The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) announced Wednesday it fined FanDuel for a major failure to protect clients and report betting integrity concerns.
Key Takeaways
- The AGCO fined FanDuel $350,000 for accepting more than 140 bets on a Czech table tennis tournament flagged for match-fixing.
- Regulators found multiple red flags, including abnormal betting patterns and prior industry warnings, that FanDuel failed to identify.
- FanDuel maintained its innocence and is disappointed by Thursday's decision.
FanDuel will be required to pay $350,000 after a review found that the operator accepted over 140 bets on Czech table tennis that were flagged for match-fixing.
Bets placed between Oct. 23 and Nov. 30, 2024, were found to have displayed multiple warning signs. However, FanDuel “failed to meet its obligations to identify the unusual and suspicious activity.”
“The AGCO’s review identified numerous red flags that should have prompted action,” the release states. These included abrupt shifts in wagering and betting lines involving two athletes. There was also a concentration of bets on losing athletes, an implausible win-rate, and synchronized wagering across accounts tied to the suspicious activity.”
The bets had notably taken place despite previous warnings already presented across the industry, noting concerns relating to the integrity of the Czech Table Tennis Star Series.
“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, CEO and registrar of the AGCO, said of the failures to ensure compliance within the Ontario sports betting space. “We will continue to hold all regulated operators accountable to these standards. Protecting fair play is essential to maintaining public trust.”
FanDuel will have 15 days to appeal to the Licence Appeal Tribunal, an adjudicative body independent from the AGCO.
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FanDuel disagrees with decision
FanDuel defended itself against any wrongdoing later Thursday and is disappointed with the AGCO's actions.
“FanDuel has developed an industry leading sports integrity monitoring program that pairs advanced technology and real-time monitoring with an experienced and dedicated risk and trading team to identify and investigate suspicious activity in conjunction with leagues, independent integrity monitoring groups, regulatory bodies and law enforcement,” a company spokesperson told Covers. “As an operator that prides itself on the trust we have built with our stakeholders, we do not feel that this action accurately reflects the commitment and investment we have consistently demonstrated regarding protecting the industry, our customers, and the integrity of sport. We also are concerned it could discourage the industry from engaging in best efforts to identify, investigate, and report on irregular activity.
AGCO continues to combat compliance failures
The fine levied against FanDuel is the latest in a continued effort by the province to push back against failures by operators over the past year.
Last October, amid the Toronto Blue Jays' improbable run to the World Series, theScore Bet was fined over $100,000 for failing to monitor and prevent irresponsible behavior from one bettor who wagered over $2.5 million over an eight-month period.
In June 2025, a fine was dished out to a Toronto casino for its failure to contain an unsanctioned after-party on the gaming floor, which led to assaults, drug overdoses, and public indecency.
