Most Wagers Revolved Around MMA
MMA bettors using the bet365 sportsbook will want to pay special attention going forward. Many of the illegal wagers offered revolved around taped MMA matches. While the results were not announced before they were aired on TV, this still left insiders with a chance to make some easy money.
Most MMA events are live, but not always, making them tricky for operators to monitor.
There aren’t many details about the other sports or events involved.
Rough Summer for bet365
While the DGE’s fine is small for the British-based sportsbook operator, it is their second of the summer.
In July, the DGE forced bet365 to refund over $500,000 in wagers to bettors. The penalty came after bet365 changed odds before payouts were made to winners, resulting in less money being won without any prior warning.
This violation was the more serious of the two, considering that it directly affected bettors across the state. It also was against New Jersey’s sports betting laws, leading to a stern response from the DGE.
“These types of multiple and serious violations cannot be tolerated in the New Jersey gaming regulatory system,” DGE interim director Mary Jo Flaherty wrote in a letter to bet365. “No further such violations relating to the unilateral voiding of wagers will be tolerated.”
Violation Comes as Operators Defend Their Practices
The last year has given rise to a lot of tension between regulators and operators across the US. We saw the bet365 violations in New Jersey, issues over operators limiting bettors in Massachusetts, and a damning study from Bristol University over the industry’s commitment to responsible gambling.
Questions have also been raised over how operators are allowed to market and what counts as an official advertisement.
Lastly, reports have shown that legal sports betting has adverse effects on bettors' finances, leading to more calls for increased regulations.
