The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) announced that it has penalized Score Media and Gaming, the company behind theScore.Bet. According to the Canadian regulatory body, the operator in question did not honor some of its cash-out offers, in breach of Ontario’s stringent player protection standards.
The Company Made an Offer That It Did Not Honor
In its report, the AGCO said that its enforcement relates to a CAD 1,000 wager that was placed on March 14, 2025. The bet in question was a multi-leg parlay, which required the bettor to correctly predict the outcomes of multiple NHL, NBA, and NCAA basketball games, which took place on the same day. If every selection was correct, the player could win over CAD 1 million.
After all but one of the parlay’s legs were successful, theScore offered the player a cash-out offer of CAD 380,000. While the player accepted the offer, theScore did not honor it due to changing odds. After that, theScore offered CAD 100,000 instead, which the player also accepted. However, the company once again refused to honor its offer. In the end, the last leg was unsuccessful, and the player received nothing.
According to the registrar, neither of the two offers was achievable as presented to the player. However, Standard 4.07 of the Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming requires information not to mislead players by describing unachievable outcomes and prizes. Per these standards, iGaming must be a sector that players can trust.
The AGCO Levied a CAD 200K Penalty
As a result of theScore’s conduct, the AGCO issued a CAD 200,000 penalty to the company. TheScore can request a hearing before the Licence Appeal Tribunal (LAT) within 15 days.
In its announcement, the AGCO emphasized that its regulatory action is separate from any other avenues available to players to seek resolution of individual disputes. This means that the player affected by theScore’s decision not to honor its own offer can potentially seek resolution as well.
Dr. Karin Schnarr, the AGCO’s chief executive officer and registrar, commented on the matter, saying that operators must make sure that the gaming opportunities they present are accurate and can be honored as described. Schnarr added that the commission is prepared to take action when gaming companies violate its rules.
Schnarr said: “As the regulator, the AGCO is committed to holding operators accountable when they fail to uphold commitments made to players or otherwise mislead them about gaming opportunities. By imposing the maximum monetary penalty available, we are sending a clear message that these expectations are not optional.”