Gambling and professional sports have long had a complicated relationship. While betting can add excitement for fans, it often poses serious risks when athletes themselves are involved.
Gambling scandals in hockey are not new. In the early days of the NHL, when the league was still establishing its credibility, cases of players betting on games eroded public trust and fueled rumours of match fixing. Today, the NHL officially partners with sportsbooks, and betting ads are everywhere—from boards in the rink to TV broadcasts. Yet the league continues to enforce strict rules against players betting on NHL games.
This tension—between gambling as entertainment for fans and gambling as a temptation for players—creates fertile ground for scandals.
The international casino website CasiMonka has looked at the most famous ice hockey players linked to gambling, their stories, and what these incidents mean for ice hockey today.
Babe Pratt – The First NHL Gambling Suspension
One of the earliest high-profile cases came in 1946, when Hall of Fame defenseman Babe Pratt admitted to betting on NHL games. Pratt was a star at the time, playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs, the 1945 Stanley Cup champions.
When the league found out about his gambling habits, Commissioner Clarence Campbell suspended him indefinitely. The suspension shocked fans, as Pratt was a respected figure. He insisted he had never bet against his own team, and after expressing deep remorse and promising never to gamble on hockey again, Pratt was finally reinstated. However, the case sent a clear message: gambling was not tolerated in hockey, even for its biggest stars.
Don Gallinger – A Lifetime Ban
If Pratt’s case was a warning, Don Gallinger’s story was a cautionary tale. In 1948, Gallinger, a promising young forward for the Boston Bruins, was implicated in a gambling scandal alongside teammate Billy Taylor.
Investigations revealed they had placed bets on their own team’s games through a bookmaker. The NHL came down hard: both were banned for life.
Gallinger, who was just 22, saw a promising career cut short. He later expressed deep regret, admitting the lure of quick money clouded his judgment. His suspension remains one of the harshest in NHL history and the first big scandal in the league.
Jeremy Roenick and Operation Slapshot
Fast forward to the 2000s. Gambling was no longer confined to smoke-filled rooms and dodgy bookies but had entered the digital age. In 2006, law enforcement uncovered an illegal betting ring in New Jersey with ties to organized crime. The investigation, dubbed Operation Slapshot, shook the NHL.
Among the names that surfaced was former NHL star Jeremy Roenick. While Roenick was never charged, reports indicated he had participated in several betting activities connected to the ring. He allegedly spent more than $100,000 on betting tips from a Florida firm.
His involvement forced him to provide legal testimony, bringing unwanted attention to his otherwise celebrated career. However, he never saw further consequences beyond this.
“I enjoyed it, but I don’t think I had a problem. I shut it off cold turkey,” Roenick said to ESPN after the scandal broke.
Wayne Gretzky’s Connection Through Janet Jones
Roenixk was not the only hockey star involved in Operation Slapshot. Perhaps the biggest name in hockey to date, Wayne Gretzky, “The Great One,” was never accused of wrongdoing, but his name became entangled in Operation Slapshot through his wife, actress Janet Jones.
Reports alleged that Jones had placed large bets—totaling nearly $500,000—through the gambling ring at the center of the scandal. Rumors swirled that Gretzky might have had knowledge of the betting, though he denied any involvement, and proof never surfaced.
Evander Kane – Allegations of Betting on His Own Games
Few modern cases have drawn as much media attention as that of Evander Kane. In 2021, during a messy divorce, Kane’s estranged wife alleged that the San Jose Sharks forward had bet on his own games and even intentionally played poorly to profit from wagers.
The NHL launched an investigation, which ultimately cleared Kane of wrongdoing in NHL games. While he has a murky relationship with gambling and claims to have lost $1.5 million to it, no proof relating to betting on NHL matches surfased.
Shane Pinto – The First Modern Suspension
In 2023, the NHL issued its first official suspension under its gambling policy. Ottawa Senators forward Shane Pinto was banned for 41 games—half a season—for activities related to online proxy betting. During his time in Canada, he used friends to place bets in the USA.
The league clarified that Pinto had not bet on NHL games, but he had violated gambling-related rules in other ways. Pinto admitted fault, expressed regret, and promised to learn from the mistake.
Aaron Ward – Struggles with Gambling Addiction
Not all stories involve scandals. For former NHL defenseman Aaron Ward, gambling was a personal battle. After retiring from hockey, Ward opened up about his struggles with gambling addiction.
In interviews, he described how his betting habit spiraled out of control, affecting his finances and personal life. By speaking publicly, Ward has helped shed light on the hidden struggles some athletes face—not with scandals or suspensions, but with private battles against addiction.
Why Do Hockey Players Gamble?
The stories above raise an important question: why are athletes drawn to gambling?
- High-pressure careers: Professional sports are stressful, and gambling can be a release.
- Access to money: Athletes often have disposable income that can fuel risky behavior. For many, losing a million dollars makes no difference to their financial situation.
- Competitive mindset: The thrill of risk-taking and chasing wins in sports translates easily to betting.
- Cultural factors: In some eras, gambling was simply part of the locker room environment. Today, easy online access can make it even easier to place bets.
These factors contribute to why gambling scandals appear amongst sports stars more frequently than others. The NHL has learned from past incidents. Today, the league works with betting companies as partners but draws a firm line: players cannot bet on NHL games.
Fans, too, should recognize the difference between enjoying a wager on a Saturday night and the risks athletes face if they blur professional lines.
These stories serve as a reminder: while gambling may be part of modern sports culture, for players, the stakes are higher than a single bet. The integrity of the game—and their careers—are always on the line.
