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Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario has proposed a five-day operational suspension for PointsBet Canada, citing deficiencies in detecting and reporting suspicious wagering connected to the Jontay Porter betting controversy.
The regulatory action stems from PointsBet’s handling of betting patterns during the 2024 scandal that resulted in Porter’s permanent NBA ban for conspiracy to manipulate game outcomes.
Compliance Shortcomings
According to regulatory filings, while competing operators DraftKings and FanDuel identified and escalated irregular betting activity on Porter’s performance markets, PointsBet allegedly overlooked warning signs including an $80,000 parlay wager targeting Porter’s underperformance.
Following the scandal’s emergence in March 2024, AGCO mandated all licensed operators to report any Porter-related betting activity. PointsBet initially denied offering such markets but subsequently reversed this position after federal indictments were unsealed—approximately 18 months after its original regulatory submission.
Operator Defense
PointsBet characterized the initial inaccurate response as organizational “human error” during a transitional period rather than intentional misrepresentation. The company emphasized immediate corrective disclosure upon discovering the discrepancy and full cooperation with regulatory investigators.
A company spokesperson stated: “We believe this proposed sanction exceeds what circumstances warrant given our compliance history and prompt remedial actions.”
PointsBet retains 15 days to contest the suspension through the Licence Appeal Tribunal. The penalty remains pending until appeals are exhausted.
