TLDR
- AGCO fined NorthStar Gaming (Ontario) Inc. $100,000 for anti-money laundering failures
- A high-risk player deposited nearly $190,000 over more than a year without enhanced checks
- The case surfaced after police charged the player in a separate criminal investigation
- Regulators say NorthStar breached the Gaming Control Act and internet gaming standards
- NorthStar can request a hearing before the Licence Appeal Tribunal within 15 days
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario has fined NorthStar Gaming (Ontario) Inc. $100,000. The penalty relates to failures in the company’s anti-money laundering controls.
Regulators found that NorthStar ignored its own internal rules. A player flagged as high risk crossed a $25,000 deposit threshold in March 2024.
NorthStar’s own policies required enhanced checks at that point. This included verifying where the player’s money came from.
The company did not carry out these checks. The player kept depositing large amounts for more than a year.
By June 2025, the player’s total deposits reached nearly $190,000. That is far above the threshold that should have triggered extra scrutiny.
How the Case Came to Light
The AGCO began looking into the account after police laid charges against the player. The charges were part of Project Outsource, an investigation into criminal activity in the towing industry.
NorthStar closed the player’s account only after the regulator started asking questions. By then, the account had been active well past the point where checks should have started.
In December 2024 alone, the player deposited more than $55,000. No enhanced review took place during that period.
What the Regulator Found
The AGCO said NorthStar failed to classify the player as high risk in the first place. This meant the required extra checks never started.
The company also did not carry out enhanced due diligence once the deposit threshold was crossed. Warning signs kept building without action.
NorthStar’s own policies allowed for refusing transactions or excluding a player when risks appeared. Those steps were not used.
Regulators said the delay broke rules under the Gaming Control Act. It also broke the Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming.
These standards require operators to act quickly when risk indicators appear. The AGCO said NorthStar did not meet that standard.
Dr. Karin Schnarr, Registrar and CEO of the AGCO, commented on the decision. She said operators are the first line of defence against criminal activity in Ontario’s gaming market.
She added that anti-money laundering controls must be more than policies on paper. Operators must take action when risk indicators are triggered.
The AGCO pointed out that NorthStar only acted in June 2025. That was more than a year after its obligations were first triggered.
NorthStar has the right to challenge the decision. The company can request a hearing before the Licence Appeal Tribunal within 15 days of receiving the order.
