PointsBet Settlement Caps Run of AGCO Penalties in Ontario
Published: October 27, 2026 | Author: Roxy Vance
PointsBet Canada has agreed to a two-day suspension of its Ontario gaming site and an independent audit, settling a case Ontario’s regulator opened over unreported suspicious NBA bets. The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) announced the settlement on October 20, 2026, the latest in a series of actions since August against operators and suppliers over misleading offers, underage accounts, money laundering and banned game features.
PointsBet: Two Days Instead of Five
In February, the AGCO proposed a five-day suspension of PointsBet’s registration. The case concerned NBA games involving Jontay Porter in a 2024 bet-rigging scheme later indicted by the U.S. Department of Justice. The regulator said PointsBet first told it that it had offered no bets on Porter, then acknowledged 18 months later that it had. It alleged a systemic failure to detect and report suspicious sports betting activity.
Under the settlement, the suspension is cut to two days. PointsBet must also commission an independent audit approved by the AGCO, fix any findings and have the fixes independently validated. No dates were given for the suspension, and the settlement concludes the proceeding.
theScore Bet: The Maximum C$200,000 Penalty
On October 6, the AGCO issued a $200,000 penalty against Score Media and Gaming Inc., operator of theScore.Bet, the maximum available. A player’s $1,000 parlay on March 14, 2025, could have paid more than $1 million. With one leg left, theScore offered a cash-out of about $380,000, then almost $100,000. The player accepted both, neither was honored, and the bet settled as a loss. The Registrar found that neither offer was achievable as presented.
“By imposing the maximum monetary penalty available, we are sending a clear message that these expectations are not optional,” said Dr. Karin Schnarr, the AGCO’s chief executive and registrar.
NorthStar Gaming: Money-Laundering Checks Not Done
On August 27, NorthStar Gaming received a $100,000 penalty. According to the AGCO, NorthStar’s own policies required enhanced due diligence and source-of-funds checks on a high-risk player once deposits reached $25,000 in March 2024, but the checks were not carried out. Deposits reached about $189,395 before NorthStar closed the account in June 2025, after inquiries from the AGCO. “Anti-money laundering controls must be more than policies on paper,” Schnarr said.
Betty Gaming: Underage Accounts
On August 6, Betty Gaming, which runs Betty.ca, received penalties totaling $120,000. A defect in its age checks let nine people under the age of 19 open accounts, deposit and gamble, and 14 more underage people open accounts without depositing. “The legal age requirement is one of the most basic and important safeguards in Ontario’s regulated gaming market,” Schnarr said.
Booming Games: Banned Auto-Play on Slots
Game supplier Booming Games received $70,000 in penalties on August 20. The AGCO found that auto-play, which Ontario prohibits on slot games, was available on multiple Booming Games slots for several months before it was disabled.
What It Means for Players
The cases show what Ontario’s rules promise players at licensed online casinos and sportsbooks: offers must be achievable as shown, nobody under 19 should be able to gamble at them, and slots cannot auto-play. The rules also require a minimum time between spins and ban features that disguise losses as wins.
Players with an individual dispute, such as an offer that was not honored, should raise it with the operator. The AGCO said its penalties are separate from resolving individual complaints, which operators remain responsible for.
What Happens Next
Companies served with a penalty order can ask for a hearing before the independent Licence Appeal Tribunal within 15 days. The AGCO has not said whether any have done so.
