AGCO Tells Operators to Cease WBA Betting Amid Integrity Issues

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) announced that all licensed sports betting operators in the Canadian province should stop offering and accepting wagers on World Boxing Association (WBA) games, effective immediately.

The measure comes amid integrity concerns following a comprehensive review of WBA-related wagering activity. The regulator explained that it has been conducting this review since December 2023 and discovered multiple suspicious betting patterns during the title fight between Yoenis Tellez and Livan Navarro.

The match, which was held in Orlando, Florida, lasted 10 rounds and concluded with Tellez knocking out Navarro in the 10^th round. According to the AGCO, the game attracted suspicious wagering activity. Additionally, media reports claim that Tellez’s manager might have placed a $110,000 wager on the match lasting longer than 5.5 rounds.

Following the AGCO’s review, which included outreach to the WBA, the regulator decided that bets related to WBA events do not meet the Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming. As a result, licensed operators must stop offering wagers on WBA-sanctioned competitions until the league can enforce codes that prohibit betting by insiders.

The AGCO reiterated that registered gaming operators could not prove to the AGCO that the WBA currently prevents insiders, such as coaches, managers, handlers, trainers, medical professionals, or others, from placing bets on WBA events. Additionally, the AGCO said that gaming operators were unable to demonstrate that the WBA took any action to investigate the matter of potential match-fixing and insider wagering.  

AGCO Hopes to Reinstate WBA Betting Soon

AGCO’s Registrar and CEO, Dr Karin Schnarr, commented on the matter, saying that that people who wish to place bets on sporting events need to be confident that these events are fairly run. To that end, organizations must have strict integrity safeguards in place that are enforced by an effective sports governing body.

Schnarr added that the AGCO hopes to reinstate WBA betting once the league does more to ensure the integrity of its events.

Knowing the popularity of boxing in Ontario, we look forward to reinstating betting on WBA events once appropriate safeguards against possible match-fixing and insider betting have been confirmed.

Dr Karin Schnarr, Registrar and CEO, AGCO

As Schnarr suggested, the AGCO plans to reinstate WBA betting products once operators demonstrate that the league has sufficient safeguards to prevent insider betting.  Previously, the AGCO had similar issues with the UFC but reinstated wagering on MMA events after the league amended its policies.