Article content

When the National Hockey League suspended Ottawa Senators centre Shane Pinto for 41 games last week, the harsh discipline sent shockwaves through the team’s fan base.

It was the first gambling-related suspension for an NHL player since 1947, raising questions about what constitutes acceptable player behaviour.

The suspension also creates fresh concerns that the NHL’s close relationship to legal gambling websites — including advertising within games — could make players more vulnerable.

Article content

Pinto’s suspension is also the first for an NHL player since sports wagering was legalized outside Nevada by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018, which, in turn, led to sponsorship deals between the NHL and betting sites.

Single-event betting was made legal in Canada in 2021, the same season the Senators affixed Bet99 advertising logos to players’ helmets during games.

Postmedia takes a closer look at what was involved in the NHL’s decision in the Pinto case and the gambling landscape for players.

What is the NHL policy on gambling?

The NHL’s collective agreement with the players’ association makes it clear that “gambling on any NHL game is prohibited.”

Players are, however, free to bet on the National Football League, the National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball or any other sports organization.

The NHL has made it clear that Pinto did not directly bet on NHL contests, but the league was silent on what, exactly, the 22-year-old did to earn his suspension.

An additional, all-encompassing grey area also exists within the CBA, including punishment for those found guilty of conduct “detrimental to the welfare of the league or the game of hockey.”

Article content

A memo delivered to all NHL teams in March 2022 also served as an alert that any violations connected to betting would be dealt with swiftly.

The message said that Commissioner Gary Bettman had the power to “discipline individuals determined to have engaged in improper gambling activities” with punishment that could include “expulsion of suspension for a definite or indefinite period” or “cancelling any contract” or by “imposing a fine.”

Where did Pinto cross the line?

The hockey website DailyFaceoff.com reported that, according to sources, the NHL investigation “centred around a sweep of gambling partners that revealed a Pinto connection to a third-party bettor.”

The NHL, NBA and MLB work with Sportsradar, a Swiss-based sports technology company that monitors gambling activity and oddities within betting lines.

The partnership could, potentially, give the NHL access to customer databases and records.

Pinto apologized to the Senators, the NHL and his family and said he had no plans to appeal the ruling.

“I take full responsibility for my actions and look forward to getting back on the ice with my team,” he said in a statement issued by the Senators.

Article content

Pinto is currently unsigned, but the suspension is retroactive to the start of the NHL regular season. That means he would be eligible to return for Game 42 against the Philadelphia Flyers on Jan. 21.

What’s the history of NHL gambling suspensions?

In 1946, the NHL suspended Toronto Maple Leafs winger Walter “Babe” Pratt for nine games after he bet on NHL games. NHL president Clarence Campbell originally issued a lifetime ban, but reduced the sentence because Pratt admitted to the gambling, which never involved the Maple Leafs. Pratt was eventually inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Two years later, Don Gallinger and Billy Taylor of the Boston Bruins received the longest sentences in NHL history — banned for life — after betting on their team’s games. The lifetime bans were rescinded in 1970.

In 2007, former Arizona Coyotes assistant coach and current Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet received two years probation after pleading guilty to conspiracy and promoting gambling following an undercover police investigation dubbed “Operation Slapshot.”

Article content

What’s the concern between NHL and gambling websites?

Jeremy Luke, president and CEO of the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sports, says the relationship between the NHL and betting sites is troubling.

During a playoff game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers last spring, eight and half minutes of television broadcast time was dedicated to gambling website advertising.

“We see a massive risk to sports integrity and athlete safety,” Luke said.

“What we’ve been doing is trying to help sports organizations develop policy on the risks and provide education for athletes so that individuals don’t make mistakes.”

The CCES is working with national and multi-sports organizations in Canada to create a “comprehensive education” policy helping athletes recognize what they can and can’t do with regard to gambling.

“It’s important we have policies in place that deal with that,” Luke said. “The proliferation and vast amount of advertising to go out and gamble puts athletes at risk of not understanding the risks and rules.”

Ontario’s Alcohol and Gaming Commission has also banned the use of athletes and celebrities — Wayne Gretzky, Connor McDavid and Andre DeGrasse are among the most notable — to promote betting sites, a law that takes effect next February.

kwarren@postmedia.com

X: Citizenkwarren

Article content