PointsBet Canada To Appeal Ontario Suspension
Posted on: February 26, 2026, 04:35h.
Last updated on: February 27, 2026, 10:41h.
- PointsBet Canada was suspended for five days by the AGCO on February 12
- Operator today announces it will appeal the decision to the License Appeal Tribunal
- Suspension connected to the operator’s alleged mishandling of suspicious betting connected to the Jontay Porter gambling scandal
PointsBet Canada has announced it will appeal the decision by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) to suspend the operator for five days.
5-Day Suspension
AGCO announced February 12t that it was issuing a Notice of Proposed Order against PointsBet Canada that would involve a five-day suspension of its operator registration over its alleged mishandling of the Jontay Porter betting scandal.
The AGCO has alleged that PointsBet failed to properly monitor, detect, document, and report suspicious betting patterns in 2024 connected to Porter.
“Safeguarding the integrity of sports and Ontario’s sports betting market is a top priority for the AGCO,” said Dr. Karin Schnarr, AGCO Chief Executive Officer and Registrar.
“We require all operators to have robust systems and comprehensive staff training in place to reliably detect and report suspicious activity. Our regulatory framework is clear—operators must be equipped to detect and effectively respond to integrity risks, and we will take appropriate action when these standards are not met,” he added.
The AGCO said that after allegations of insider betting involving Porter emerged in early 2024, it directed all Ontario-regulated sportsbooks to confirm whether they had offered bets on Porter and if they had detected suspicious betting activity. According to the AGCO, PointsBet Canada, after a “significant delay”, said it had not offered such bets.
Allegations Connected to Porter Gambling Scandal
After news broke of nationwide FBI arrests last October, where Porter was said to have been part of larger alleged NBA betting schemes that included fellow NBA players Terry Rozier and Chauncey Billups, the AGCO sent out another communication to Ontario sportsbooks asking for re-confirmation whether suspicious betting had occurred on Porter markets.
It was at that point, 18 months after its initial response, that PointsBet Canada said that it had, in fact, offered betting on Porter in those games. That was the basis of the AGCO suspension, the first time anything like this had happened to licensed sportsbooks in Ontario.
Said a company spokesperson at the time: “The issues stem from an initial inaccurate response in March 2024, caused by human error during an organizational transition — not any intent to withhold information. Upon discovering the correct data, we immediately disclosed it, cooperated fully with the investigation, and engaged proactively with the regulator.”
PointsBet Canada to Appeal to Tribunal
PointsBet Canada was given 15 days to appeal the AGCO decision to the License Appeal Tribunal. The deadline for that is the end of the day on February 27.
Industry sources have told us the people who run PointsBet Canada felt the proposed sanction was disproportionate to the matter in question, which stemmed from human error by a young trader. Other people in the industry told Casino.org they felt the suspension was an over-step.
“That’s a heavy penalty for this. I dealt with the AGCO on some shady esports betting and it was quite easy to audit wagering history and show that you had been communicating with IBIA and removed said wagers,” said Phill Gray, who worked in the industry with Sports Interaction. “So again some clerical mismanagement on PointsBet’s part. But nothing enough to warrant this action in my opinion.”
The company said in a statement today that the situation in question was not an indication of a systemic failure in the company or an intent to withhold information.
Upon discovering the error, PointsBet Canada said it disclosed it and cooperated fully with the AGCO throughout its investigation.
AGCO: We’re Safeguarding Integrity of Sports
We have a strong compliance record in Ontario and remain fully committed to the highest standards of integrity and player protection,” said Scott Vanderwel, PointsBet Canada Chief Executive Officer. “We look forward to presenting our case at the Tribunal.”
Further updates will be provided as the matter progresses.
Porter pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy after he deliberately underperformed in two Raptors games in early 2024, collaborating with gamblers to cash in on prop bets. Porter, facing up to 20 years in prison, is still awaiting sentencing. He’s been suspended by the NBA for life, but just announced he’s going to play in the new United States Basketball League.
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