AGCO action against PointsBet is a game-changer aiming to protect consumers and the sector
The Ontario regulator’s decision to issue a Notice of Proposed Order to suspend PointsBet Canada's iGaming registration for five days is about sending a shot across the bow as much as anything.
As of our deadline Tuesday evening, there was no official word whether PointsBet Canada would appeal a five-day suspension of operations order by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission (AGCO), a penalty believed to be a first of its kind in the North American online gambling sector.
Our takeaway is that, either way – and even if PointsBet appeals and “wins” some kind of reduced penalty — this one could be a game-changer.
Putting aside the facts of this case for a second, a regulator moving to ban an operator from doing business for a period of time shows why a regulated market is a superior choice in terms of both protecting consumers and the revenue the government derives from the sector. Taking a strong stance on regulation is the key to a sustainable industry.
Given the plethora of sports betting scandals of late – and surely there will be more to come — Ontario is sending a strong signal to operators that failing to closely monitor wagering activity and act quickly when such activity is suspicious will have serious ramifications to the operators’ business. Regulators in other jurisdictions would do well to follow the AGCO’s lead, in principle.
That doesn’t mean PointsBet Canada deserved this particular punishment, which, the AGCO says, stems from, “PointsBet’s alleged systemic failure to properly monitor, detect, document and report suspicious betting patterns related to the 2024 bet-rigging scheme involving the National Basketball Association (NBA)’s Jontay Porter, which has been the focus of a major criminal investigation in the United States.”
PointsBet Canada’s final penalty, if any, will get sorted out in due course. Given the severity of the punishment and what a PointsBet Canada spokesperson told us (and others), it wouldn’t surprise us if the operator appealed. It has 15 days to appeal to the Licence Appeal Tribunal (LAT), an adjudicative body that is part of Tribunals Ontario and independent of the AGCO.
“PointsBet Canada is disappointed by the AGCO’s decision to propose a five-day suspension of our operator registration,” the spokesperson said via email. “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. We respectfully believe the proposed sanction is disproportionate given the circumstances, our subsequent corrective actions, and our strong compliance record, and we are carefully reviewing all options, including our right to a hearing before the independent Licence Appeal Tribunal.”
On Sunday, Mark Keast, in a story for Casino.org quoted Phill Gray as saying the AGCO action is “quite the overstep.” Gray is the former head of sports betting operations for Sports Interaction.
Gray told Keast that licensing compliance in Ontario involves communicating regularly with the International Betting Integrity Association and that he believes PointsBet was doing so, as required. That some of the Porter-related wagers may not have been reported properly, “is certainly a management failure,” Gray said. “But I don’t get anything sinister from it. There weren’t that many wagers in question and once news came in props would have been removed. That’s a heavy penalty for this… nothing enough to warrant this action in my opinion.”
But, as the AGCO said, in part, in its release, this is about protecting the public and the sector:
“Upon obtaining and reviewing PointsBet’s wagering data, the AGCO confirmed the indications of suspicious betting that was central to the scheme uncovered in 2024. These wagers should have been detected and reported at the time the betting occurred.
“Regulated iGaming operators act as a critical first line of defense in protecting the integrity of sport and Ontario’s sports betting market. They are required to diligently monitor, detect and immediately report unusual and suspicious betting activity on their sites that may be indicative of bet-rigging. The timely identification and reporting of such issues warn sports leagues, integrity monitors, regulators and law enforcement of potential integrity concerns. It also alerts gaming operators across the globe, which allows them to take necessary steps to protect their patrons from bets lacking integrity.”
Further, AGCO CEO and registrar Dr. Karin Schnarr was quoted in the release:
“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.”
So, regardless of what happens to PointsBet here – and we will be sure to report on the final verdict – this is as much about sending a message to operators as much as anything.
That is part of a healthy and sustainable market for all — including the operators.
