AGCO issues order to suspend PointsBet license
In Canada, Ontario’s regulator AGCO on February 12 issued the first-ever order in the history of the regulated market to suspend an operator’s license.
Suspension of PointsBet’s license in Ontario
PointsBet Canada is barred from operating in the province of Ontario for a period of five days. The decision follows the operator’s failure to detect and report suspicious bets linked to a match-fixing scheme involving former NBA player Jontay Porter in 2024.
Suspicious betting and the AGCO investigation
Regulatory request in 2024
In early 2024, after reports emerged of bets placed using insider information, AGCO required all licensed operators to confirm whether they had accepted bets on games involving Jontay Porter and whether any suspicious activity had been identified.
Following the request, PointsBet stated that it had not accepted such bets.
New information in the Porter case
In October 2025, after the U.S. Department of Justice released an indictment linked to a broader insider betting scheme, AGCO again requested information from regulated operators.
18 months after its initial response, PointsBet confirmed that bets on Porter had in fact been offered.
Review of betting data and regulatory action
After reviewing the wagering data, AGCO confirmed signs of suspicious activity that should have been identified and reported at the time the bets were placed.
AGCO stated that iGaming operators are required to monitor, detect, and report unusual betting activity, as they serve as the first line of oversight in protecting the integrity of sporting events and the sports betting market.
Previous sanctions against PointsBet
This is not the operator’s first violation. In May 2022, PointsBet was fined for breaches of advertising rules, and in November 2023, it received another monetary penalty for failing to comply with Ontario’s responsible gambling standards.
Right to appeal the decision
PointsBet has 15 days to file an appeal with the Licence Appeal Tribunal, an independent body within the Tribunals Ontario system.
After AGCO’s request, the operator initially stated that no such bets had been accepted, but later confirmed their existence. PointsBet has 15 days to appeal the decision.