The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board Wednesday approved a consent agreement jointly fining Mountainview Thoroughbred Racing Association and BetMGM for accepting wagers on a boxing match between Evander Holyfield and Vitor Belfort in Sept. 2021.
The fine resulted from negotiations between the PGCB’s Office of Enforcement Counsel and Moutainview, operator of Hollywood Casino Morgantown in Berks Country, and its sports-betting partner BetMGM. BetMGM accepted and paid out wagers on the boxing match after the PGCB notified operators betting on the event was not permitted. BetMGM accepted 76 wagers on the fight.
According to ESPN, Holyfield, who was five weeks shy of turning 59 when the fight occurred, accepted the fight on eight days’ notice after Belfort’s scheduled opponent, Oscar De La Hoya, tested positive for COVID. The California State Athletic Association refused to sanction the fight after De La Hoya had to back out, causing it to be moved to Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.
The fight was stopped at 1:49 in the opening round as Belfort was dominating Holyfield.
