The Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) dished out $50,000 in fines to sports betting platforms last week. The fines related to violations of the state’s rules on betting on Belarusian sports teams, LPGA events, and marketing practices.
BetMGM, Fanatics, FanDuel, and PENN Sports were the sports betting sites that received the penalties as requested by the Investigations and Enforcement Bureau (IEB).
Sportsbooks violated Belarus betting ban
Fanatics accepted 127 bets for a total of $968.13 from Sept. 13, 2023, through March 22, 2024, on the Belarus national soccer team participating in European Championship qualification matches. Massachusetts prohibits wagers on events or leagues overseen by Russian or Belarusian governing bodies. This includes national teams and leagues headquartered in these countries. As a result, Fanatics were issued a $10,000 fine.
FanDuel also violated the rule on Belarusian betting, accepting 3,871 bets on the Belarusian national soccer team for a total stake of $11,792 from March 20, 2023, through March 26, 2024. An additional 178 bets worth $5,829 were accepted in July 2024. FanDuel attributed the violations to a misinterpretation of the MGC’s prohibition, but the regulator was unforgiving and issued a $20,000 penalty.
BetMGM was also fined $10,000 for accepting bets on the LPGA before it was approved as an acceptable event for betting. The sportsbook accepted 1,934 bets on the LPGA from March 20, 2023, through May 14, 2024, for a total handle of $1,642.46. Massachusetts sports betting now allows wagers on the LPGA.
PENN Sports fined for marketing malpractice
PENN Sports, meanwhile, was fined $10,000 for sending betting promotions to individuals who had placed themselves on the self-excluded list. Commissioner Eileen O’Brien had called for a greater punishment, noting the incident “does not sit well with me.” She suggested a $20,000 or $25,000 penalty, but other members of the board disagreed and went with the IEB’s suggestion of a $10,000 fine.
PointsBet Australia was recently fined AU$500,000 (roughly $323,000) for a similar incident where they sent advertising to individuals on BetStop, Australia’s gambling self-exclusion list. In both cases, the sportsbooks said the mails were sent out in error.
More penalties to come
In addition to the penalties issued, two more cases of noncompliance were raised at the MGC meeting. Fanatics was accused of accepting 36 wagers on Heisman Trophy futures between Jan. 22, 2025, and March 21, 2025, for a total stake of $545.70.
State rules prohibit bets on college players in any market, although it is permissible to bet on college teams not based in the state. Fanatics was fined $10,000 for a similar incident last year when it accepted a $50 futures bet on the Fenway Bowl between Boston College and SMU.
In a similar violation, DraftKings accepted 89 bets on points total props for an NCAA men’s basketball athlete for a total stake of $1,655. DraftKings offered wagering on the points total of a player in the Oregon v. Arizona matchup occurring on March 23, 2025.
The fines are a drop in the ocean for the operators, however. DraftKings generated $4.8 billion in revenue last year.
Adam is an experienced writer with years of experience in the gambling industry. He has worked as a content writer and editor for five years on sites such as Oddschecker, CoinTelegraph and Gambling Industry News, bringing excellent knowledge of the world of sports betting and online gambling. Adam focuses on emerging stories in the ever changing landscape of betting in the US. Read the latest on prediction markets, changing legislation, and sweepstakes.
