PointsBet Canada does not believe that its temporary suspension in Ontario is fair and it will challenge the decision.
The online casino and sportsbook confirmed on Thursday that it will appeal the decision by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) to suspend it for five days over an alleged failure to identify and adequately report suspicious betting on now-banned NBA player Jontay Porter.
PointsBet will request a hearing before the independent Licence Appeal Tribunal to contest the punishment, which was announced publicly by Ontario’s gambling regulator on Feb. 12.
“We have a strong compliance record in Ontario and remain fully committed to the highest standards of integrity and player protection,” said PointsBet Canada Chief Executive Officer Scott Vanderwel in a Feb. 26 statement. “We look forward to presenting our case at the Tribunal.”
A spokesperson for the AGCO told Canadian Gaming Business that the agency could not comment beyond confirming that it “will let the process follow its course and will provide the tribunal all necessary details, supporting our decision at the appropriate time.”
Pending the results of a future tribunal hearing, PointsBet can continue full online gaming activity as a licensee in Ontario.
PointsBet believes suspension would be ‘disproportionate’
In its reasoning for handing down the proposed five-day suspension, the AGCO stated that PointsBet showed a “systemic failure” to spot suspicious activity around then-Toronto Raptors player Porter.
Porter was banned for life by the NBA in April 2024 for manipulating his own performances and conspiring with sports bettors to ensure that prop wagers on his betting markets cashed. In July 2024, Porter pleaded guilty to the U.S. federal crime of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, admitting that he agreed to withdraw early from games.
The AGCO said that upon the allegations around Porter first emerging, it told all Ontario-regulated sportsbooks to confirm whether they had offered bets on Porter and if they had detected and reported any suspicious betting activity.
“PointsBet, after significant delay, advised the AGCO it had not offered any such bets,” said the agency. However, it alleged that PointsBet admitted 18 months later, in October 2025, that it had indeed offered betting on Porter in the games that were linked to the scandal.
In a statement given to Canadian Gaming Business, PointsBet Canada said that the issues stemmed from “an initial inaccurate response in March 2024, caused by human error during an organizational transition — not any intent to withhold information.” PointsBet said that once it discovered the betting activity, it immediately disclosed it and cooperated fully with the investigation and the AGCO.
“PointsBet believes the proposed sanction is disproportionate to the isolated matter in question, which stemmed from human error,” said the operator on Thursday.
The proposed temporary suspension, which will remain on hold pending the outcome of the adjudicatory hearing, would be the first time that the AGCO has suspended a licensed operator for a violation. Ontario’s regulator previously fined PointsBet Canada for separate and unrelated infractions in 2022 and 2023.
PointsBet posts 34% Ontario growth ahead of Alberta launch
PointsBet has offered online sports betting and online casino gaming in Ontario’s regulated market since 2022.
The now MIXI-owned Australian company reported this week that its Canadian revenue grew 34% year over year in the first half of the Australian fiscal year (July 1 to Dec. 31), up to C$22.2m, and its gross profit in Canada jumped 30% to C$10.8m.
While PointsBet offers online sports betting in both Australian and Ontario, its Canadian growth was driven by online casino, for which Ontario is its only current market. Its iCasino net win in Ontario surged 58% year over year for the six-month period to C$15.6m. Ontario sports betting net win was flat at C$6.6m, a 0% annual change.
PointsBet plans to roll out an upgraded online casino platform in Canada in the next few months to capitalize on its growth.
The operator is also preparing to launch in Alberta when that province begins allowing regulated commercial iGaming play, slated to be around June or July. PointsBet has applied for a license to operate in Alberta and has begun marketing activities and player sign-ups in the province.
“We’re excited to introduce our innovative, Canadian-focused sports betting and online casino products to Alberta residents, supported by industry-leading speed, responsible gaming tools, and local expertise,” said Vanderwel.
