theScore Fined C$105,000 by AGCO

Big trouble in Ontario’s regulated gambling sector.

The AGCO has fined theScore C$105,000 for failing to uphold player protection rules.

As a gaming regulation analyst, I believe this penalty signals rising enforcement and stakes. You’ll want clarity on where things went wrong and what operators must do now.

Read on—I’ll break down the case, highlight lessons, and share what this means forward.

Key Points

• Ontario’s AGCO fined theScore C$105,000 for breaching responsible gambling standards.
• The regulator found theScore failed to monitor a customer who wagered C$2.5 million, losing around C$230,000 over eight months.
• The customer displayed red flags: distress, loss-chasing, frequent bonus requests, and inaccurate income documentation.
• theScore may appeal the penalty via Ontario’s License Appeal Tribunal.
• The fine comes amid job cuts at theScore and past operational stress in PENN’s interactive division.

AGCO Slams theScore with C$105K Fine — A Wake-Up Call for iGaming Operators

When regulators begin to lean in, the cost of failing in player protection rises steeply. The recent AGCO decision against theScore underscores that reality. From my perspective, this case will serve as a cautionary tale for any operator in regulated markets.

What the Violation Looks Like

The AGCO investigation found that a single customer on theScore’s platform placed C$2.5 million worth of wagers over eight months. During that span, the player lost approximately C$230,000. Significantly, about C$100,000 of that loss occurred in his first month.

Beyond raw numbers, the customer triggered alarm bells. He repeatedly asked for bonuses, communicated distress to a VIP host, and exhibited loss-chasing behavior. Yet theScore reportedly relied heavily on his self-reported income data and failed to mount earlier intervention.

Those behaviors are textbook signals of a player in trouble. A responsible operator should have policies and systems in place to detect and respond—and should err proactively. But the AGCO concluded that theScore “missed opportunities” to intervene.

Regulatory Framework & Obligations

Ontario implemented comprehensive online gambling standards with its regulated iGaming market launch in 2022. The Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming include rules on:

• Identifying and minimizing gambling harm
• Monitoring player risk profiles
• Training staff to recognize risk
• Conducting interventions when red flags appear

In this matter, the score allegedly breached several sections (like Standards 2.01, 2.10, 2.12) tied to detecting risks and acting timely.

Dr. Karin Schnarr, CEO and Registrar of the AGCO, emphasized that operators who fail to uphold player protection betray trust and erode market integrity.

Consequences & Reactions

The monetary penalty is substantial—C$105,000 is no small sum for a documented breach.

However, theScore isn’t left without recourse. Ontario allows an appeal via the License Appeal Tribunal (LAT). That body adjudicates licensing and regulatory disputes in the province.

The timing is interesting. theScore recently laid off over 75 employees in Toronto, including editorial, sales, and content staff. That reduction may strain its compliance infrastructure.

My Analytical View

In my experience, regulators move from warnings to penalties when patterns emerge or egregious harm is evident. This case had both: high stakes and visible red flags.

Operators should see this as a signal: your player monitoring systems, staff training, and intervention protocols must be robust, documented, and actively enforced.

Relying on self-reported data alone is a liability. Operators need independent verification, cross checks, and escalation protocols.

Also, the cost of failure is more than fines. Reputational damage, regulatory scrutiny, and loss of player trust matter in the long term.

Given theScore’s recent cutbacks, it may struggle to present a strong appeal or overhaul systems rapidly. That could prolong negative publicity or bind resources in remediation.

Lastly, smaller operators or newcomers in regulated markets should note: standards and enforcement expectations are rising. This isn’t a soft sandbox—it’s a high stakes test.

What Other Operators Can Learn

• Prioritize investments in risk analytics and real-time player behavior detection
• Staff must be trained continuously, and flagged behavior must escalate without hesitation
• Document every intervention attempt, even if minimal
• Be ready to appeal, but internal reform must begin immediately
• Regulatory fines will often reflect not just the breach, but how empathic, timely, and transparent your response is

In short: better to err on the side of overreaction than underreaction when red flags surface.

theScore has been fined C$105,000 by the AGCO for failing to meet Ontario’s player protection and responsible gaming standards.

The regulator pinpointed a case in which a customer wagered C$2.5 million and lost C$230,000 over eight months—behavior full of red flags that theScore failed to act on.

Among concerns were loss-chasing, repeated bonus requests, distress signals to VIP staff, and reliance on inaccurate income claims.

theScore retains the right to appeal to Ontario’s License Appeal Tribunal.

From my lens, this enforcement action is a clear warning to all regulated operators: compliance is nonnegotiable. The tools, processes, and culture of safer gambling must be built in—not tacked on later. This fine may be a single event. But its ripple effects will resonate across iGaming operators in Canada and beyond.

Tags: AGCO, theScore, GamingFine, ResponsibleGaming, OntarioRegulation, PlayerProtection

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