North America

theScore fined $105K by the AGCO over player protection failures

PENN Entertainment’s Canadian gaming brand theScore is being penalized by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).

The AGCO levied a $105,000 monetary penalty against theScore for failing to adhere to responsible gaming and player protection standards. According to a regulatory review by the AGCO, theScore allegedly violated the Registrar’s Standard for Internet Gaming, which mandates player protection support and the monitoring of player behavior across Ontario.

“Player protections are a fundamental requirement for any gambling operator looking to conduct business in Ontario,” said AGCO CEO and Registrar Dr. Karin Schnarr. “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.”

The regulatory review found that theScore failed to identify potential gambling-related harm when a customer wagered $2.5 million with the operator, resulting in approximately $230,000 in losses. The customer incurred the losses over an eight-month period, which included approximately $100,000 in losses during the first month of using the platform during that period.

The customer’s behavior when interacting with theScore and its personnel also raised concerns. The regulatory review found that the unnamed customer displayed troubling signs of distress to a theScore VIP host and requested bonuses at an alarming rate.

Inaccurate income documentation was also submitted to theScore by the customer.

The customer also exhibited “loss-chasing” behavior, with theScore failing to address the issue. The AGCO believes theScore “missed opportunities” to intervene.

The AGCO allows registered operators to appeal a monetary penalty. The appeal is filed with the License Appeal Tribunal, a group that assesses disputes in licensing sectors.

Canadian Gaming Business reached out to theScore but has yet to receive a response.

Recent layoffs for theScore
The Toronto-based company is being penalized by the AGCO after laying off more than 75 employees earlier this year. The brand laid off content and sales staff, with roughly half of its editorial newsroom dissolved. PENN Interactive also had a round of layoffs in 2024.

The job cuts impacted workers at its U.S. online sports betting brand, ESPN Bet.

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IBIA creates Mission 2030 as five-year plan to bolster betting integrity

The International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) is taking steps to implement a global standard for the sports betting industry.

On Wednesday, the IBIA announced the launch of Mission 2030, a five-year global strategy designed to maintain a global standard for sports betting integrity.

“Our new strategic roadmap charts how we will continue to deliver best-in-class integrity services to our members, deepen collaboration with our partners, and successfully confront the challenges and opportunities reshaping our industry,” said IBIA CEO Khalid Ali. “IBIA is evolving to ensure that whatever new trends emerge, we remain ready to safeguard sports, consumers and regulated betting markets.”

Mission 2030 has three core objectives used to ensure fair and safe wagering globally.

The IBIA’s five-year strategy will facilitate improvements of the association’s Global Monitoring & Alert Platform, which is deployed to detect suspicious wagers. The platform also supports IBIA investigations. ..

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NCPG resurrects old helpline amid 1-800-GAMBLER change

People looking to seek help for gambling problems in the U.S. would be forgiven for being a little confused as things stand, as two helpline services purport to be the national number.

After a dispute spilled over into the courts, the 1-800-GAMBLER number is now being solely run by the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey (CCGNJ). That organization holds the rights to the name and mark and ran the helpline solo from 1983 until 2022, when it licensed it to the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) in a three-year agreement.

After a New Jersey court told the NCPG to cease using 1-800-GAMBLER following the expiration of that deal, the NCPG has resurrected the number it used to use for the purpose, 1-800-522-4700.

The section of the NCPG website that formerly displayed 1-800-GAMBLER resources and links now carries similar resources and information under the other number. Meanwhile, the CCGNJ’s website has the URL 800gambler.org and prominently displays 800-GAMBLER across i..

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Continent 8 debuts Threat Exchange platform to combat cyberattacks

Continent 8 Technologies is leveraging its expertise to deliver a new product designed to provide protection from data breaches and other cybersecurity attacks.

The Florida-based online casino and sports betting solutions provider announced the launch of Threat Exchange, a platform created to combat cyberattacks. Threat Exchange is the gaming industry’s first dedicated cyber threat intelligence platform, allowing operators and other key stakeholders to identify and respond to cybersecurity incidents.

According to data provided by Continent 8, the online and retail casino industry has reported a more than 400% increase in cyber-related incidents since February 2025.

Threat Exchange identifies threats targeted directly at gaming entities as general cyber threat intelligence platforms miss roughly 70% of gaming-specific attack patterns.

“Threat Exchange is changing the game, providing unrivaled visibility into the behaviors and tactics of threat actors,” said Continent 8 Chief Securit..

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PrizePicks picks Mindway’s brain for AI problem gaming detection

Fantasy sports operator and approved prediction market participant PrizePicks has partnered with Mindway AI to lean on the Danish company’s automatic detection and monitoring technology.