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Loto-Québec issues stern response to coalition’s brief
Loto-Québec is pushing back with Tom Wilson-like force against the recent brief filed by the Québec Online Gaming Coalition to the province’s Ministry of Finance, as we covered in last week’s newsletter.
ICYMI, the coalition presented four recommendations to the minister’s office, including to “entrust an independent regulatory body with the supervision of all online gaming operators, whether private or public”.
On Friday, Gaming News Canada received this statement from Loto-Québec spokesperson Renaud Dugas in response to the coalition:
One thing must be set straight: the only Québec-related aspect of the Québec Online Gaming Coalition is its name. It brings together foreign companies that do not create value in Québec.
The Coalition is pushing for online gaming regulation under the pretext of protecting players. However, the operators it represents are themselves the source of risk by offering their products illegally. Moreover, they violate the existing framework: the Criminal Code of Canada. This is an insult to Quebecers’ intelligence.
Also, under the heading “the Coalition that claims to be virtuous”, from the statement:
Illegal operators use the pretext of protecting the public to try to legitimize their activities. However, according to a Léger study, 81% of online players choose lotoquebec.com, which offers a legal, secure, and responsible gaming environment. The same study reveals that players spend, on average, nearly twice as much on illegal websites. These websites use questionable strategies and practices to maximize player spending. Their so-called intention to protect the public is dubious at best, since the solutions they propose address a problem that they themselves created.
The goal of the Coalition is clear: to legalize what’s illegal and further develop a market that only benefits foreign companies—not players.
If Coalition members were even the least bit ethical, they would comply with the regulatory framework and laws already in place here and immediately cease their illegal activities.
We understand that, ultimately, their wish is to replicate the Ontario model, which led to player spending skyrocketing in recent years while also over-exposing the public to online gaming. The dividends paid to the government are quite modest compared to the billions generated and that leave the country.
Is an explosion in player spending really desirable?
Dugas’s statement also reiterated the messaging from the other provincial lottery and gaming corporations across our home and native land that their products produce revenue that stays at home.
The Coalition is trying to downplay Loto-Québec’s impact to justify its proposal. Loto-Québec does not claim to be perfect, but 100% of its activities are legal. And, more importantly, 100% of what it generates remains in Québec. Last year, the corporation paid over $1.5 billion in dividends to the State, and that’s in addition to all its other contributions to Québec society.
For our loyal readers who haven’t been following this butting of heads, here’s the SparkNotes version:
The gaming and lottery corps, owned and operated by the provincial governments, argue that they are flying solo when it comes to legally operating in provinces not named Ontario (with Alberta soon to join the party).
Private operators, on the other hand, put online gambling into these four categories:
- The lottery and gaming corporations, including Loto-Québec and OLG, which has co-existed with the 50-some private operators since April 2022.
- Regulated private operators registered and licensed with the AGCO and iGaming Ontario (in Alberta, operators will deal with the AGLC and newly created Alberta iGaming Corporation).
- Unregulated private operators licensed elsewhere (i.e. Ontario licensee NorthStar Gaming announced in October 2023 the launch of its platform across the country).
- Gaming sites operated by criminal organizations that run afoul of the law.
The conflict isn’t going away any time soon.
The Canadian Lottery Coalition, which represents the provincial corps in British Columbia, Manitoba and Atlantic Canada, has had a bee in its bonnet since launching over TV commercials by Ontario-regulated operators that are broadcast across our home and native land. Late last year, the coalition filed an appeal in the Supreme Court of Canada challenging the Ontario Court of Appeal’s ruling that Ontario operators could offer peer-to-peer online games in other jurisdictions.
The beginning of the end for Rivalry
It appears to be the beginning of the end for esports/sports betting and igaming operator Rivalry.
In a Friday the 13th announcement before the start of the Family Day long weekend, the Toronto-based company put out a news release announcing a “significant reduction in operations and evaluation of strategic alternatives”. In the release, Rivalry also announced a “significant workforce reduction”, “facilitating player withdrawals” and “pausing player activity on its platform”. As a gaming industry insider told us Monday evening, such terminology effectively means the game is over.
