The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has fined Score Media and Gaming Inc., better known as theScore, $105,000 for what it describes as failures to uphold responsible gambling standards. The regulator revealed in a press release that the company did not take proper action when faced with signs of a customer’s high-risk gambling behavior.
According to the AGCO, its investigation concluded that theScore violated several sections of Ontario’s Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming—rules intended to safeguard players from gambling-related harm. The alleged breaches stemmed from the company’s handling of one patron who bet more than $2.5 million and lost approximately $230,000 over an eight-month period.
The regulator stated that during the first month alone, the player lost around $100,000, signaling “frequent, high-stakes play” and “escalating losses that clearly indicated potential gambling-related harm.” Despite these patterns, the company reportedly failed to intervene or initiate a responsible gambling assessment.
AGCO officials said theScore ignored several warning signs, including the customer’s repeated requests for bonuses and visible distress while interacting with the operator’s VIP host. The regulator said these were “missed opportunities” for the company to step in and help mitigate the risks of excessive play.
Red Flags and Documentation Issues
Further findings from the AGCO revealed that theScore allegedly relied on the customer’s self-reported financial information rather than verifying their ability to afford continued high-risk betting. The regulator described this as a failure to perform proper due diligence, citing “clear red flags and inaccurate income documentation.”
The AGCO determined that these shortcomings amounted to violations of three key sections of its gaming standards:
- Section 2.01: Requires operators to develop and implement policies that identify and minimize gambling-related financial harm.
- Section 2.10: Mandates the use of monitoring systems to track player activity and intervene when risky behavior is detected.
- Section 2.12: Ensures staff are adequately trained on responsible gambling practices and consumer protection.
The AGCO said that failing to meet these standards compromises both player safety and public confidence in Ontario’s regulated iGaming sector.
AGCO Reinforces Its Mandate on Player Safety
The AGCO, which began overseeing Ontario’s private iGaming market in 2022, has emphasized that its primary mission is consumer protection. The commission said its oversight framework is designed to hold operators accountable for monitoring player activity and intervening when warning signs arise.
AGCO Chief Executive Officer and Registrar Dr. Karin Schnarr underscored the importance of compliance, saying, “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 agency noted that its regulatory model aims to provide Ontarians with a safe and transparent alternative to unregulated gambling sites that lack comparable safeguards.
theScore’s Response and Right to Appeal
While theScore has not publicly commented on the ruling, its parent company, Penn Entertainment, has been contacted by media for a response. The AGCO confirmed that the company has the legal right to appeal the fine through the Licence Appeal Tribunal (LAT), an independent adjudicative body that reviews AGCO decisions.
The fine represents another instance of the AGCO exercising its authority to enforce responsible gambling standards among Ontario’s licensed operators.
theScore’s Background in the Canadian Market
Founded in 2012, Toronto-based Score Media and Gaming Inc. has grown from a digital sports media platform into one of Canada’s leading sports betting operators. The company was acquired by Penn Entertainment in 2021 for approximately $2 billion in cash and stock.
theScore Bet launched in Ontario in April 2022, shortly after the province opened its regulated market to private operators. Since then, the platform has been subject to the province’s strict oversight measures aimed at ensuring fair play and responsible gambling compliance.