The Atlanta, GA-based company will integrate Mindway’s software directly into its platform in a partnership it said will greatly boost its ability to detect and respond to potential problem gaming behaviors.

Mindway AI offers fully automatic detection and monitoring of at-risk and problem gambling behavior, as well as providing operators and its other partners with intervention solutions to enhance player protection. PrizePicks will use Mindway’s GameScanner tool to proactively identify nuanced player patterns that may signal increasingly risky gaming, such as shifts towards more frequent play, increased session frequency or accelerated spending.

“Partnering with Mindway marks a meaningful evolution in how we support player protection,” said PrizePicks Senior Director of Responsible Gaming Phil Sher..

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New York lawmaker proposes banning sportsbooks from limiting sharps

A New York Assemblymember wants to tackle the issue of sportsbooks limiting bettors in the state legislature.

Democrat Asm. Alex Bores filed A9125 on Sept. 26. The bill aims to prevent sports betting operators from limiting the size and frequency of deposits or bets made by authorized sports bettors, or from banning them based on their success rate.

The bill, which has been referred to the Committee on Racing and Wagering, would amend state law to stipulate that sportsbooks cannot limit or kick out users because said user obtains financial benefit from their wagering activity.

Exemptions would be made when it is deemed that betting activity constituted suspicious wagering activity or suggests that the bettor may have a gambling disorder, as defined in state law.

In addition, whenever an authorized sports bettor is limited or banned, the operator would have to provide written notice to the bettor within 24 hours to explain the reasoning behind and the nature and parameters of the li..

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MA regulators take steps to require books to notify limited bettors

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) continues to be the most proactive regulator when it comes to learning more about the practive of sportsbooks limiting bettors.

The group held a meeting on Tuesday to discuss its findings after asking for operators to provide data related to how often bettors were being limited.

MGC data analysis concluded very few bettors being limited

The data largely corroborated testimony the operators provided to the MGC a year ago, which is that limiting is something that happens to a fraction of a percent of bettors.

The data did indicate that those bettors who consistently won were more likely to have their betting limits lowered and were less likely to be included in a sportsbook’s VIP program.

Averaging the data from the seven online sportsbooks in the state, the MGC determined that 0.64% of bettors in Massachusetts were limited. The majority of those bettors (57.6%) were limited to between 1-24% of the default maximum bet on a app. However, 12..

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States highlight own problem gambling services amid 1-800-GAMBLER transition

As the 1-800-GAMBLER problem gambling helpline changes hands as a result of a court order on Monday, state gaming regulators and problem gambling support groups hope to minimize the disruption to services.

A New Jersey judge ruled that the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) must cease using the number or mark as of Sept. 29, leaving it in the exclusive control Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey (CCGNJ), who has owned the number since the 1980s.

A different beast in 2025?

While CCGNJ Executive Director Luis Del Orbe told SBC Americas that the New Jersey council is sure it can pick up where it left off and run the helpline across the U.S., the NCPG maintained in court and in public that it greatly expanded 1-800-GAMBLER over the last three years.

These days, the 1-800-GAMBLER network handles thousands of calls, texts and online messages every month and routes them to 28 contact centers around the country.

Business as usual, say some

While some states like Massach..

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Government not combating military gambling disorders, says auditor

A new report from the supreme auditor agency for the federal government has warned that not enough is being done to prevent and protect against military members suffering gambling problems.

A report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) published Sept. 22 provided recommendations for the Department of Defense (DOD) after finding that updated guidance for treating military gambling problems is not being adequately implemented.

The GAO noted that the DOD revised its instructions on substance use to include gambling disorder in January and outlined steps the department and military services should take to help tackle the issue.

However, it determined that the guidance did not properly identify which parties should be responsible for implementing the guidance, leading to a gap between theory and practice.

“The instruction does not identify a party responsible for implementation of certain tasks such as designating staff who will be trained to prevent, assess, diagnose and tr..

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Underdog first US gaming operator to adopt Sportradar’s RG AI tool

Underdog has become the first U.S. gaming operator to sign on to use Bettor Sense, the AI-powered responsible gaming tool offered by Sportradar.

Through a new partnership announced Sept. 24, Underdog will integrate the player protection and well-being program. Bettor Sense, which Sportradar launched in July of this year, identifies high-risk players exhibiting problem gambling behavior. It also offers Underdog users access to care services from evidence-based treatment provider Birches Health.

Sportradar says that this results in a comprehensive approach that meets the industry’s rising expectations of how operators protect their players. The idea is to allow online gaming companies to take a proactive approach to detecting early signs of gambling-related risk and facilitate personalized interventions to protect users.

Bettor Sense allows operators to efficiently monitor players via continuous tracking, real-time risk score checks and clear analysis of player profiles to identify a..

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