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Ontario’s gambling regulator has handed FanDuel a C$350,000 penalty after finding the company failed to act on clear signs of suspicious betting.
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario said its review showed that, over several weeks in late 2024, FanDuel accepted 144 wagers from three local accounts on Czech Table Tennis Star Series matches flagged with integrity concerns.
Investigators concluded that the operator did not meet its duty to spot unusual activity, respond to it, or report it. Because of that lapse, betting on matches linked to possible manipulation continued unchecked until the regulator stepped in.
“In an era of heightened scrutiny on sports integrity, igaming operators must be vigilant and proactive in detecting suspicious betting activity and taking appropriate steps to protect their patrons,” Dr. Karin Schnarr, Chief Executive Officer and Registrar, AGCO, stated.
“We will continue to hold all regulated operators accountable to these standards. Protecting fair play is essential to maintaining public trust.”
Bookmakers received warnings beforehand
The AGCO’s review pointed to sudden swings in betting patterns and odds, heavy wagering on athletes expected to lose, and an almost flawless win rate that defied probability. Investigators also found the accounts involved were linked and placing bets in sync.
All of this unfolded even after the industry had already been cautioned about integrity risks tied to the Czech table tennis series.
Ontario’s regulator stressed that operators are meant to serve as the first barrier against match-fixing. When suspicious activity goes unreported in one jurisdiction, it weakens the ability of regulators, law enforcement, and sports bodies worldwide to track and stop organized manipulation.
“Once an operator identifies these types of activities, they are required to report it to Independent Integrity Monitors (IIMs). IIMs share this information across the broader network of regulated igaming operators to detect related activity on their gaming sites, and with leagues and sports governing bodies so they can investigate potential integrity breaches involving matches or athletes,” the AGCO press release stated.
“For Ontarians to have confidence that they are betting on fair games and events with honest outcomes, the AGCO requires operators to have robust controls in place to quickly identify unusual or suspicious betting activity and intervene to protect bettors when it occurs.”
FanDuel, like any operator served with such an order, can appeal within 15 days to the Licence Appeal Tribunal, an independent body under Tribunals Ontario.
