The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has installed Dave Forestell as new Chair of its Board of Directors, forcing iGaming Ontario (iGO) to find a new Chair of its own.

Forestell served as Chair of iGO for two years, combining the role with his duties as a sitting member of the AGCO board, where he was first appointed in Dec. 2018.

However, Forestell has now stepped down from his role at iGO to focus on his new responsibilities at AGCO, with the search already underway to appoint his successor.

Addressing his new role on Monday, Forestell wrote on LinkedIn: “Thrilled to be taking on this new challenge with the amazing team at the AGCO.”

The new opportunity at AGCO, meanwhile, came about quickly following the sudden resignation of Lalit Aggarwal last Tuesday.

Aggarwal became Chair of the AGCO Board in June 2019 and 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 igaming market in Ontario.

But his exit was announced last week with the AGCO citing his desire to ‘spend time with his family and to focus on his business affairs’.

Heidi Reinhart was immediately promoted from Vice-Chair to Interim Chair but that appointment proved short-lived as just three days later Forestell was appointed as the Ontario Crown agency’s new, permanent chair.

Incidentally, Forestell also serves as Vice President, External Relations (Canada) for TC Energy, and he previously held the roles of Vice President, International Corporate and Commercial Banking and Vice President, Office of the President and CEO at Scotiabank.