Pinto opens up over his suspension

[Golden_Jet]

Many NFL ones were for placing bets within team facilities. If they went across the street and did the bet they'd be fine. Gambling is potential 3rd rail for sports leagues. Its zero tolerance for violating the rules. I suspect most were just people not knowing the specific rules for betting in their league and not nefarious.

Just get rid gambling sponsors, ruins the broadcast anyways.

 

[Nothingbutglass]

Just get rid gambling sponsors, ruins the broadcast anyways.

That genie is already out. They are big source of income right now as companies are trying to grab market share. I think ads will lesson as the industry starts to shake out and stabilize.

 

[Golden_Jet]

That genie is already out. They are big source of income right now as companies are trying to grab market share. I think ads will lesson as the industry starts to shake out and stabilize.

It’s not only the ads, it’s the in game live stuff as well.
Penguins are +220 with half the game to go, to come back and win.

 

[Ace Card Bedard]

I'm glad Pinto took ownership of his poor choices.

 

[KevinRedkey]

Professional athletes shouldn't be gambling on sports.

Marques Brownlee (MKBHD on Youtube) is a professional ultimate frisbee player that likes watching F1 racing. Are people suggesting he shouldn't be allowed to bet on F1 racing?

Also, Is it just active players? So Crosby can't but Gretzky can? What about Carey Price since he's signed, but not officially retired?

And how about Olympic wrestlers? They are amateurs and not pros. Should they be allowed to bet on their own sport because they aren't pros?

I think we can all agree betting within someone's own league is something thatshould be outright banned. It doesn't sem like Pinto did that though. It seems he was legally betting on another sport (whihch doesn't seem to be banned), but then asked his buddies to place bets for him uising his USA account, while he was in Canada. If that's what de did - 41 games was pretty ridiculous IMO.

 

[Nothingbutglass]

Marques Brownlee (MKBHD on Youtube) is a professional ultimate frisbee player that likes watching F1 racing. Are people suggesting he shouldn't be allowed to bet on F1 racing?

Also, Is it just active players? So Crosby can't but Gretzky can? What about Carey Price since he's signed, but not officially retired?

And how about Olympic wrestlers? They are amateurs and not pros. Should they be allowed to bet on their own sport because they aren't pros?

I think we can all agree betting within someone's own league is something thatshould be outright banned. It doesn't sem like Pinto did that though. It seems he was legally betting on another sport (whihch doesn't seem to be banned), but then asked his buddies to place bets for him uising his USA account, while he was in Canada. If that's what de did - 41 games was pretty ridiculous IMO.

Yes. The leagues already figured that out. They have policies. Im pretty sure all say you cant bet on sport you participate in. I dont know if any ban betting on other sports. Some, like the NFL, might have details that other leagues dont have like using betting apps on team facilities. Proxy accounts are a half step from money laundering which is why its banned in likely all leagues.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

If he got 41 games for that, how much should the refs get for point shaving with their game management penalties?

 

[KevinRedkey]

Yes. The leagues already figured that out. They have policies. Im pretty sure all say you cant bet on sport you participate in. I dont know if any ban betting on other sports. Some, like the NFL, might have details that other leagues dont have like using betting apps on team facilities. Proxy accounts are a half step from money laundering which is why its banned in likely all leagues.

I get that, but "proxy betting" probably isn't an NHL rule. It's more of a standard law like going over the speed limit (for example).

Players can absolutely be suspended for breaking real non-sports laws - but it doesn't even seem like Pinto was charged/punished for this outside the NHL. It doesn't even really seem like the government or whoever else you'd think would care about this, cared at all.

Either way the punishment seems more like a "were going to make an example out of you" than it does a reasonable one.

FWIW I'm okay with it either way. I just find it a bit silly. It worked out well for Ottawa in the end TBH.

 

[Nogatco Rd]

So f***ing stupid to suspend someone for this when the league actively promotes gambling

Also Pete Rose should be in the baseball HOF while we’re at it

Pete Rose is lucky he got off as light as he did

 

[GOilers88]

So f***ing stupid to suspend someone for this when the league actively promotes gambling

Also Pete Rose should be in the baseball HOF while we’re at it

For what he did as a player, I agree. People can hate him for a multitude of reasons, but his professional accomplishments as a player deserve the HoF in my opinion.

 

[Cas]

For what he did as a player, I agree. People can hate him for a multitude of reasons, but his professional accomplishments as a player deserve the HoF in my opinion.

The NBHOF does not induct players, it inducts people. Pete Rose, the person, is permanently ineligible for induction, and deservedly so.

 

[The Devilish Buffoon]

Gambling in sports is a slippery slope, just look at what's going on in basketball and soccer.

League probably felt the need to throw the book at him while there isn't/wasn't much of a precedence for him to fight the suspension.

