Ontario gaming regulator orders ban on UFC bets due to concerns
Posted December 1, 2022 1:58 pm.
Last Updated December 1, 2022 2:35 pm.
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has ordered all registered casinos, lottery and igaming operators to stop accepting bets on Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) events.
The AGCO says the decision was taken due to non-compliance with their betting integrity requirements after allegations surfaced of betting by UFC insiders, as well as reports of suspicious betting patterns in other jurisdictions.
U.S. Integrity, a betting integrity firm, launched an investigation after several sportsbooks reported suspicious wagering on a Nov. 5 featherweight bout between Darrick Minner and Shayilan Nuerdanbieke.
“The Standards exist to protect the betting public and to provide the necessary safeguards against odds manipulation, match-fixing and other integrity issues,” the provincial agency said in a statement. “This is not a decision we take lightly, knowing the popularity of UFC events in Ontario’s sports books. However, the risks of insider betting on event and wagering integrity should be highly concerning to all.”
The commission says once the necessary remedial steps have been taken, operators may provide information demonstrating that UFC bets or betting products meet the Registrar’s Standards.
The AGCO is responsible for regulating the alcohol, gaming, horse racing and private cannabis retail sectors in the province.
Files from The Canadian Press were used in this report
