BetMGM set for Massachusetts hearing after fresh non-compliance issues
An external audit carried out by Gaming Laboratories International found new regulatory concerns over the operator offering banned prop bets across various sports
BetMGM is set to attend an adjudicatory hearing set by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) after the operator was found in breach of the state’s wagering regulations.
The operator commissioned an external audit into its operations which was conducted by Gaming Labs International (GLI).
The audit found BetMGM accepted 41 NCAA college football player props from the last season, despite college-player prop betting being banned in the Bay State.
BetMGM also took 13 college-player prop bets on NCAA basketball amounting to $469.10 in handle, and 12 college-player props on two women’s Elite Eight basketball games on 1 April totalling $208.34.
GLI’s audit also discovered the operator accepted improper bets on Belarusian sports leagues in June and 106 wagers on Glory Kickboxing totaling $576.82, which isn’t considered a valid market in Massachusetts.
The incidents uncovered in the audit were all self-reported by BetMGM to the MGC.
The audit itself was commissioned following an incident back in February whereby the Investigations and Enforcement Bureau (IEB) alerted the MGC that BetMGM accepted 15,000 college football prop bets which exceeded $200,000 in handle.
In total, BetMGM has 15,482 accepted college football prop wagers in violation of Massachusetts state regulations.
The IEB’s initial investigation also found the operator accepted bets on whether or not cards would be issued in soccer matches.
The MGC has set the hearing for an undisclosed time and date so it can deal with all violations at the same time.
This was decided during the regulator’s monthly open meeting held on October 2.
MGC Commissioner Brad Hill said: “I would be fine having the violations all together and being investigated as one to come before us at the adjudicatory hearing, instead of having numerous adjudicatory hearings. That would be the most proper thing for us to do.”
During the meeting, BetMGM revealed it had recorded revenue in Massachusetts of $113.8m for the first half of 2024.