https://reviewstandings.com/cga-code-edition-in-force-january-2026/).

**Takeaway:** even where the rule may not bind us, we keep our pages clear of athletes.

## What we could not confirm

- The previous edition of the standard, its source and its date.
- Whether the standard applies to editorial material. We have not asked AGCO.

Our wider rules are in the [editorial policy](https://reviewstandings.com/editorial-policy/), and the link rules are in the [advertising disclosure](https://reviewstandings.com/advertising-disclosure/).

## How we checked

1. We read the AGCO guidance dated 2024-02-08.
2. We read Standard 2.03 in the Registrar's Standards for Internet Gaming (updated 2026-05-14).
3. We marked as "Not confirmed" every cell for the earlier edition.

## Sources

- [AGCO, guidance on the revised standard (2024-02-08)](https://www.agco.ca/en/news/agco-releases-guidance-support-implementation-revised-standard-igaming)
- [AGCO, Registrar's Standards for Internet Gaming](https://www.agco.ca/en/book/export/html/245361)

## What changed

- 2026-11-13: first version.

## Age and help

19+ in Ontario. Gambling involves risk. Play responsibly. Need help? See [help lines by province](https://reviewstandings.com/responsible-gambling/). Need a break? Ontario: [BetGuard](https://betguard.ca/gp/en/). Not an official site of any operator or regulator.

## FAQ

**What does Standard 2.03 require?**

As we read the AGCO text, operators must not target minors, self-excluded people or people at high risk, and must not use cartoon characters, influencers or celebrities who appeal to minors. From 2024-02-28 they also must not use active or former athletes under contract.

**Who must follow Standard 2.03?**

Operators registered in Ontario. The standard is addressed to operator advertising. Whether it reaches editorial content on a site without an operator contract is a question for a lawyer, and we have not published an answer.

**Why does this site show no athletes?**

We apply the same limit to ourselves. No athletes, celebrities, cartoon characters, team logos or league logos appear on any page.

**What was the rule before February 28, 2024?**

We have not recorded the previous wording with a source and a date, so we do not state it.