NHL suspends Pinto 41 Games for 'Activities Relating to Sports Wagering'

The NHL has its first modern recipient of a league suspension for gambling on sports. The league suspended the Ottawa Senators' Shane Pinto on Thursday for 41 games after what the NHL calls “activities relating to sports wagering.” He becomes the first NHL player suspended since Billy Taylor, Don Gallinger, and Babe Pratt were penalized in the 1940s for gambling activities.

"The National Hockey League announced today that it has suspended NHL Player Shane Pinto for 41 games for activities relating to sports wagering," the league said in a statement. "The League’s investigation found no evidence that Pinto made any wagers on NHL games. The NHL considers this matter closed, absent the emergence of new information, and will have no further comment."

What did he do?

Details are sketchy as to what gambling activities Pinto took part in, and if he was using betting sites, the best sportsbooks, or the best sports betting apps. So far there's been no indication Pinto has bet on the NHL itself, according to a release from the league.

It's understood that one of the league’s betting partners contacted the NHL because of what it  deemed to be unusual activity on Pinto’s account. It appears that Pinto’s U.S. account was flagged as far back as the summer, but the matter has been gaining steam over the last couple of weeks.

It remains unclear as to the level of Pinto’s exposure. But 41 games, which is half of an NHL season, is a serious sanction and one that likely wasn’t arrived at without significant consideration.

The NHL Constitution

The NHL took a hard line on Pinto with a 41-game suspension. The NHL's constitution is clear that betting on sports is “absolutely prohibited,” and will “constitute conduct that is dishonorable, prejudicial to, or against the welfare of the League or the game of hockey."

An NHL memo was sent to players in March 2022, right as sports betting was exploding across North America. That memo threatened that “individuals determined to have engaged in improper gambling activities" would be disciplined.

“The League will act swiftly and aggressively in penalizing any league or club personnel determined to have engaged in acts in violation of the NHL Gambling Policy,” the memo added. The league made it clear in the Pinto case that it wasn't joking. 

The fine line

The amount of players who have recently been suspended due to sports betting activity is only increasing. There's a good chance that what regulators and sporting bodies have found is just the tip of the iceberg.

The legalization of sports betting in the U.S. and Canada has made wagering legally quick and simple. Sportsbooks and teams have touted relationships with sports betting providers as a way to enhance the overall fan experience.

The U.S. legal sports betting industry is fresh off an explosive college football sports betting scandal. NFL players Nicholas Petit-Fere, Calvin Ridley, and Jameson Williams have all received high-profile suspensions for placing sports bets, even at their own team facilities. 

Shane Pinto wears a Betway patch on his helmet, along with the rest of his Ottawa Senators teammates. That highlights the fine line between sports teams, leagues, and sports betting providers.

Earlier in October the NFL clarified its thoughts on players placing sports bets, and the league felt the need to do so with wagering becoming more mainstream. The suspensions to Petit-Fere and Ridley were reduced under the updated regulations.

It's plausible the NHL is similarly forced into re-jigging its policies on sports betting in the near future. The Pinto case only expedites that need.

Reactions

“I want to apologize to the National Hockey League, the Ottawa Senators, my teammates, the fans and the city of Ottawa, and most importantly my family," Pinto said in a statement. "I take full responsibility for my actions and look forward to getting back on the ice with my team.”

“Shane is a valued member of our hockey club; an engaging, intelligent young man who made poor decisions that have resulted in a suspension by the National Hockey League," the Senators said in their own statement. "We know he is remorseful for his mistakes.”