Prime Skill Ramps Up Legal and Communication Offensive
When we last spoke with Matt Zamrozniak, CEO of Prime Skill Games, he was preparing to take the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) to court over their decision to remove what the AGCO claimed were illegal electronic gambling machines from the province's restaurants, bars, and retail establishments.
That was last autumn. In July, AGCO sent out a letter stating that they had terminated the seller licenses of several GTA shops who had been found to be selling what they claimed to be unlicensed electronic gambling machines under the Prime Slot name.
Then, in September, AGCO reported that fifty Prime Slot machines "which had been operating unlawfully and without regulatory oversight" had been taken out of pubs, eateries, and lottery stores as part of a province-wide enforcement action.
Communications Offensive and Legal
Although Prime Slots machines were advertised as skill-only games, testing revealed that they rely on chance. As a result, they are prohibited by Canadian law unless they come from a licensed supplier and are used in a regulated setting, such as a casino, according to a statement from the AGCO. A significant portion of the AGCO's stance is that children should not be allowed to use the machines.
According to Zamrozniak, Prime Skill is based on strategy, focus, and decision-making rather than chance. Since then, his business has launched a media and legal offensive to thwart the AGCO's initiatives.
Safeguarding Children
A "Public Interest Compliance Declaration" was just released by the business. The safeguarding of minors is one of the main pillars.
"We deliberately designed our system to create friction rather than attraction for underage users,” he said. That includes mandatory +19 markings, age verification by staff on every cash payout combined with player identification, elimination of anonymity, and a visual and behavioral design that avoids fast play, bright stimulation, and compulsive reinforcement.
Prime Skill Games has filed a lawsuit. Zamrozniak continued, "The goal is to obtain a stay of enforcement until the court decides the matter on its merits."
Prime Skill: No Communication
“AGCO has never issued a direct determination to us stating that our product is illegal, has never brought enforcement proceedings against us in court, and has never formally engaged with us to assess our system on its merits,” he said.
"Throughout the process, AGCO has relied heavily on procedural maneuvers that have had the effect of delaying substantive review rather than resolving the core issue, which is whether our system complies with the law based on evidence and technical assessment.”
“That is precisely why the matter is now before the court. We are asking for clarity, fairness, and a proper evaluation, not special treatment.”
Continue to Enforce
According to Zamrozniak, they are seeking a court-based "evidence-based resolution."
According to Zamrozniak, his company will start a social media campaign this coming week as part of their communications assault to concentrate on their current circumstances and the larger skill-game market.
“I decided to make everything public,” he said. “This includes our Declaration, our actions, and the current status of the court proceedings. Our reputation has been significantly harmed by AGCO’s conduct, and transparency is the only way to correct the record.
“As part of this effort, I have reached out directly to the Premier of Ontario, the Attorney General, the Ombudsman, and other public officials to request accountability and attention. My objective is simple. I want fairness, transparency, and justice.”
AGCO: Successful Machine Removals
An AGCO representative responded as follows when asked to comment on the current situation from their point of view:
"Following internal testing by our gaming laboratory, the AGCO determined that Prime Slots machines constitute unapproved gambling devices. Acting on that determination, we directed licensed establishments and lottery retailers to remove Prime Slots terminals and have achieved successful removals across Ontario. We remain vigilant—through inspections and enforcement—to ensure illegal gambling machines, including Prime Slots, are not available in Ontario bars, restaurants or lottery retail locations.”
According to Zamrozniak, their operations in Ontario have been "effectively immobilized" by the AGCO action.
“The financial impact has been severe, to the point where discussing exact losses misses the larger issue,” he said. “We are operating on a knife edge. What has been even more damaging than the immediate financial harm is the prolonged uncertainty. Continuous delay and the absence of clear resolution make it impossible to plan, invest, or operate responsibly. That said, we are not backing down. We are prepared, we are resilient, and we are ready to see this through properly.”
American Growth
Zamrozniak noted that the business has started keeping an eye on the US market, paying special attention to Texas and Pennsylvania. First contacts have been established, which is a logical next step for the company.
“We are the only skill game system on the market that is designed around the public interest and the protection of minors,” he said. “I am prepared to prove that.”
