PointsBet Canada Suspension Seen as 'Overstep' by Industry

Sportsbook operator accused of 'systemic failures' around Jontay Porter NBA betting scandal

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has suspended PointsBet Canada's gaming registration for five days, accusing the sportsbook operator of systemic failures in monitoring, detecting, documenting, and reporting suspicious betting activity related to former NBA player Jontay Porter. While PointsBet Canada has not officially announced its plans, industry sources indicate the company is considering an appeal, calling the AGCO's action an 'overstep'.

Why it matters

This suspension highlights the importance of sportsbook operators having robust systems and comprehensive staff training to reliably detect and report suspicious betting activity, which is a key priority for regulators like the AGCO in safeguarding the integrity of sports and the sports betting market. The case also ties into a broader FBI crackdown on improper betting schemes involving several professional sports leagues.

The details

The AGCO suspension stems from alleged failures by PointsBet Canada to properly monitor and report suspicious betting patterns in 2024 connected to former NBA player Jontay Porter, who pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy for deliberately underperforming in two Toronto Raptors games to help gamblers cash in on bets. After initially telling the AGCO it had not offered bets on Porter, PointsBet Canada later acknowledged it had, leading the regulator to confirm the suspicious betting activity and conclude PointsBet should have detected and reported it at the time.

  • In early 2024, allegations of insider betting involving Jontay Porter emerged.
  • In March 2024, the AGCO directed all Ontario regulated sportsbooks to confirm whether they had offered bets on Porter and if they had detected suspicious betting activity.
  • In October 2026, after news broke of nationwide FBI arrests related to the Porter betting scheme, the AGCO asked sportsbooks to re-confirm if they had detected suspicious betting on Porter markets.
  • It was at that point, 18 months after its initial response, that PointsBet Canada said it had in fact offered betting on Porter in those games.
  • On February 15, 2026, the AGCO announced it was suspending PointsBet Canada's gaming registration for five days.

The players

Jontay Porter

A former NBA player and Toronto Raptor who pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy after deliberately underperforming in two Raptors games in early 2024 to help gamblers cash in on bets. Porter has been suspended by the NBA for life and is a key figure in an ongoing criminal investigation around improper betting.

PointsBet Canada

A sportsbook operator that has had its gaming registration suspended for five days by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) due to alleged systemic failures in monitoring, detecting, documenting, and reporting suspicious betting activity related to the Jontay Porter case.

Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO)

The regulatory body that oversees gaming in Ontario and has suspended PointsBet Canada's registration for five days, accusing the sportsbook operator of systemic failures in addressing suspicious betting activity.

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What they’re saying

“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.”

— Dr. Karin Schnarr, AGCO Chief Executive Officer and Registrar

“Part of the license compliance with Ontario was to be working with the IBIA (International Betting Integrity Association), which you had to prove you were registered and communicating with them. PointsBet was to my knowledge. That they failed to report wagers is certainly a management failure. 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.”

— Phill Gray, Former head of sports betting operations at Sports Interaction (casino.org)

What’s next

PointsBet Canada has 15 days to appeal the AGCO decision to the Licence Appeal Tribunal, and industry sources indicate the company is carefully reviewing all options, including the possibility of an appeal.

The takeaway

This case highlights the importance of sportsbook operators having robust systems and comprehensive staff training to reliably detect and report suspicious betting activity, which is a key priority for regulators like the AGCO in safeguarding the integrity of sports and the sports betting market. It also ties into a broader crackdown on improper betting schemes involving professional sports leagues.