AGCO Fines theScore C$105,000 for Responsible Gambling Failures

AGCO's penalty sends a strong message to Ontario's igaming operators. TheScore's failure to intervene in a customer's high-risk play highlights the need for active monitoring and intervention.

, and Administrator

2025 October 16 . 5:01 PM

1 min read

In this image we can see a boy playing the video game. We can also see three men standing and... — In this image we can see a boy playing the video game. We can also see three men standing and watching. In the background there is a curtain and also the blue color board with text attached to the pillar.

AGCO Fines theScore C$105,000 for Responsible Gambling Failures

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has fined Score Media and Gaming (theScore) C$105,000 for failing to uphold responsible gambling standards in their online games. The penalty follows a review that uncovered multiple breaches of the Registrar's Standards for Internet Gaming.

AGCO found that theScore breached sections 2.01, 2.10, and 2.12 of the Registrar's Standards. The operator failed to intervene and prevent high-risk play, despite knowing about a customer's problem gambling behaviour in their games. This included repeated bonus requests, loss-chasing, and signs of distress displayed to their VIP host. The customer in question wagered C$2.5 million and lost C$230,000 over eight months, with C$100,000 lost in the first month alone.

Dr. Karin Schnarr, chief executive of AGCO, emphasized the importance of player protections for any online games operator in Ontario. She stated that failure to uphold safer gambling standards undermines the integrity of the regulated igaming market. TheScore relied solely on customer self-assessments to allow continued play without intervention, ignoring clear signs of problem gambling in their games. The VIP host in question has not been publicly named or identified, and no details confirming that the operator ignored signs of problem gambling in their games have been disclosed.

The C$105,000 fine imposed on theScore serves as a reminder of the importance of responsible gambling practices in Ontario's regulated igaming market. The AGCO's review and subsequent penalty highlight the need for operators to actively monitor and intervene when customers exhibit signs of problem gambling in their games, going beyond mere self-assessments.