The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has issued a Notice of Proposed plans to suspend PointsBet Canada’s online gaming license suspended for five days. The regulatory body accuses the operator of failing to identify and report suspicious betting activity associated with an insider betting scheme involving NBA player Jontay Porter in 2024.
According to the AGCO, PointsBet Canada did not adequately oversee betting patterns related to Jontay Porter, a former Toronto Raptors player. The regulator describes this as a systemic lapse, indicating that the operator failed to properly detect, document, or report irregular betting activities. This marks the first instance in Ontario’s regulated iGaming market where a suspension has been proposed against an operator.
In early 2024, allegations emerged concerning insider betting linked to Porter. The AGCO directed all licensed sportsbooks in Ontario to verify whether they had offered markets on the player and to report any suspicious betting behaviors. PointsBet’s response was delayed significantly, according to the regulator. The company initially claimed it had not provided betting options on Porter.
In October 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice released an indictment revealing that the Porter case was part of a broader insider betting operation. Following this, the AGCO instructed all regulated operators to reconfirm whether they had previously offered markets related to Porter. Eighteen months after its initial statement, PointsBet admitted to offering betting on Porter’s markets. The AGCO then examined the wagering data submitted by the operator and identified signs of suspicious activity. The regulator emphasized that these wagers should have been detected and reported in real-time by the company.
Ontario’s licensing framework mandates that operators act as frontline defenders of sports integrity. They are required to implement systems capable of monitoring and identifying unusual betting patterns promptly and reporting them without delay. The purpose of timely reporting includes notifying sports leagues and integrity agencies, informing law enforcement authorities, and alerting other gaming operators globally to prevent integrity breaches. Non-compliance can result in enforcement measures.
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This is not the first time PointsBet has faced regulatory penalties in Ontario. In May 2022, the AGCO fined the operator for violations related to advertising and inducements. Another fine followed in November 2023 for failing to meet responsible gambling standards.
PointsBet has 15 days to appeal the proposed suspension to the Licence Appeal Tribunal (LAT), an independent body under Tribunals Ontario. The suspension will only be enforced if it is upheld after the appeal process or if no appeal is filed.
Dr. Karin Schnarr, the AGCO’s Chief Executive Officer and Registrar, stated: “Safeguarding the integrity of sports and Ontario’s sports betting market is a top priority for the AGCO. 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.” AGCO to Suspend PointsBet
