Just over two months into legal Ohio sports betting, the Ohio Casino Control Commission has issued another fine to a sports betting provider.
The OCCC dished out a $150,000 fine in its meeting Wednesday to BetMGM Ohio Sportsbook for advertising and promotional violations. Fines will be deposited into the Sports Gaming Revenue Fund.
OCCC Has Fined Before
This is far from the first fine levied by the OCCC since sports betting was rolled out statewide in Ohio on New Year’s Day.
In early January, the OCCC announced it would take administrative action against BetMGM, American Wagering, Inc. (Caesars) and Crown OH Gaming, LLC (DraftKings) for “violations of Ohio law and administrative rules pertaining to advertising and promotions,” as BetOhio reported.
DraftKings, which was also fined in December, and Barstool Sportsbook were fined a combined $400,000 by the OCCC in mid-February. PENN Entertainment was fined $250,000 after it was deemed Barstool Sports advertised to underaged individuals during a live show on the University of Toledo campus on Nov. 15
In December, before launch day, the OCCC warned advertisers about potential fines for advertisements targeted at underage customers and for the use of “risk-free” or “free” promotional language in which bettors must spend their personal funds to receive a promotion. The OCCC also warned that action would be taken for advertisements without responsible gaming messages.
“An advertisement should not have to be zoomed in on, slowed down, or the volume turned up for an individual to see or hear a helpline number,” the OCCC said in a December statement. “Conspicuous certainly is not having the responsible gaming tagline in the smallest font, lowest voice, or fastest speech in the advertisement.”
Sports betting is off to a fast start in Ohio. Check in frequently with BetOhio.com for updates and for Ohio sportsbook promos.
