Betting On UFC Fights Restored In Canadian Province Of Ontario; UFC Makes Changes To Athlete Conduct Policy
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By Cassandra Cousineau, LVSportsBiz.com UFC/MMA Writer
In the first bit of good news for recently-embattled Ultimate Fighting Championship, the Toronto-based Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) reinstated betting on UFC events Thursday.
“Effective immediately, regulated sport and event betting operators in Ontario may resume offering bets and betting related products on Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) events,” according to a statement sent out by Las Vegas-based-UFC. The province of Alberta overturned its UFC betting ban a month ago.
The commission said the UFC has since “updated its policies and procedures.” The changes include an amendment to UFC’s athlete conduct policy to prohibit insiders from placing any wagers on any match.
The AGCO, the agency in Ontario charged with regulating alcohol, gaming, horse racing and private cannabis retail sectors in the province, said the order to stop wagers on UFC events was made because of concerns about non-compliance with betting integrity requirements after the commission learned of alleged incidents of suspicious wagering by UFC insiders.
The changes include an amendment to UFC’s athlete conduct policy to prohibit insiders from placing any wagers on any match.
Per UFC, the MMA promotion also announced the following changes to its policies and procedures around betting:
-Amended its Athlete Conduct Policy to prohibit all insiders from placing any wagers directly or through a third party on any UFC match, including placing wagers on themselves.
-Made clear that these same prohibitions against wagering apply to an athlete’s coaches, managers, handlers, athletic trainers, and other individuals affiliated with the athletes or UFC, and that violations by these Insiders may result in disciplinary action against related contract athletes.
-Have provided assurances for enhanced monitoring and action against insider betting through the strengthening of their internal processes.
-Reiterated their expectation that their contracted athletes report any matters that might raise integrity concerns.
-Engaged in a betting integrity monitoring relationship with US Integrity, an independent sports integrity monitor registered with the AGCO, to identify and analyze unusual wagering activity as indicative of possible integrity concerns.
Betting on UFC fights was halted in Ontario and Alberta since Dec. 1 after multiple governmental bodies began investigating a UFC fight between Darrick Minner and Shayilan Nuerdanbieke on Nov. 5 that attracted suspicious betting patterns.
To a greater extent, Minner’s coach. former UFC fighter James Krause, was under scrutiny in a scandal that has led to multiple suspensions being issued as well as the UFC banning him from having any relationship with active athletes on the roster. UFC fighters are no longer allowed to train at Krause’s Missouri-based, Glory gym, or use him as a coach.
Krause and Minner are also suspended by the Nevada State Athletic Commission for failing to report Minner’s pre-existing, leg injury.
Last month, Nevada Deputy Attorney General Joel Bekker announced an ongoing investigation related to suspicious betting that could lead to additional Federal punitive action in the future.
UFC has partnered with U.S. Integrity to monitor, identify and analyze unusual betting activity on fights in the promotion as well as on Dana White’s Contender Series. The company will monitor betting activity for all the fights taking place in the promotion.
According to reports, UFC Chief Business Officer Hunter Campbell sent fighters and teams a memo Thursday underscoring that the promotion “expressly prohibits” UFC fighters from betting on UFC fights themselves or through a proxy.
