The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has taken decisive action against UFC wagering within the province. Operators in Canada’s largest region received instructions to cease accepting bets on the highly popular mixed martial arts organization effective immediately.
This decision comes as an unexpected development for many, as the AGCO had previously voiced apprehensions regarding the UFC’s capacity to adhere to its integrity benchmarks. The regulatory body emphasized the significance of operators complying with regulations to prevent issues such as odds tampering, bout manipulation, and other unethical practices related to sports wagering.
The UFC’s inability to restrict individuals with insider knowledge – including trainers, sparring partners, combatants, representatives, and managers – from placing bets on fights raised significant concerns for the AGCO. Such actions create an environment conducive to highly problematic scenarios, including pre-determined fight outcomes and other illicit activities.
“Current accounts of UFC insider wagering and questionable betting trends have compelled the AGCO to intervene,” the regulatory body stated. “This measure aims to safeguard the public and guarantee fairness in sports betting.”
AGCO Registrar and Chief Executive Officer, Tom Mungham, elaborated, “These protocols are established to protect the betting public and provide essential safeguards against odds manipulation, match-fixing, and other integrity breaches. We recognize the popularity of UFC events among Ontario sports bettors, which underscores the seriousness with which we approach this action.”
All parties involved must remain incredibly watchful for wagering by individuals with privileged information, right? It poses a genuine danger to the sport’s honesty and the entire gambling sector. We approach this with the utmost gravity. Collaboration is underway with sportsbooks, the OLG, iGaming Ontario, and naturally, the UFC itself, to guarantee all wagers placed on UFC events are entirely legitimate and adhere to AGCO guidelines.”
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