What we found when visiting Rivalry’s Canadian website:
In a classy LinkedIn post yesterday announcing her departure from Rivalry as people and culture director, Tory Pearson provided a document with names of her colleagues now looking for the next opportunity.
Rivalry was a Day 1 entry into the Ontario market back in April 2022, having joined Australia’s regulated industry earlier that year and touting its esports business and attracting 18-30 year-old bettors that were “one generation below” most sportsbooks, according to co-founder and CEO Steven Salz. In an interview with Steve McAllister for The Toronto Star two weeks after market launch in Ontario, Salz said “we like to compare ourselves to Wealthsimple and Robinhood”.
Rivalry took a different approach to marketing its product in the highly competitive Ontario industry, using posters across Toronto and a full wrap both inside and outside of a TTC streetcar at launch. The company also leaned into the use of social media influencers, including a former professional esports player in Brazil around the 2023 League of Legends World Championship tournament.
The company undertook an operational overhaul in 2024 and was bullish on its future when it released its last earnings report last December. Rivalry reported its best quarter yet in Ontario and said its priorities for 2026 included “disciplined marketing expansion” and more enhancements to its product and onboarding features.
The aforementioned industry veteran said Monday that Rivalry faced an uphill climb as an operator using esports as its lead gaming product, and it may be a similar challenge for the company to find a buyer. In April 2023, Rivalry made a $10 million strategic funding announcement with Pinnacle playing a leadership role in the funding round.
The most significant acquisition involving an Ontario operator to date is Penn Entertainment’s $2 billion (U.S., cash and stock) purchase of Canadian company Score Media and Gaming in the summer of 2021. For now, it seems Rivalry will be following Coolbet, Unibet (Kindred Group) and Fitzdares as operators to leave Ontario.
Dennis Algreen talks SBC Summit Canada on Gaming News Canada Show
The rebranded SBC Summit Canada show will be here before we know it (especially since it has an earlier date this year). So, it seemed the right time for Steve McAllister to bring SBC’s senior marketing official Dennis Algreen on the Gaming News Canada Show presented by Bede Gaming.
SBC Summit Canada is set for May 19-21 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre and McAllister spoke with Algreen about another busy year for SBC, which also operates conferences in Rio de Janeiro, Malta, Fort Lauderdale and Lisbon.
In Toronto, the summit’s dedicated conference agenda will feature three stages, each designed to reflect the key forces shaping Canada’s gaming landscape in 2026. Across two days, the program will cover leadership strategy in sports betting and casino, affiliate and advertising models, cybersecurity, land-based and lottery operations, player protection, and payments and compliance.
Algreen also addressed the impact of the incoming open and competitive gaming market in Alberta on the Canadian summit, and the opportunity for the Toronto event to bring together legal operators and suppliers, provincial lottery and gaming corporations and First Nations gaming businesses and regulators.
Gaming News Canada is a partner of SBC for the Canadian conference, and we’re offering below a special discount to register for the May rendezvous (see below).
You can listen to the show here or watch it here:
People on the Move
Yesterday marked Ben Valido’s first day as Chief Responsible Gaming Officer at iGaming Ontario. Valido had been serving as interim Chief Strategy Officer and Director of Strategic Policy and Market Insights at The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario.
Scotty Tidwell is promoted to Chief Executive Officer at PuK Gaming.
Yaspa appoints Justin Fraser as Chief Revenue Officer.
IGT promotes David Flynn to Chief Revenue Officer. Also, Pete Kaufman, ex of Aristocrat, is named Vice President of Sales – West.
Kaleigh Thompson moves from her Chief of Staff role at Pavilion Payments into the position as Vice President of Business Development.
Steve Wolstenholme is appointed Chief Casino Officer at INSPIRE Entertainment Resort.
Ari Avishay, ex of Paramount+, Hulu, Lyft and Creative Artists Agency, is named Senior VP of Marketing at FanDuel.
