AGCO issues $105,000 in penalties to theScore for alleged failure to address patron’s high-risk gambling

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has issued a $105,000 monetary penalty against Score Media and Gaming Inc. (“theScore”) for failing to meet Ontario’s strict responsible gambling and player protection standards.

The penalty relates to several alleged violations of the Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming (the Standards), which mandate that all registered operators proactively monitor player behaviour, intervene when risks of gambling-related harm are detected, and ensure employees are properly trained to support player protection.

Following a regulatory review, the AGCO determined the following:

• A patron of theScore wagered $2.5 million and lost approximately $230,000 over an eight-month period, including approximately $100,000 in the first month of play – showing frequent, high-stakes play and escalating losses that clearly indicated potential gambling-related harm.
• The patron repeatedly requested bonuses, displayed loss-chasing behaviour, and showed signs of distress to the operator’s VIP host—all missed opportunities for theScore to appropriately intervene and reduce the potential for high-risk play.
• Despite clear red flags and inaccurate income documentation, the operator relied on the patron’s self-assessments and failed to conduct meaningful responsible gambling due diligence or interventions.

In launching Ontario’s regulated igaming market in 2022, the AGCO established comprehensive player protection standards to mitigate the risk of gambling-related harm. The AGCO’s rigorous oversight ensures operators are held accountable for proactively monitoring player behaviour and intervening with appropriate and effective supports to address high-risk gambling activity. This robust regulatory framework offers Ontarians a safer alternative to unregulated gambling sites that lack comparable safeguards.

A registered operator served with an Order of Monetary Penalty by the AGCO has the right to appeal the Registrar’s decision to the Licence Appeal Tribunal (LAT), which is an adjudicative tribunal independent of the AGCO and part of Tribunals Ontario.

Quote:

“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.”– Dr. Karin Schnarr, Chief Executive Officer and Registrar, AGCO

Additional Information:

Contrary to section 3.8 of the Gaming Control Act, 1992 (GCA), theScore is alleged to have failed to comply with the following provisions of the Standards:

2.01 – Operators shall implement and follow policies and procedures that will identify, prevent and minimize the risks of harm from gaming to players. These policies and procedures shall be reviewed and evaluated regularly for effectiveness to ensure that they follow industry best practices and that the stated objectives of the policies and procedures are achieved.

2.10 – A mechanism shall be in place to monitor player risk profiles and behaviours for the purpose of detecting signs of players potentially experiencing harm.

1. Operators shall include a risk profile for players at high-risk of experiencing gambling-related harm.

2.12 – Employees shall understand the importance of responsible gambling and how their jobs impact player protection as well as the fundamental concepts of responsible gambling and problem gambling.

5. Employees shall understand the harms associated with gaming as well as essential prevention and mitigation concepts.