Ontario’s gaming regulator has cut PointsBet’s proposed website suspension from five days to two, alongside mandating an independent audit, following the operator’s failure to detect suspicious betting activity linked to a 2024 NBA scheme.
PointsBet Canada will serve a reduced two-day suspension of its Ontario website after reaching a settlement with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, which initially proposed a five-day shutdown in February over compliance lapses tied to a 2024 NBA bet-rigging scandal.
The AGCO’s original enforcement action marked the first occasion a Canadian regulator moved to suspend a licensed operator’s site. The case centred on PointsBet’s inability to monitor, detect, document and report suspicious wagering patterns related to allegations involving NBA player Jontay Porter.
Under the revised settlement, PointsBet will undergo an independent audit conducted using a methodology and auditor approved by the AGCO. The suspension date has yet to be confirmed.
Operator Blamed Human Error for Initial Inaccurate Response
When the AGCO requested all Ontario-licensed sportsbooks confirm whether they had offered wagers on Porter and flagged suspicious activity following early 2024 allegations, PointsBet initially claimed after a considerable delay that it had not accepted such bets. The operator changed its account after a Department of Justice indictment laid bare details of the insider betting scheme, admitting it had in fact processed the wagers.
Subsequent AGCO analysis of PointsBet’s records confirmed suspicious indicators present in 2024 should have been identified and disclosed at the time.
Responding to the initial suspension announcement, PointsBet told media it was “disappointed” with the ruling and attributed the problems to human error during an organisational transition, emphasising there was no deliberate attempt to suppress information.
“Upon discovering the correct data, we immediately disclosed it, cooperated fully with the investigation, and engaged proactively with the regulator,” the company said.
The AGCO has not disclosed the rationale behind reducing the suspension duration, stating only that the new settlement concluded the regulatory proceeding.
Third Sanction in Four Years
The enforcement marks the third occasion the AGCO has sanctioned PointsBet. The operator previously received penalties for an advertising breach in 2022 and responsible gambling violations in late 2023.
PointsBet has recently faced separate compliance challenges in its Australian home market, with the company projecting A$113m first-half revenue as VIP compliance measures dragged Australian operations down 16%.