Ontario’s iGaming regulator issued a $200,000 fine to Score Media and Gaming Inc., operator of theScore Bet, for offering unredeemable cash-out values.
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) confirmed the fine’s issuance in a Tuesday announcement.
- theScore denied two six-figure cash-out offers it had presented.
- The player was offered as much as $380,000.
- The $200,000 fine was the "maximum monetary penalty available”.
The AGCO’s announcement confirmed that the fine was related to a parlay that could have won six figures.
The multi-leg bet was placed on March 14, 2025. It included multiple outcomes across NHL, NBA and college basketball matchups that all took place that day.
theScore Bet offered more than $1 million if every pick in the $1,000 parlay was correct. But after all but one of the legs were completed, and all of those were picked correctly, the operator did not allow the customer to accept cash-out offers that were presented.
“Operators have a responsibility to ensure that the gaming opportunities they present are accurate and can be honoured as described,” AGCO Chief Executive Officer and Registrar Dr. Karin Schnarr said in the announcement.
“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.”
Although the announcement did not detail the legs of the parlay, it noted that the user was first presented with a $380,000 offer. The player “immediately” accepted the offer, but theScore rejected the transfer to the user’s account during automated verification as the odds had changed.
Four minutes later, the cash-out value had dropped to just below $100,000. The user still attempted to accept the offer, but again, they were denied — even though the cash-out offer was on their screen. The bet eventually settled as a loss, and the player received nothing for their efforts.
theScore Bet fined for unattainable offer
After a review, the AGCO’s Registrar found that neither cash-out was obtainable as presented to the customer. This violates Standard 4.07 of the Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming, which stipulates that information provided to players before and during gaming sessions must not be misleading or misinformative. Possible violations include describing outcomes, prizes, or offers that cannot be received.
The announcement did not reveal if the customer was ever compensated with their cash-out winnings, separate payments, or a refund for their wager. It noted that regulatory action is separate from avenues available to players seeking resolution of disputes with operators.
“Ensuring that players can have confidence in the honesty and integrity of igaming sites is fundamental to Ontario’s regulated igaming market,” the announcement read. “This robust regulatory framework offers Ontarians a safer alternative to unregulated gambling sites that lack comparable safeguards.”
Any operator handed an Order of Monetary Penalty can request a hearing with the Licence Appeal Tribunal within 15 days.
theScore Bet launched its mobile sportsbook and online casino in Ontario in April 2022. While its American platform rebranded to ESPN Bet in 2023 before returning to theScore Bet’s branding in 2025, the Canadian hub kept its original branding throughout.
The platform expanded to Alberta and went live on the province’s launch date of July 13, 2026.
