FanDuel Pushes Back Against Record-Tying CA$350,000 Penalty From Ontario Regulator
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has fined FanDuel for failing to appropriately identify, respond to, and report suspicious betting activity on the Czech Table Tennis Star Series.
The Flutter Entertainment-owned brand must pay a CA$350,000 fine (approximately $252,000). That’s, unless FanDuel lodges an appeal within 15 days and wins its argument with the Licence Appeal Tribunal. ESPN’s David Purdum reported that the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is investigating the betting activity for signs of illegality.
The AGCO conducted a comprehensive review before arriving at its conclusion. The regulator discovered that three Ontario accounts placed 144 bets between October 23 and November 30, 2024, on the table tennis games.
These wagers exhibited several signs of possible match-fixing, which operators are required to report immediately to Independent Integrity Monitors (IIMs).
The AGCO determined that FanDuel failed to meet its obligations. That’s because it allowed wagering to continue for weeks after multiple red flags had emerged. Industry integrity monitors had already flagged the tournament as a potential hotbed for match-fixing.
AGCO is Taking a Tough Stance on Integrity
Some of the red flags the AGCO says should have triggered FanDuel to take action include sudden changes in odds lines and betting activity on matches, a large number of wagers on players losing their games, and an almost perfect win percentage.
The AGCO’s press release on January 8 emphasized how sportsbook operators are the “first line of defence” in detecting and reporting suspicious betting activity. Failing to report suspicious activity promptly and appropriately undermines the efforts of regulators, sporting bodies, and law enforcement in their attempts to combat these instances.
Regarding the penalty, AGCO Registrar and CEO Dr. Karin Schnarr stated that the regulator will “continue to hold all regulated operators accountable to high standards” to protect the integrity of the sport.
FanDuel Disputes the Allegations
FanDuel responded to the penalty by saying it was disappointed with the action. In a statement to the New York Post, it claimed that it was the only sportsbook operator to “proactively identify, investigate and report the activity.” It reported the risk to the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) on December 1 and subsequently to the AGCO.
The spokesperson continued by saying that the penalty doesn’t reflect the efforts it made to protect sports integrity. They suggested that the AGCO fine could “discourage the industry” from doing its best to investigate suspicious activity properly.
FanDuel argued that the sanction “does not accurately reflect the commitment and investment we have consistently demonstrated regarding protecting the industry, our customers, and the integrity of sport.”
The size of the fine is noteworthy. It is the most significant penalty the AGCO has ever issued. The other party with the unwanted distinction of receiving a CA$350,000 fine is the Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto.
The casino hosted an after-party on the gaming floor that led to multiple serious regulatory breaches. Drug overdoses and serious assaults marred the event.
Both penalties reflect what the AGCO classifies as systemic failures of internal controls, rather than isolated incidents.
With FanDuel’s penalty tying the largest the AGCO has ever issued, the decision sends out a clear message about the regulator’s expectations around betting integrity. FanDuel’s response suggests the matter could be far from over.
https://www.gamblinginsider.com/news/102566/fanduel-ontario-350k-table-tennis-bets