BetMGM slapped with Pennsylvania penalty over boxing betting breach
Sportsbook operator hit with censure after offering markets on unapproved sporting event
BetMGM has been fined $7,500 by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) after it was found to have accepted sports bets on a prohibited sports event.
At a public meeting of the PGCB’s Office of Enforcement Counsel (OEC), delegates voted to fine the sportsbook operator and its land-based partner Mountainview Thoroughbred Racing Association (MTRA), which operates the Hollywood Casino Morgantown in Berks County.
BetMGM was found to have accepted and paid out wagers on the exhibition boxing match between Evander Holyfield and Victor Belfort, which took place at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood in Miami, Florida, on September 11, 2021.
All in all, 76 wagers were accepted by BetMGM on the showpiece event, which was arranged in part by former US President Donald Trump.
However, the PGCB had previously notified all Pennsylvania licensees that wagering on this event as well as all undercard fights taking place that evening would be expressly prohibited.
The PGCB was one of several regulators to not permit betting on the match, with concerns being expressed about the bout.
Under the Pennsylvania criminal code, clause 1401, betting on any event which a licensee has been notified is not permitted is an offence, on which that licensee can receive censure.
The OEC notified the PGCB of the breach, leading to a consent agreement to levy the fine against BetMGM.
BetMGM has operated an online sportsbook and casino in Pennsylvania since December 2020.