Ontario's alcohol and gaming regulator says FanDuel Canada is facing a $350,000 fine after it accepted bets on table tennis games that showed warning signs of suspicious betting and match-fixing then failed to report the unusual activity.
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario says between Oct. 23 and Nov. 30, 2024, the betting platform accepted 144 bets from three Ontario player accounts for Czech Table Tennis Star Series matches that showed "multiple indicators" associated with match-fixing.
The AGCO says some of the signs included abrupt shifts in wagering behaviour, a concentration of bets on athletes losing their matches, an implausible and near-perfect win-rate, and other unusual or suspicious activity.
The regulator says it issued the $350,000 penalty after FanDuel failed to identify and report the behaviour, resulting in it continuing uninterrupted for several weeks.
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The AGCO says the suspicious betting activity came after previous industry warnings about integrity concerns for that particular tournament.
A FanDuel spokesperson says the company was the only operator to proactively identify and report the activity, and while it's disappointed by the decision, it will continue to work with the AGCO to identify areas of integrity concerns.
"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," the spokesperson said in an email.
The regulator says the betting platform has 15 days to appeal the decision.
