The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has imposed a C$105,000 monetary penalty on theScore for breaching responsible gambling and player protection requirements under Ontario’s online gambling regulations.

The regulator found multiple violations of the Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming following an extensive compliance review.

The AGCO said in an announcement it had determined that theScore failed to adequately monitor and intervene in a case involving a high-risk player, who wagered C$2.5m and lost around C$230,000 over eight months.

The patron lost nearly C$100,000 in the first month alone, showing signs of escalating risk, loss-chasing behaviour, and distress.

These factors should have triggered responsible gambling interventions, according to the regulator.

AGCO CEO and Registrar Dr. Karin Schnarr said: “Player protections are a fundamental requirement for any gambling operator looking to conduct business in Ontario.

“When operators fail to uphold these critical safer gambling standards, they not only betray the trust of their players but also undermine the integrity of Ontario’s regulated iGaming market.”

The AGCO added that the operator also ignored questionable income documentation and relied instead on the player’s self-assessments, missing several opportunities to mitigate potential gambling-related harm.

 

Lack of compliance not an option

 

Ontario’s responsible gambling framework, established with the province’s regulated iGaming market launch in 2022, requires operators to maintain stringent player monitoring systems.

These systems are intended to detect and address risky behaviour before it escalates into harm.

The AGCO also emphasised that operators must ensure employees are properly trained to recognise warning signs and act on them.

This allows the operators to reinforce the regulator’s broader mission to safeguard consumers in the province’s legal gambling environment.

The AGCO cited breaches of several key provisions of the Standards, including 2.01, 2.10, and 2.12.

These provisions mandate that operators identify and minimise gambling-related harm, monitor player risk profiles, and ensure staff understand the importance of responsible gambling and prevention measures.

By failing to comply with these obligations, theScore contravened section 3.8 of Ontario’s Gaming Control Act, 1992.

The AGCO stated that its oversight framework is designed to protect players and promote integrity within the market, positioning the regulated sector as a safer alternative to offshore and unlicensed operators that lack equivalent safeguards.

TheScore now has the right to appeal the decision to the Licence Appeal Tribunal (LAT), an independent adjudicative body within Tribunals Ontario.

 

 

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