Ottawa Senators forward Shane Pinto has revealed new details about his 41-game ban for violating the NHL’s gambling rules.

Pinto was the first NHL player to be suspended for online gambling when he was sanctioned in October 2023. Until now, he has not discussed specifics about prohibited activity, but he explained on the Empty Netters podcast that he was using friends in the U.S. to place bets in America.

“I had my buddies, because I was in Canada, just place bets for me in America,” Pinto said. “I wasn’t a Canadian citizen so I couldn’t really use a Canadian sportsbook. So I just had many buddies place bets for me and that’s proxy betting, so that’s obviously a big no-no. It was an illegal act so, obviously, it was a pretty big deal.

“So that’s why we didn’t want to fight it. We just accepted it and I did what I had to do and took the penalty.”

The league clarified at the time of the suspension that their investigation found no evidence that he had bet on NHL games.

Pinto said the suspension took a toll on him, describing it as a “brutal” period and noting that he had to lean on his family and his teammates during his ban.

“I just did my best with the hand I got dealt with. Obviously, it was a little bit my fault, so I’m not gonna like [want] pity over it. But I thought I did a good job of responding from it. It sucked, but I had a lot of people around me that helped me…

“I’m glad it’s over, but I learned a lot from it. Thank god it’s all behind me.”

Pinto returned to action in late January and contributed 27 points and nine goals in 41 games. He signed a two-year extension earlier this month as an unrestricted free agent. The New York native also represented the U.S. at the 2024 IIHF World Championship.

Other Canadian-based athletes in hot water

Pinto is one of several athletes on Canadian teams to have been banned for violations of gambling policies in recent months.

Canadian Football League (CFL) star Shawn Lemon is currently serving a ban while he awaits an August hearing. The Montreal Alouettes defensive lineman was banned by the CFL in April amid allegations he had gambled on league games, including one he played in while a member of the Calgary Stampeders.

The three-time Grey Cup champion appealed the suspension in May. He was allowed to return to playing while the appeal was being heard. However, in early July his suspension was reinstated as a ban was determined to be “justified and reasonable.”

In a more high-profile case, Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter was banned for life by the NBA for his involvement in an illegal gambling ring which included manipulating his own performances to ensure that player prop bets cashed in. Porter pleaded guilty this week to a criminal charge of fraud in the U.S. and is under investigation by Ontario Provincial Police.