iGaming Ontario Ends Search by Appointing Joseph Hillier as President and CEO
Former AGCO strategist Joseph Hillier takes the helm at iGaming Ontario to steer a fast-growing market while tightening responsible-gambling and anti-money-laundering safeguards.
After a lengthy search, iGaming Ontario has finally found the person to fill its top job. At the end of August 2025, the organisation announced that Joseph Hillier would be stepping in to take over the vacant, newly created positions of CEO and President.
It’s been a long process, but Hillier won’t have time to settle in, as this is an extremely busy period for the industry within the province.
The Wait is Over
iGaming Ontario has been looking for a new candidate for over a year. The previous incumbent, Martha Otton, announced her retirement in August 2024, before vacating the role the following December. Otton was the Executive Director of the iGO, and while the President and CEO are newly created positions, Hillier’s tasks are essentially the same.
He will oversee all operations within the organisation, which is currently looking closely at the question of responsible gambling in Canadian online casinos. Upgrades to anti-money laundering processes are also being considered at a time when iGaming Ontario is dealing with some of the more challenging sides to the online gambling industry.
A Familiar Face
The new President and CEO knows iGaming Ontario well: His most recent role saw him installed as the Chief Strategy Officer, and the Corporate Secretary of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario.
AGCO had previously been the parent company of iGaming Ontario, and Hiller’s day-to-day tasks would have seen him directly involved with iGO’s operations. He now steps in as the most significant person in the set up, and this will be a challenging few months for the new supremo.
Privilege
Responding to the news via his own LinkedIn page, Hillier said: “Since its launch in 2022, iGaming Ontario has been a tremendous success and shining example of government policy done well.”
Changing Times
Joseph Hillier steps into the hot seat at iGaming Ontario at a pivotal time. The province opened up to legal online gambling in 2022, and the three years that have followed have each delivered exceptional revenue figures.
From 2022 onwards, however, the industry has also faced some challenges, and that’s why there is a focus on some of the more negative aspects of online real money play. IGO spokesperson Josh Elliott told Canadian Gaming Business that the organisation’s updated anti-money laundering system is in development and that it aimed to ‘improve efficiency and speed.’
At the same time, operators setting up in business here will also be part of a new drive to promote responsible gambling. This was a key issue at the 2025 Canadian Gaming Summit back in June, as industry experts looked for genuine ways to improve protection, rather than just pursuing a ‘box ticking’ exercise.
These challenges await Joseph Hillier as he looks to drive the industry forward through 2025 and beyond. The iGaming sector has produced exceptional revenue since debuting in Ontario in 2022, and the new President and CEO steps in at a pivotal point in its development.