It's silly at face value, but the league cares about revenues and this type of thing (could) cause more of an issue for the bottom line than a dangerous on-ice play.

Makes all those people posting from earlier this season saying he "definitely bet on hockey" look stupid though.

Those people always looked stupid. It just couldnt be proven in 10 words or less

 

[The Devilish Buffoon]

It’s uncommon for someone to own up to their mistakes without casting blame on everyone around them.

Good on him.

Its not surprising if youve watched Pinto, the person, closely. He is an earnest, super positive kid, confident but humble, and seems incredibly loyal. I can see him grizzling up into quite the old pro.

 

[MMC]

It's bizarre that no one is understanding the proxy part. Its the reason he was suspended.

These threads are full of people who say bUt tHe lEaGuE pRoMoTeS gAmBlInG as if it's an excuse for grown adults to not be held accountable for their own actions. Very few people come into these discussions looking to have an honest take on this situation from what I gather

 

[GOilers88]

The NBHOF does not induct players, it inducts people. Pete Rose, the person, is permanently ineligible for induction, and deservedly so.

Sure thing.

Ty Cobb, Kennesaw Landis, Kirby Puckett, Tom Yawley and a bunch of others were such outstanding members of the community.

I think you need to familiarize yourself with the Baseball HoF and some of the "people not players" that they've inducted.

Pete Rose should and likely will get in eventually because any athletes who leave such an iconic mark on their chosen sport deserve to have their contributions to the sport enshrined.

 

[dirtydanglez]

Tocchet got 3 months from Bettman, and was basically a bookie.
Tocchet did take a leave of absence for 2 years, for trial, to get his ducks/ life in order.

the reason for pinto's suspension being longer is that sportsbooks weren't a sponsor at the time.

 

[wavaxa2]

Stupid question, but would it have been a violation if Pinto had used a VPN or remote desktop or something to access his US based sportsbook from out of country?

 

[KevinRedkey]

The NBHOF does not induct players, it inducts people. Pete Rose, the person, is permanently ineligible for induction, and deservedly so.

I may be wrong here, but I'm pretty sure he's banned from MLB and not the HOF. Technically the HOF could still induct him, but the've chosen not to as long as he's banned from MLB.

I also think he'll eventually be inducted posthumously, but I guess we'll see about that in good time.

 

[joestevens29]

Many NFL ones were for placing bets within team facilities. If they went across the street and did the bet they'd be fine. Gambling is potential 3rd rail for sports leagues. Its zero tolerance for violating the rules. I suspect most were just people not knowing the specific rules for betting in their league and not nefarious.

One of the “team” facilities was a hotel room on road too. Leagues definitely being strict in their rules with gambling

 

[Oddbob]

Was he betting on NHL games? If not, a 41 game suspension for proxy betting on non-NHL games is laughable considering what the league lets go for banned physicality.

Benn cross checked another guy on the back of the neck again? Nah. Part of the faceoff battle. Trouba deliberately stuck his elbow out and hit somebody in the head? $5K fine. Proxy betting?! 41 game suspension!

Thing is though these are two very different reasons for breaking the rules. Betting in manners like this has always been treated as a big deal in pro sports, ala Pete Rose.

Not disagreeing on your point that bigger suspensions should happen to the big time dirty plays, more that it isn't a one or the other kind of issue.

 

[PaulD]

By all reports he was "proxy betting" in his own US account. So it seems unlikely he was attempting to hide betting on anything he wasn't supposed to, and was legitimately just trying to get around the fact that he was out of the country.

I think he made the unfortunate decision of doing something that is technically proxy betting, and proxy betting is so closely associated with hiding nefarious gambling (and illegal in any case), that the league had to come down hard to show they have zero tolerance.

as opposed to head shots where they have to show ... lots of tolerance??

 

[JPT]

Tbh he should’ve tried baseball while he was suspended for gambling.

 

[saintunspecified]

It’s uncommon for someone to own up to their mistakes without casting blame on everyone around them.

Good on him.

Probably the best way to get back into his teammates' good graces, too. Seems to me that other than himself, his teammates are the people he hurt most.

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

These threads are full of people who say bUt tHe lEaGuE pRoMoTeS gAmBlInG as if it's an excuse for grown adults to not be held accountable for their own actions. Very few people come into these discussions looking to have an honest take on this situation from what I gather

100% agree people should be held accountable. Glad that Pinto was a man about it and took responsibility.

Also can think that bending over the for the sports $'s is an awful decision that reflects terribly on the league, but if the NHL is OK with pimping out for the HRR, that's on them. YMMV.

 

[ElLeetch]

It’s uncommon for someone to own up to their mistakes without casting blame on everyone around them.

Good on him.

They might even ask him to sing the anthem at the next All Star game!