The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has fined NorthStar Gaming CA$100,000 (US$72,160) for failing to classify a player as “high risk,” despite the bettor’s disclosed occupation having been flagged by its own anti-money laundering policies.
The operator’s AML policies originally deemed the player’s disclosed occupation as “high risk” in 2024 and therefore required the enhanced due diligence check, which includes verification for source of funds once the player's lifetime deposits reach $25,000.
Even when the respective gambler met the $25,000 threshold by March 2024, NorthStar Gaming failed to classify the player as “high risk,” initiate the required assessment or verify the user’s source of funds.
The regulator’s compliance review was triggered once the player was charged in connection with Project Outsource, which served as a joint law enforcement effort targeting criminal activity in Ontario.
"Operators are the first line of defence against criminal activity in Ontario's gaming market. Anti-money laundering controls must be more than policies on paper,” AGCO CEO & Registrar Dr. Karin Schnarr said.
“When risk indicators are triggered, operators are required to take active steps to help protect Ontario's regulated gaming sector from being misused for criminal activity. The AGCO will continue to hold operators accountable when they do not meet these important public-protection obligations."
In December 2024, the player was able to deposit over $55,000, while his total deposit figure reached approximately $189,395 by June 2025. Following inquiries made by the AGCO, NorthStar Gaming eventually classified the player as “high risk” and terminated their account.
On 21 August, the AGCO fined Booming Games $70,000 after discovering prohibited auto-play functionality had been available to Ontario players across several online slot titles.
According to the regulator, the feature remained active for several months before being identified through AGCO's proactive compliance monitoring.
Betty Gaming was fined CA$120,000 by the AGCO on August 6 for failing to adhere to age verification and player eligibility requirements after 23 underage individuals created accounts on the platform
