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Read Article theScore Bet fined after bettor's C$380K cash out was rejected
First published:
Written by Damien Souness, Chief Experience Officer
Reviewed by Nick Slade
Ontario's gambling regulator issued its maximum C$200,000 penalty after a bettor accepted two cash-out offers that the sportsbook ultimately did not honor.
A bettor was offered approximately C$380,000 to cash out a C$1,000 parlay on theScore Bet. They accepted immediately, but the sportsbook didn't honor the offer.
Four minutes later, theScore Bet offered the player almost C$100,000 instead. They accepted that offer too. Again, it wasn't honored.
The parlay ultimately lost, and the bettor walked away with nothing, a sequence of events that has now resulted in the maximum C$200,000 monetary penalty from Ontario's gambling regulator.
How a C$1,000 bet led to a C$380,000 cash-out offer
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) announced the penalty against Score Media and Gaming Inc., operator of theScore Bet, over the handling of the wager.
The incident began on March 14, 2025, when the player placed a C$1,000 multi-leg parlay involving NHL, NBA, and NCAA basketball games taking place that day.
If every selection won, the bet would have returned more than C$1 million.
With all but one leg successful, theScore Bet presented the bettor with a cash-out offer of approximately C$380,000.
According to the AGCO, the player accepted immediately. However, the transaction was rejected during the sportsbook's automated verification process after the odds changed.
Four minutes later, the sportsbook displayed another cash-out offer worth almost C$100,000. The player immediately accepted again, only for that transaction to also go unfulfilled.
The remaining leg of the parlay eventually lost, meaning the original wager settled as a loss and the bettor received no payout.
AGCO says neither cash-out offer was achievable
The regulator found that neither of the cash-out offers presented to the bettor was actually achievable.
That put theScore Bet in breach of Ontario's internet gaming standards, which prohibit operators from providing players with misleading information or describing outcomes, prizes, or features that are not achievable.
"Operators have a responsibility to ensure that the gaming opportunities they present are accurate and can be honoured as described," AGCO CEO and Registrar Dr. Karin 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."
Does the bettor get the C$380,000?
The AGCO's C$200,000 penalty does not itself mean the bettor will receive either of the rejected cash-out amounts.
The regulator stressed that its enforcement action against theScore Bet is separate from any avenues available to players seeking to resolve individual disputes.
Operators remain responsible for dealing with player complaints and disputes under Ontario and Canadian law.
Score Media and Gaming can also challenge the C$200,000 penalty by requesting a hearing before Ontario's Licence Appeal Tribunal within 15 days.
The case nevertheless sends a clear message to sportsbooks operating in Ontario: if a cash-out amount is presented to a bettor as an available offer, the regulator expects that offer to be achievable.
To give you the most accurate and helpful information, this article has been reviewed and edited by Nick Slade through our fact-checking process.
Damien Souness is Chief Experience Officer at Cipher Sports Technology Group, helping lead sports media brands such as Dimers. He specializes in creating trustworthy and data-driven content for sports fans, with experience working for globally recognized sports and media organizations.
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