Fines $15,000 for fanatics who accept inappropriate college bets in Massachusetts

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) fined Fanatics Betting and Gaming $15,000 for accepting prohibited bets on in-state college teams. The fines recommended by the Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement (IEB) were unanimously approved by the MGC in a 4-0 vote in public meetings.

The incident occurred on Dec. 13, 2023, when a $2 pentagonal Farrelay was placed, including betting on a Boston College men’s basketball game. According to Massachusetts state regulations, non-tournament college games involving teams in the state cannot be included in sports betting. The bridge was canceled by the Panatics before the game began, and Farrelay was ultimately defeated.

Sports Betting Dimes said IEB’s investigation, detailed in a summary presented by attorney Zachary Mercer, found that Fanatics Betting and Gaming identified mistakes before the event and canceled play in those parts. The IEB reported the error to the committee on February 1, 2024, after which a thorough investigation was conducted. “As outlined in the recommendation, the IEB investigated the matter, further discussed the cause of the incident with FBG, and reviewed the remedial actions taken. During IEB’s review, no additional information was found that would have substantially altered the nature of the default originally presented to the committee. FBG responded and communicated throughout the process and agrees with the IEB’s recommendation,” Zachary Mercer said.

Previous violations considered

Panatics’ compliance history influenced its decision to impose a $15,000 fine. In May 2023, Panatics was fined $10,000 for accepting a $50 bet in a banned College Football Bowl game featuring Boston College. The bet was also canceled before the game, and customers were refunded. Previous fines were taken into account when determining fines for recent violations.

The incident is not unique to the state of Massachusetts. According to Legal Sports Report, three casinos in the state were fined $50,000 en masse in July 2023 for similar violations related to in-state college betting regulations. The violations were due to technical errors.

In this regard, the MGC is considering a potential non-compliance issue with Caesars Sportsbook. The sportsbook reportedly failed to meet the state’s requirements for knowledge-based certification questions from Sept. 1, 2023, to April 9, 2024. While some members, including Nakisha Skinner, called for a ruling hearing, others said further investigations were needed to determine whether Caesars intentionally ignored the rules or truly believed it was in compliance with the rules. The committee instructed the IEB to work with Caesars more before deciding on the hearing.

The series of fines highlight the ongoing challenges in regulating sports betting, especially with regard to college sports. NCAA President Charlie Baker is advocating a nationwide ban on player professional wagers related to student-athletes. Meanwhile, some lawmakers are pushing for changes to state regulations. In New Jersey, a similar measure was heavily defeated by voters in 2021, but a constitutional amendment was recently introduced to overturn a ban on college betting in the state. 카지노사이트 모음