The Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) approved eight civil administrative penalties last week against five sports betting operators, including DraftKings and FanDuel, citing a series of compliance failures tied to prohibited markets.
The cases involved prohibited collegiate prop bets, impermissible award markets and wagers accepted on Russian athletes.
All eight fines were unanimously approved by the commissioners. Commissioner Eileen O’Brien agreed with every decision, but argued some of the cases could have had harsher penalties.
FanDuel was issued a $5,000 civil administrative penalty for prop bets placed on a quarterback in Nebraska from 7-9 September 2023. Regulators determined those bets should not have been offered.
BetMGM received a $6,500 fine after allowing a $10 prop bet on the Over/Under of a UNLV wide receiver’s receiving yards during a game against Oregon in October 2024.
The wager remained active despite rules prohibiting that type of market.
Elsewhere, DraftKings received a $6,500 penalty related to improper wagers on a Michigan running back. In total, 13 prop bets worth $457 were accepted on 5-6 January.
DraftKings was also given a separate $10,000 fine. The MGC stated that it failed to enforce rules for bets made on an impermissible prop market for the total scores of players in an Arizona vs. Oregon NCAA basketball game.
The market was open for two hours on 23 March 2025, and saw 89 bets for a handle of $1,600.
Currently, prop bets are only allowed on professional sports in Massachusetts, not on college-level competitions. That could soon change, however if Senate Bill 302 and its total ban on prop bets is approved.
Caesars Sportsbook was also given a $10,000 fine for accepting six bets worth $8,270 from 12 June to 15 July 2024. The bets were made on the total red cards given out in the UEFA Euro tournament.
UFC fights draw unwanted attention
Two of the larger penalties involved wagers on Russian UFC fighter Petr Yan.
BetMGM received a $15,000 civil administrative penalty tied to two noncompliance matters, one from 17 to 18 November 2024 and another from 5 July 2024 to 7 March 2025.
Both incidents involved impermissible bets on Yan.
Fanatics Betting and Gaming was also given a $7,500 penalty for 36 bets made between 22 January and 21 March 2025.
Those bets were made on who would win the 2025 Heisman Trophy, and the Commission stated they represented combined handle of $545.
Fanatics also received the largest single penalty, $20,000, for a separate noncompliance matter involving Yan. Regulators said the operator accepted 154 bets on the fighter from 4 July to 24 July 2025.
Officials continue to review sportsbook compliance reports and investigate instances of impermissible wagers accepted within the Massachusetts market.
