FanDuel fined CA$350K in Ontario over betting integrity failures

• A sanction of CA$350,000 was imposed by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario against FanDuel over alleged failures to protect betting integrity
• The sanction is related to bets regarding a tennis tournament from 2024 that was suspected of match-fixing
• The betting company can appeal the sanction

FanDuel, the leading betting and gaming company with a strong presence in North America, received a monetary sanction in Ontario, Canada, following alleged failures to identify and report unusual and suspicious betting activities.

The licensee allegedly permitted bets on events with known integrity concerns

The sanction was announced by the province's gambling regulator, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).

The Commission announced it ordered FanDuel's subsidiary in Canada, FanDuel Canada ULC, to pay a penalty of CA$350,000 ($252,000) after allegedly failing to identify and report suspicious betting involving events with "known integrity concerns," a statement reveals.

The events in question concerned Czech Table Tennis Star Series matches from late in 2024.

The AGCO explained that the events "displayed multiple indicators associated with match-fixing."

Despite those suspected integrity concerns, FanDuel accepted 144 bets from three player accounts in Ontario between October 23, 2024, and November 30, 2024.

According to the gambling watchdog, "despite these warning signs, FanDuel failed to meet its obligations to identify the unusual and suspicious activity, respond to those activities and report them."

AGCO's investigation uncovered a number of red flags that, according to it, should have prompted the betting licensee to take action.

The list of suspicious activities included sudden shifts in betting behavior and betting lines on matches for two specific athletes.

Moreover, the Commission observed a "concentration of bets on athletes losing their matches, an implausible and near-perfect win-rate, and clear links and synchronized wagering across the accounts involved in the unusual or suspicious activity."

Per the gambling regulator in Ontario, wagering on those events was also permitted despite previous warnings about integrity-related issues affecting the particular tournament series.

Gambling companies need to stay vigilant

Dr. Karin Schnarr, AGCO's Chief Executive Officer and Registrar, commented: "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."

Last but not least, Dr. Schnarr pointed out: "We will continue to hold all regulated operators accountable to these standards. Protecting fair play is essential to maintaining public trust."

The AGCO explained that the monetary sanction can be appealed by FanDuel with the License Appeal Tribunal within 15 days.

The Tribunal is a separate body part of the Tribunals Ontario and not related to the Commission.

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