Ottawa should tighten rules on match manipulation as legalized sports betting grows, experts say

Raptors player Jontay Porter's lifetime ban from the NBA is just one sign that the rules governing Canada's legal betting industry need to be strengthened to prevent widespread manipulation, experts say.

In an interview airing Saturday on CBC Radio's The House, Jeremy Luke, president and CEO of the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES), said that while the Porter case suggests some positive aspects of the legal system, more needs to be done.

"It is positive that through the legalization of single event sport betting and the ability to regulate it, that we're able to ensure policies are in place and that these things can be flagged and that they can be dealt with," Luke told host Catherine Cullen.

In the United States, police have charged baseball star Shohei Ohtani's interpreter with bank fraud in relation to allegations that he stole from the L.A. Dodger to pay off gambling debts.

Declan Hill, an associate professor at the University of New Haven and an expert in match-fixing, told CBC's Frontburner early this month that the stakes for sports leagues are incredibly high.

Luke told The House that Canada needs clear criminal laws on competition manipulation, especially since individuals rarely act alone and often work in tandem with others connected to organized crime.