After being banned earlier this month, betting on UFC fights in the Province of Alberta has been reinstated.
As it turns out, the promotion’s ban on Glory MMA and Fitness coach James Krause and any fighters associated with him was key.
In a statement provided to Cageside Press on Friday, Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) said that “With the recent announcement by the UFC that Krause, his managers and fighters will not be permitted to participate in UFC events, pending Nevada State Athletic Commission’s investigation, Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) has reinstated UFC betting markets on PlayAlberta.ca.”
The regulatory body added that “Protecting consumers in Alberta is of the utmost importance to AGLC. We will remain vigilant in monitoring the situation and ensure players continue to have safe and secure gaming opportunities on Play Alberta.”
The ban in Alberta, and a similar sanction in a second Canadian province, Ontario, came after widespread reports of suspicious line movement in a fight featuring Glory MMA fighter Darrick Minner at a UFC event on November 5. Minner, an underdog in the Las Vegas-based fight against Shayilan Nuerdanbieke, appeared noticeably injured from the outset, though no injury had been reported to the athletic commission in Nevada.
Hours ahead of the fight, a large volume of money shifted to Nuerdanbieke to win inside of a round. That triggered a review by U.S. Integrity, while the UFC is investigating via betting integrity partner Don Best Sports.
While the Nevada State Athletic Commission is pursuing a case against Minner for not reporting the injury, it also pulled Krause’s license in the state. Krause, a well-known betting enthusiast who claimed to make more money from betting than coaching, previously ran a betting-themed Discord and Youtube channel. Earlier this month, the UFC outright banned Krause and any fighter training at Glory MMA and Fitness in Kansas City, pending the outcome of several investigations. They also released Minner.
