The Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) continued its strict enforcement Thursday, fining five operators a total of $80,500. BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbook, DraftKings, Fanatics Betting & Gaming, and FanDuel were all fined. There are seven online sports betting platforms live in the state — the other two are BallyBet and BetRivers.
BetMGM, DraftKings, and Fanatics were each penalized twice, while Caesars and FanDuel each incurred one fine. The MGC issued the fines at a meeting, during which Commissioner Eileen O’Brien said, “I would go higher on most of these, but I understand the circumstances.”
All of the violations were self-reported, which Commissioner Nakisha Skinner said is worth noting. In addition, five of the violations took place within the first two years that wagering went live in Massachusetts, and two took place within the first year.
Of the violations, four involved college player proposition bets, and one involved wagers on the Heisman Trophy winner, neither of which are legal in the state. Operators have struggled with and often been fined for violations related to the state’s college sports betting rules.
Two of the violations were for taking bets on UFC fighter Petr Yan, who is Russian. The MGC made it illegal to bet on teams or athletes “if the individual or team is known to represent Russia or Belarus.” The commission also banned betting on sporting events overseen by Russian or Belarusian governing bodies.
“We, as a commission, come down pretty hard on the operators in these non-compliance matters where we need to — and with good reason,” Skinner said. “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.” Skinner went to say that many of the violations were the result of human error, which she conceded is sometimes “unavoidable.”
Breaking down the violations
Operators in all cases either voided wagers, if they took place ahead of the start of an event, or compensated bettors to the MGC’s satisfaction.
Here’s a look at the fines:
Fanatics Sportsbook incurred the biggest fine ($20,000) and the largest total amount fined ($27,500) for allowing betting on markets that are illegal in the Massachusetts. The company allowed 36 bets on the Heisman Trophy in early 2025 and was fined $7,500, and took 154 bets on Russian UFC fighter Yan during a three-week period in July 2025 and was fined $20,000.
BetMGM incurred the next biggest total ($21,500) after allowing a single $10 college player prop bet on UNLV receiver Ricky White’s over/under in October 2024 that resulted in a $6,500 fine, and bets on Yan during two different timeframes. Those infractions resulted in a $15,000 fine.
DraftKings was fined $10,000 for taking player prop bets during a college basketball game for two hours on March 23, 2025. The company took 89 wagers totaling $1,600 on an Arizona-Oregon game. DraftKings was also fined $6,500 for taking 13 player props on a parlay involving Michigan running back Blake Corum and whether Michigan would win the national title during a 24-hour period in January 2024.
Caesars Sportsbook was penalized $10,000 for taking six bets on the number of cards that would be given during the 2024 UEFA Euro Tournament — state regulations ban wagering on officiating decisions. Caesars took six bets during a month-long period between June and July 2024 for $8,270.
FanDuel incurred the smallest penalty — $5,000 for taking prop bets on Nebraska quarterback Jeff Sims’ total yards during a two-day period in September 2023.
