Massachusetts regulators handed down $80,500 in fines to five licensed sportsbooks after uncovering eight separate violations tied largely to prohibited betting markets. The Massachusetts Gaming Commission approved the fines in a unanimous 5-0 vote during its March 12 public meeting, saying the enforcement actions are intended to strengthen operator compliance and reinforce consumer protections in the state’s legal betting market.
Most of the cases involved wagers that should never have been offered under Massachusetts’ sports wagering catalog, including restricted collegiate player props and other impermissible betting markets.
The largest fine of the day went to Fanatics, which must pay $20,000 after offering wagers on a July 26, 2025 UFC bout involving Petr Yan. Massachusetts bars betting on athletes who actively promote or represent Russia or Belarus under current restrictions. Regulators said Fanatics accepted 154 wagers totaling $1,086.76 before the market was identified and shut down.
BetMGM received a $15,000 penalty tied to two separate incidents involving the same fighter. In one case, the sportsbook accepted 36 wagers totaling $849 on Yan’s November 23, 2024 fight. In the other, no customer bets were taken, but state investigators were able to place two test-account wagers totaling $22 before the market was flagged.
Massachusetts regulator pushes sportsbooks toward stricter compliance through fines
Two additional operators were fined $10,000 each. Caesars Sportsbook’s penalty came after it offered wagers on the total number of red cards issued during UEFA Euro 2024. That market generated six bets from three patrons with a combined stake of $8,270.
DraftKings was penalized for offering an impermissible live collegiate prop tied to Arizona player Caleb Love’s points total during a March 23, 2025 men’s basketball game against Oregon. The company accepted 89 wagers totaling $1,655 before voiding and resettling the bets.
Several smaller violations added to the total. Fanatics received a separate $7,500 fine for offering bets on the 2025 Heisman Trophy winner, which drew 36 wagers totaling $545.70 before being voided or rendered moot. BetMGM was fined $6,500 after accepting a $10 two-leg parlay that included a player prop on UNLV receiver Ricky White’s receiving yards in an October 19, 2024 game.
DraftKings also received another $6,500 penalty for promoting a wager tied to Michigan running back Blake Corum scoring a touchdown and Michigan winning the national championship. That market attracted 13 wagers totaling $457.80 before the sportsbook canceled and refunded the bets.
FanDuel received the smallest fine, $5,000, after listing an impermissible prop tied to Nebraska quarterback Jeff Sims’ passing yards in a September 9, 2023 game against Colorado. Regulators said the market was available for roughly two days and accepted nine wagers totaling $69.81 before being removed.
Although commissioners approved all penalties unanimously, Commissioner Eileen O’Brien said she would have preferred higher fines. “I would go higher on most of these,” O’Brien said, while adding that she understood the commission’s rationale and the desire for consistency across cases.
O’Brien also argued “I don’t think the metrics should only be comparing ourselves to other jurisdictions.”
Commissioner Nakisha Skinner pointed to improving compliance efforts from operators. “I want to give credit where credit is due,” Skinner said, adding that sportsbooks have “really stepped up” their reviews and internal response protocols.
Commission Chair Jordan Maynard framed the cases as evidence that regulation works. “Pseudo regulated markets are what I’ve been calling them,” Maynard said, contrasting Massachusetts with jurisdictions lacking similar oversight.
He stated that legal sportsbooks give bettors recourse when errors happen. “If you’re in the legal market, we can make sure that patrons are made whole,” he said.
Maynard added that enforcement is meant to push the industry toward stronger systems and transparency, including new policies requiring sportsbooks to notify bettors at least 48 hours before account limits are imposed. Regulators are also reviewing other compliance issues, including allegations that BetMGM sent marketing emails to individuals who may have been underage, as part of broader oversight of sportsbook practices in the state.
Featured image: Massachusetts Gaming Commission / Canva