Gaming industry veteran Dr. Laila Mintas, who last month founded 365Predictionand is serving as Chief Executive Officer, joins FiscalNote as a Strategic Advisor.
Marcus Yoder joins Innovation Capital as Managing Director, Gaming Technology.
Iain Hutchison, ex of Digitain and Genius Sports, joins Huddle as Senior VP, Business Development.
Hard Rock Digital promotes Olga Chaplygina to Vice President of Omni-Channel Strategy & Operations.
Daniel Back is out as Senior Vice President, Rotogrinders.com and ScoresandOdds.com at Better Collective.
The Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa promotes Demi Adebowale to Vice President of Slot Operations.
Caroline Ponseti, ex of the American Gaming Association and current Kindbridge Health Institute board member, is promoted by D.C.-based Invariant to Senior Director.
Kristina Hambardzumyan is leaving Relax Gaming as Head of Business Development – Casino.
Betsson Group promotes Federico Iosca to Head of Product – Campaigns & Rewards.
Betario promotes Yaroslav Karasev to Head of Player Operations and Protection.
SOFTSWISS hires Mariia Halaida as Head of Business Development.
Jamie Mangion Abela is promoted to Senior Legal Counsel at High Roller Technologies.
Ashley Skeen Unga leaves Gaming Analytics to join Aristocrat as Senior Director of Customer Success.
Global Gaming Insider promotes Mariya Savova to Marketing Director.
Giorgi Robakidze, ex of adjarabet.com, is named Senior Financial Crime Officer at Flutter Central & Eastern Europe.
After seven-plus years, most recently as Portfolio Director, iGB Events, Naomi Barton is leaving Clarion Events.
After more than three years, most recently as Director of Relationships, Europe, Louis Mouton Tingager bids adieu to SBC.
Steven Lambert says goodbye to Gaming Analytics to accept the Director of Sales position at Aristocrat.
DraftKings brings on board Yves Batoba as New Business Specialist, Market Expansion.
Callum Wilson, ex of Oddschecker and Legend, is appointed Senior PR Manager at Midnite.
Roxanna Craciun departs Gaming Innovation Group as Senior Manager – Business & Executive Operations.
Joe Coene has a new gig at theScore: Manager, North American Sports.
Kyle Lawson leaves Xtended Gaming to take a Senior Sportsbook Operations Manager gig with Philippines-based DigiPlus Interactive Corp.
Annie Carter departs IGT as Project Manager.
Jack Verweij, ex of Catena Media and OneTwenty, is hired by LiveScore Group as SEO Manager: Outreach.
Daniel Grima joins LCKY Group as Regulatory Compliance Auditor.
Aristotelis Kourtelis, ex of bet365, is named Player Protection Analyst at LiveScore Bet.
Amy Pilon leaves OverActive Media as Manager, Global Partnerships.
Angelo Daino joins American Gaming Systems as Country Manager – European Area.
Front Office Sports hires Ben Axelrod as an Editor.
SiGMA World brings on board Benjamin Pablo as a Sales Manager.
Abe Dabaja joins Sports Info Solutions as a Baseball Data Scout.
Josh Knoester will leave the Canadian Elite Basketball League this week after eight-plus years with the league, including 34 months as CEO.
The Canadian Premier League promotes Marcus Di Pede to Senior Director, Brand & Creative and elevates Danyal Sardar to Director, Finance.
Sean Sutherland joins Canada Soccer as Manager, Video Content and Storytelling.
Justin Birnbaum leaves Forbes and joins the editorial team at sports business publication Sportico as a Reporter.
TikTok names Emile Follorou as Global Sports Partnerships Manager.
Football Canada appoints Loring Phinney as interim CEO.
The annual gathering of the Canadian gaming industry in our home and native land has a new name, but is bringing back the best and the brightest minds for the SBC Summit Canada.
