Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario bans betting on all UFC events
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) recently announced its decision to ban all betting on future UFC events after concerns of improper conduct.
In a statement by AGCO, they stated that it was not a decision that was taken lightly. Changes have been made to protect the integrity of both the commission and the sport, with the interests of both parties considered.
The statement reads:
"The standards exist to protect the betting public and to provide the necessary safeguards against odds manipulation, match-fixing and other integrity issues. This is not a decsion we take lightly, knowing the popularity of UFC events in Ontario's sports books. However, the risks of insider betting on event and wagering integrity should be highly concerning to all. It certainly is to us. We will continue to work with gaming operators, the OLG, iGaming Ontario to ensure that wagering on UFC events meets the AGCO's Standards."
Statement from Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario on banning betting on UFC: https://t.co/oXgltrcN3D
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) notified sportsbooks today that they must stop offering and accepting wagers on Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) events "due to concerns about non-compliance with AGCO’s betting integrity requirements."
News of AGCO's decision comes just months after the UFC sent out a memo to all their contracted fighters. The memo informed them that they would no longer be able to place a bet on any UFC fight, even if they weren't competing. The decision was seen as another step towards protecting the legitimacy and integrity of the sport but has been criticized by fighters in the organization.
Henry Cejudo reacts to the UFC's decision to prohibit fighters from betting
The decision to prevent fighters from betting on fights has been met with criticism as it is seen as another way for the UFC to potentially take money out of their athletes' pockets.
In a post by MMA journalist Ariel Helwani, the 40-year-old shared the exact memo that was sent to each fighter by the organization. Based on the latest changes, a fighter could now face criminal charges if they or their team are caught placing bets on any fights.
UFC just issued this memo to fighters and managers regarding a change in their athlete conduct policy:
UFC fighters are now prohibited from gambling on any UFC fight, regardless of if they are involved or not. They can still be sponsored just not allowed to bet at all. https://t.co/6zhuIITxmx
Henry Cejudo, a former double champ, reacted to the news on his YouTube channel. 'Triple C' admitted that he didn't quite understand the latest ruling because no fighter has exclusively signed any documentation that prohibits them from betting:
"So we cannot bet? That's crazy, man... So we can't bet on any fights? None? Yeah, but how does that make it legal? Did we sign a contract? Did we sign a waiver or something along the lines that doesn't let us bet? I don't get it."
Catch Cejudo's reaction here: