The Ohio Casino Control Commission completed a million-dollar-plus round of early penalties against mobile sportsbook operators by imposing a $150,000 fine on BetMGM Wednesday for irresponsible marketing.
As with DraftKings, Barstool Sportsbook, and Caesars Sportsbook before it, BetMGM did not contest the hefty fine for violating regulations during the startup of legal sports betting in the state.
The OCCC announced Jan. 5 that BetMGM, DraftKings, and Caesars each faced $150,000 sanctions for failure to provide proper responsible gambling messaging in their marketing, including the lack of sufficient attention to a helpline number for problem gamblers. They also promoted bet offers as “free” or “risk-free” when customers had to post money to take part, and the OCCC has declared the terminology unacceptable when tied to such requirements.