The Metro Toronto Convention Centre is once again the site for the 2026 summit, to take place May 19-21. Register today using the PARLEHPARTNERVIP code and receive a 40% discount on your VIP pass.
Classified (Jobs) Information
On the Home Front
Legend currently has a plethora of positions listed on its website.
Betsson Group is seeking a Consultant/Country Manager, Ontario.
Bet99 is searching for a bilingual Director of Marketing, a Senior Data Analyst and a Senior Technical Product Manager.
Pinnacle is looking for a Senior Governance, Risk & Compliance Analyst.
Hard Rock Digital has a hybrid opening in Toronto for a Senior Manager – Risk Operations.
OLG has an opportunity for a Marketing Manager – Marketing Operations, a Senior Contract Specialist, and a Marketing Manager – Player Engagement.
BetMGM is offering a remote position for a Marketing Manager in Ontari-ari-ari-o.
Strive Gaming has an opening at its Vancouver digs for a Backend Software Engineer.
Penn Interactive is seeking for its Toronto offices a Digital Sales Coordinator.
TonyBet is on the hunt for a CRM Manager.
Continent 8 Technologies is hiring an Accountant/Bookkeeper for its offices in Kahnawake, Que.
Atlantic Lottery has a two-year contract available for a Sports Trader, and a full-time gig for a Procurement Analyst.
Blue Ant Media is in hiring mode for a Vice President, Media Platforms and Distribution Technology.
Journalism gig alert: The Globe and Mail have a hybrid position available for a Long-Form Editor.
Canadian Football League HQ has an opportunity for a Senior Manager, Global Partnerships.
Canucks Sports & Entertainment is searching for a Senior Manager, Partnership Marketing.
The CFL Winnipeg Blue Bombers are looking for a Corporate Partnerships Manager.
Northern Super League club AFC Toronto has a couple of openings in its Ticketing department.
Canada Soccer is on the lookout for a Manager of Club Licensing.
FloSports is looking for a Director, Ads & Client Partnerships, FloHockey.
Softball Canada has an opportunity for a Manager, Communications & Marketing.
Lululemon has an opening at Vancouver HQ for a Senior Brand Marketing Manager.
South of the Border
Galaxy Gaming is seeking a Vice President of Engineering & Development.
Paysafe is in hiring mode for a Senior Business Development Director, Platforms and a Business Development Director, Crypto.
Hard Rock Digital is searching for a Director – Operations Development to join its Atlantic City crew.
MGM Resorts International has an opportunity in Las Vegas for a Director, Enterprise Analytics.
Fanatics has an onslaught of openings with its sportsbook product and design team.
FanDuel is looking for a Strategic Risk & Governance Manager to join its team in The Big Apple.
Xpoint is in the midst of a hiring spree in Pennsylvania and Dubai.
Cloud9 is looking for a Marketing Project Manager.
DraftKings is in the market for a Senior CRM Associate who hablas Espanol.
Blackhawk Network is seeking a Senior Strategic Relationship Manager.
Google is hiring at its New York office a Global Solutions Lead, Sports, YouTube.
The Athletic has a remote opportunity in the U.S. of A. for a Chief of Staff.
Media and community platform Patreon has need of a Senior Strategic Partner Manager.
NHL HQ has a hybrid gig available for a Senior Director, Ticketing and Premium Seating Analytics.
Across the Ponds
The UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport is looking for a Gambling Commission Chair.
Rhino Entertainment Group is hiring in Saint Julian’s, Malta, a Head of Casino.
Betsson Group requires a Head of Business Operations.
GR8 Tech is seeking a Deputy Chief Product Officer.
Push Gaming has a hybrid opening in Malta for a Commercial Support Executive.
FDJ United is in full-on hiring mode.
Gambling Harm UK is on the lookout for a Public Health Systems Change Lead.
Alea has an opportunity in Sliema for a Compliance Officer – iGaming.
LCKY Group has an opening in Stockholm for a Business Analyst.
Tipico Games is searching for a Gamification Strategist.
