PointsBet Canada has been fined CA$150,000 by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO)

PointsBet Canada has been fined CA$150,000 by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) for multiple breaches of responsible gambling rules in the province. The violations include the failure to assist a customer who incurred losses exceeding $500,000 in less than three months, despite being flagged as potentially high-risk.

PointsBet Canada also neglected to enforce a 24-hour cooling-off period when players canceled their per-day deposit limit, a requirement under its Ontario license. Additionally, the operator was cited for communicating gambling inducements without active player consent and providing credits and free tickets to a player who withdrew consent for direct advertising. AGCO emphasized that such breaches jeopardize player protection against gambling-related harm. PointsBet Canada has the option to appeal the fine, and as of now, the company has not issued a response.

AGCO CEO and Registrar, Karin Schnarr, highlighted the obligation of iGaming operators in Ontario to proactively monitor patrons for signs of high-risk gambling and take appropriate actions to mitigate harm. She stated, "AGCO will continue to focus on player protection by holding all registered operators to these high standards."

PointsBet, one of the initial operators to launch in Ontario in April 2022, is undergoing significant changes in the United States. Fanatics Betting and Gaming (FBG) recently acquired PointsBet's US operations, with approval secured in multiple states, including New York, Wyoming, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. The deal does not impact PointsBet's operations in Canada.

By fLEXI tEAM