The Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) has imposed civil fines totaling $80,500 on five licensed sports betting operators, including BetMGM, Caesars, DraftKings, Fanatics, and FanDuel. The penalties stem from multiple violations spanning nearly two years, all self-reported by the operators.
MGC Commissioner Nakisha Skinner emphasized the commission’s firm stance during last week’s hearing: “We, as a commission, come down pretty hard on the operators in these noncompliance matters where we need to, and with good reason. But the operators have stepped up their review of these matters and the protocol and remedial measures they have put in place to catch them.”
The fines address breaches such as improperly offered college player props and failure to comply with state betting market standards. The earliest of the violations occurred in September 2023, with the latest in July 2025. MGC Chair Jordan Maynard described them as retrospective: “We’re looking back on pretty much close to the launch of sports wagering in Massachusetts in some of these cases.”
Specific Violations and Fines
FanDuel and Caesars each received a single civil penalty. FanDuel was fined $5,000 for allowing wagers on a Nebraska quarterback’s passing yardage during September 2023, a market prohibited under Massachusetts rules. Caesars received a $10,000 fine for accepting six improper wagers totaling $8,270 on red cards in the UEFA Euro 2024 tournament.
BetMGM, DraftKings, and Fanatics were fined twice each. Fanatics faced the largest single fine of $20,000 for accepting 154 impermissible wagers on UFC fighter Petr Yan in July 2025. The operator also received $7,500 for 36 bets on the 2025 Heisman Trophy, totaling $545. BetMGM was fined $6,500 for accepting a $10 wager on former UNLV receiver Ricky White’s receiving yards in October 2024 and $15,000 for improper UFC markets involving Yan between 2024 and 2025. DraftKings incurred $6,500 for 13 illegal wagers on a University of Michigan running back in January 2024 and $10,000 for 89 impermissible NCAA basketball bets in March 2025, totaling $1,600.
Regulatory Oversight and Context
Caitlin Monahan, Director of Investigations and Enforcement Bureau for the MGC, noted the unusually high number of noncompliance matters, explaining the delays: “The commission asked the IEB to hold its recommendations on a number of other matters until that BetMGM decision was issued so the IEB could take that decision into consideration in reaching its recommendations.”
MGC officials consider factors such as the nature of the violation, the total handle, timeliness of reporting, and remedial actions in setting penalties. Maynard stressed that Massachusetts provides a secure regulatory framework: “If you’re in the legal market, we can make sure patrons are made whole.”
This round follows previous penalties, including DraftKings’ $450,000 fine in 2025 for credit card deposits and Fanatics’ $20,000 fine for improper college wagers. PENN Entertainment was also fined $15,000 in October 2024 for an on-air NCAA betting promotion.
The commission voted unanimously to approve all eight civil administrative penalties, signaling continued vigilance in enforcing compliance and maintaining integrity within Massachusetts’ regulated sports betting market.
Source:
“Five MA sportsbooks to pay $80,000 in fines over betting market miscues”, sbcamericas.com, March 16, 2026
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