Kaizen Gaming has an opening in Sao Paulo for a Senior Content Strategist.
SoftConstruct is looking for a Senior Marketing Specialist and a Partnerships Manager.
FDJ UNITED has an opportunity for a Responsible Gaming & AML Product Manager.
The Esports World Cup Foundation is on the lookout for a Senior Manager, National Development.
London-based Snap Inc. is searching for a Client Partner – Real Money Gaming.
The organizers of the next FIFA Women’s World Cup is seeking a Senior Media Operations Manager.
Good gig alert in the French Alps for a Sports Marketing Director at Salomon.
Reading and Reflection
Canadian Gaming Association president/CEO Paul Burns did the op-ed thing for National Newswatch, explaining why Parliament should stay on the sidelines when it comes to regulating sports betting advertising.
It would appear Barstool Sports owner Dave Portnoy isn’t a fan of theScore founder John Levy.
There’s a new name for the betting brand formerly known as Bodog. We suspect the new name doesn’t change the feelings of gaming operators doing business on the up and up in the true north, strong and free.
During their latest earnings call last week, DraftKings boss Jason Robins confirmed the operator will be joining the Alberta market.
The bosses at Soft2Bet dedicated a fair bit of – to borrow some hockey parlance - time and space during last week’s presentation of its financial results to the launch of its ToonieBet brand in Ontario.
News yesterday that Betty Casino is expanding its partnership with Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment to also include Toronto FC and the Toronto Argos.
An article of the very interesting sort from Betakit reporter Jesse Cole on the Winnipeg company that’s created a way for viewers to choose their own TV commercials.
Count Major League Content CEO Ziv Chen among the admirers of Ontario’s legal gaming market.
In his latest edition of The Closing Line, Dustin Gouker writes that the Republican Party is all in on online gambling.
Erik Gibbs reported yesterday for NEXT.io that X has revised its paid partnerships policy to exclude gambling from permitted industries.
Caesars CEO Tom Heeg said yesterday the company won’t be getting into the business of prediction markets any time soon.
FanDuel CEO Amy Howe appeared on CNBC last week and wasn’t buying the notion that prediction markets will be draining customers from legally operating sportsbooks.
Speaking of prediction markets, ESPN columnist Dan Wetzel cast a Spockian eyebrow on the newish relationship between Kalshi and NBA superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Also, the U.S. CFTC is facing heat from politicians and tribal leaders to ban sports event contracts, as Jill Dorson reported for InGame. On Tuesday, new commission head honcho Mike Selig provided this response.
And, Major League Baseball is taking a hard look at following the NHL’s lead and doing a partnership deal with a PM.
The former Attorney General of Wisconsin did the op-ed thing on the efforts to bring legalized sports wagering to the Badger State.
Joe Drape, the long-time horse racing journalist for the New York Times, wrote about a Trump administration-imposed tax break saving the thoroughbred industry south of the border.
Speaking of DK, Steven Bittenbender asks on GamblingInsider.com if the operator can create some special sauce with its new prediction markets product.
And speaking of DK one more time, it’s being joined by FanDuel in banning credit card deposits south of the border.
Matt Rybaltowski tapped the keys for GGB Magazine on the rash of sports betting scandals across pro sports.
Also, very good reading from Ben Horney and Daniel Roberts of Front Office Sports on the declining stock prices of sports betting operators in the U.S.
The powers-that-be in New Zealand have declared prediction markets illegal.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has proposed a new per bet tax for the state’s legal wagering market.
Good schtuff from Scott Longley and the Earnings+More gang on the need for some structure to the “financialization” of sports wagering.
Some M&A news last week with Aristocrat writing a cheque for Gaming Analytics.
Former White House staff chief Nick Mulvaney did the op-ed thing on sports betting in South Carolina, and telling D.C. to butt out.
Finally, Canada Soccer and Canadian Soccer Media and Entertainment (formerly known as Canadian Soccer Business) have rewritten their partnership agreement.
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