Ottawa Senators forward Shane Pinto finally explained why he was suspended in October for violating NHL betting policy.
Pinto said this week that he was banned 41 games by the NHL last season for proxy betting.
Exact details surrounding Pinto’s suspension, likely because of a negotiated settlement, had been previously unclear, leading to speculation.
Pinto explains proxy NHL betting ban
Pinto explained his proxy betting ban for sports betting on the Empty Netters podcast.
At the time, the league said that it found no evidence that Pinto wagered on any NHL games. However, the Ottawa Sun had reported that Pinto’s US online gambling account was flagged for unusual activity.
“I had buddies, because I was in Canada, just place bets for me in America,” Pinto said. “I wasn’t a Canadian citizen, so I really couldn’t use a Canadian sportsbook. … That’s proxy betting, so that’s obviously a big no-no. It was an illegal act. It was a pretty big deal, so that’s why we didn’t want to fight it and just accepted it.
“A lot of people thought I bet on the NHL, because it was such a long thing. But they said it in their press release, the NHL, that that never happened. So I think that helped the situation a lot.”
Timeline before proxy NHL betting ban
Pinto also expounded on the timeline leading up to his suspension. He received a phone call from his agent in late August or early September that the league had received a call from its partners, and wanted to bring him in for questioning.
Pinto spoke with NHL officials twice during a three-week span, and said he was transparent. He knew of his punishment two days before the official announcement on Oct. 26, 2023.
“Obviously, it was a little my fault so I’m not gonna take any pity over it. … It sucked,” Pinto said. “I’m glad it’s over, but I learned a lot from it, and thank god it’s all behind me.”
NHL content with gambling policies
NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told LSR following the Pinto ban that he was content with the league’s betting policy.
The NHL Players Association also conducted a fall tour as a way to enhance its gambling education efforts.
“We already have a comprehensive education program,” Daly told LSR when asked if the league planned to heighten player education on gambling again in light of the ban. “I suppose we will review what we currently do to see if it can be improved (or needs to be), but I’m not overly concerned that players don’t understand what’s permitted and what’s not.”