The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, the government body in charge of regulating sports betting and gambling in Canada’s most populous province, has ordered all licensed operators in the region to stop offering bets on events organized by the World Boxing Association (WBA).

The measure was due to concerns over the integrity of those events after the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario ruled that boxing matches organized by the WBA do not have adequate safeguards in place when it comes to preventing match fixing and insider betting. This all started after the regulator conducted a thorough review of the wagering activity of a title fight organized by the World Boxing Association.

The respective bout was the one between Yoenis Tellez and Livan Navarro, when the Ontario regulator observed suspicious betting patterns in live bets being placed over five and a half rounds during the match. The bout was observed by two registered independent monitors while the betting activity took place at a registered iGaming operator in the Canadian province.

There were also reports in the media claiming that the manager of Yoenis Tellez placed bets worth 110,000 dollars at a casino in Florida on the match going on for over five and a half rounds. The bet was a winning one as the match went on until the tenth round, when Tellez managed to knock out Navarro.

All Eyes on Insider Betting

The match took place in December 2023 in Florida and that is also when the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario started its review of the matter. One of the conclusions of the respective review was that bets related to boxing matches organized by the WBA don’t meet the current version of the Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming. This led to the indefinite suspension of betting on WBA events in Ontario.

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario also underlined that its licensed operators were asked to demonstrate that the WBA prohibits betting from insiders and the respective operators were unable to do that. This means that coaches, managers, handlers or medical staff involved with one of the fighters could place bets on the respective matches while having the benefit of knowing non-public information. Moreover, the review found no proof that the World Boxing Association took any action to investigate past allegations of match fixing and insider wagering.

This is not the first time the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario takes such a measure. In December 2022 the regulator ordered licensed operators to stop offering bets on UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) matches following similar concerns over insider betting. That ban lasted just for a few weeks because the UFC then implemented new protocols to prevent insider betting.

Source: “Ontario halts World Boxing Association betting over integrity concerns“. iGaming Business. April 19, 2024.

The post Ontario Blocks Betting on World Boxing Association Matches appeared first on Keno Wizard.

Devin Haney (29-0) is defending five lightweight titles (IBF, WBA, WBC, WBO, and The Ring) against Vasiliy Lomachenko (17-2) this coming Saturday. Oddsmakers think Haney will stay undefeated, but we feel as if the Ukrainian pugilist might stage an upset.

When, Where, and How to Watch?

• Place: MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada
• Date: Saturday, May 20, 2023
• Time: ~10:00 PM ET
• How to Watch: ESPN+

Reasons Why Devin Haney is the Favorite in Saturday’s Bout

Devin Haney is a 24-year-old American boxer who started his professional career in 2015. Two years later, he won his first major title (WBC Youth), and it was 2019 when his pro career really took off. Then, in 2022, he beat George Kambosos Jr., becoming the youngest undisputed champion in history.

He defended his title against the same opponent the same year. Both times, he did it by unanimous decision. In fact, each of his last six bouts lasted for a full 12 rounds. However, he’s got more wins by KO/TKO, although the last time it happened was in 2019 against Antonio Moran.

Obviously, his boxing skills have evolved over time, and in 2023, he’s one of the most tactical pugilists in the lightweight division. Actually, some believe that the only lightweight boxer with a higher fighting IQ is his next opponent, Vasiliy Lomachenko.

Vasiliy Lomachenko Ready to Stage an Upset

No one can dispute that Devin Haney is a smart boxer, but we did see him lose his temper a couple of times. That hasn’t caused him major problems in the past, but it might affect him negatively against Lomachenko. He’s already tried to play some mind games with the Ukrainian fighter, but Loma did not respond.