theScore, one of the most prominent licensed sports betting operators, has been hit with a financial penalty by Ontario’s gambling regulator, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).
The fine is CAD 105,000 (around $75,300) was issued because of the case of a high-risk player who was allowed to gamble through CAD $2.5 million, resulting in a loss of around CAD 230,000.
AGCO Fines theScore, Citing Case of High Roller Player
The player was registered and played with the company for a period of eight months, and lost CAD 100,000 during their first month of play. Commenting on the case in an official statement shared on AGCO’s website, AGCO Registrar Dr Karin Schnarr had this to add:
“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.”
theScore has shown full compliance in the case, assisting the regulator to ensure that such transgressions do not happen again, but AGCO has nevertheless cited the seriousness of the offense as mandating the financial penalty.
The watchdog reminded operators that they had an obligation to ensure that consumers were protected. Omissions in these responsibilities would elicit an enforcement action against the individual operator committing the offense.
According to AGCO, theScore showed questionable behavior in checking the documentation provided by the player, which should have raised suspicion, and failed to intervene to ensure that the player was not suffering from gambling-related harm.