Heidi Reinhart has been confirmed as Interim Chair of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) after Chair Lalit Aggarwal announced his resignation.

Aggarwal became Chair of the AGCO Board in June 2019 and over the course of his four-year tenure instilled enhanced governance practices and structures at the Ontario Crown agency, including the formation of sub-committees and the AGCO’s subsidiary, iGaming Ontario (iGO).

Significantly, Aggarwal was Chair throughout the pandemic, as the organization battled through the most turbulent period in the industry’s history. During this time he oversaw many regulatory changes made to support the alcohol, horse racing, gambling, and cannabis industries to mitigate the pandemic’s negative economic impacts.

He also oversaw the development and implementation of an internet gambling conduct and management structure, as well as the regulatory framework to support Canada’s first open and competitive igamingpp market in Ontario.

Aggarwal has now called time on his tenure as AGCO Chair, citing a desire to spend more time with his family and to ‘focus on his business affairs’.

Describing Aggarwal as a “strong and values-based leader”, the AGCO said: “The AGCO extends its sincere gratitude to Lalit for his years of strong and principled leadership and wishes him the very best in all of his endeavors.”

In light of Aggarwal’s departure, the AGCO has promoted Reinhart – who joined the Board in Oct. 2020 – from Vice-Chair, a position she started in Sept. 2021.