The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has imposed a hefty fine of CA$150,000 on PointsBet Canada for violating responsible gambling regulations in the province. The violations include failure to assist a customer who was at risk of gambling harm, resulting in the player losing over $500,000 in less than three months.
AGCO found that PointsBet Canada’s systems flagged the high-risk behavior of the customer multiple times, yet no interventions were provided. Additionally, the operator failed to enforce a 24-hour cooling-off period and breached marketing rules by offering inducements and bonuses without active player consent.
One specific case highlighted by AGCO involved PointsBet Canada depositing $35,500 into a player’s account despite the withdrawal of consent for direct advertising. This, along with offering free tickets to sporting events, demonstrated the operator’s failure to ensure its employees understood responsible gambling.
AGCO emphasized the seriousness of breaching the Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming and the importance of protecting players from gambling-related harm. PointsBet Canada has the option to appeal the fine, but has not issued a response yet.
Karin Schnarr, CEO and registrar of AGCO, reiterated the obligation of igaming operators in Ontario to proactively monitor and intervene in high-risk gambling behaviors. AGCO remains committed to upholding high standards to protect players.
In the US, PointsBet’s operations are undergoing significant changes as Fanatics Betting and Gaming (FBG) acquired its US operations. The deal has already been approved by PointsBet shareholders and the transition is moving forward swiftly. FBG has completed the acquisition of PointsBet operations in New York and Wyoming, and has also secured approval for acquiring PointsBet US in eight other states.
Despite these changes, PointsBet’s operations in Canada will remain unaffected by the FBG deal.