Massachusetts regulator to discuss penalties for MGM Springfield and Encore

The Massachusett Gaming Commission has identified illegal collegiate sports bets.

US.- The Massachusetts Gaming Commission will decide next week whether to impose penalties against MGM Springfield and Encore Boston Harbor for taking illegal bets on in-state collegiate sports. It will hold virtual hearings on April 14.

The regulator found that more than $1,200 in wagers were placed on two Harvard University basketball games in February. State collegiate sports bets are prohibited in Massachusetts, but Harvard was incorrectly listed as an out-of-state institution.

MGC senior enforcement counsel Kathleen Kramer told Mass Live: “When Harvard was originally added to a ‘blacklist document’ under another state’s requirement of ‘no collegiate sports,’ it was incorrectly designated as being located in Connecticut.”

Kramer said that BetMGM, which runs the sportsbook at MGM Springfield, had corrected the designation. She said: “BetMGM has reviewed and verified that all Massachusetts collegiate sports are properly restricted.”

She said BetMGM had responded to the incident with plans to conduct a daily audit of all offered bets to confirm there are no restrictions before opening the sportsbook or offerings for the day.

The regulator will also discuss illegal wagers made at Encore Boston Harbor after a bug in the system reportedly allowed customers to place bets on a Boston College women’s basketball game.

See also: MGC reports on Massachusetts’ February casino and sports wagering revenue