Ontario bans UFC betting over integrity issues

Betting on the UFC has been banned at Ontario sportsbooks as a result of integrity issues.

The Alcohol and Gaming Fee of Ontario (AGCO) on Thursday ordered registered entities to cease providing and accepting wagering on the UFC “as a result of non-compliance with AGCO’s betting integrity necessities”

The AGCO, which oversees the regulated gaming trade in Ontario, requires sports activities governing our bodies to implement codes of conduct that embody prohibitions on betting by insiders and to have ample integrity safeguards in place to mitigate the chance of match-fixing.

The AGCO mentioned in a launch saying the choice that the “UFC doesn’t prohibit all insiders from betting on UFC occasions, which may embody an athlete’s coach, managers, handlers, athletic trainers, medical professionals or different individuals with entry to private data.” ESPN has reached out to the UFC for remark.

The AGCO mentioned within the launch that latest publicized incidents, together with doable betting by UFC insiders and reported suspicious betting patterns on matches, led to the choice to ban operators from providing betting on the UFC.

“The Requirements exist to guard the betting public and to supply the required safeguards in opposition to odds manipulation, match-fixing and different integrity points,” Tom Mungham, registrar and CEO of AGCO, mentioned within the launch. “This isn’t a choice we take evenly, realizing the recognition of UFC occasions in Ontario’s sports activities books. Nonetheless, the dangers of insider betting on occasion and wagering integrity needs to be extremely regarding to all. It actually is to us. We’ll proceed to work with gaming operators, the OLG, iGaming Ontario and UFC to make sure that wagering on UFC occasions meets the AGCO’s Requirements.”

A UFC battle between Darrick Minner and Shayilan Nuerdanbieke on Nov. 5 attracted suspicious betting patterns and has been beneath investigation by a number of our bodies. A number of sportsbooks reported receiving uncommon betting curiosity on Neurdanbieke to win by knockout within the first spherical and for the battle to final fewer than 2.5 rounds. The percentages on the battle moved dramatically within the hours main as much as the featherweight bout in Las Vegas, with Neurdanbieke transferring from a -220 favourite to a -420 favourite.

Simply 30 seconds into the battle, Minner threw a left kick to Nuerdanbieke’s physique and instantly grimaced and reached for his left leg. Nuerdanbieke closed in and Minner went for one more left physique kick earlier than Nuerdanbieke dropped Minner with a knee to the top and completed on the bottom with elbows. The TKO stoppage got here at 1:07 of the primary spherical.

The Nevada State Athletic Affiliation is planning to take disciplinary motion in opposition to Minner for “non-disclosure on his pre-fight medical kind” throughout a Dec. 14 assembly, in response to govt director of the NSAC Jeff Mullen.

Minner’s coach for the Nuerdanbieke battle, James Krause, additionally has been beneath scrutiny by gaming regulators. On Nov. 19, the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement notified the state’s licensed sportsbook that they have been not allowed to supply betting on any battle Krause was concerned with, “together with as a coach, coach, promotor or fighter.”

“This is applicable to UFC matches and another sporting occasions [Krause] could also be concerned in,” the bulletin to New Jersey sportsbooks, which was obtained by ESPN, acknowledged.