DraftKings hit with $425K fine for betting violations in Ohio
The Ohio Casino Control Commission fined DraftKings for allowing betting on student-athletes and their performance, as well as accepting deposits using methods restricted by the state’s regulator.
The operator and the state reached a settlement, and DraftKings is expected to pay $425,000. The OCCC reports that between March 14 and March 19 of this year, 77 illegal wagers were placed, in violation of the state’s laws that restrict betting on the performance of college athletes.
This ban on betting on student-athletes and their performance is a follow-on to a 2023 rule that forbids anyone who have previously threatened athletes with violence or harm from engaging in sports gaming in Ohio, however, it has a different goal.
Ohio Casino Control Commission executive director Matthew Schuler explained:
“The NCAA’s request to prohibit player-specific prop bets has a different aim: to significantly limit the harassment, including threats, from occurring in the first place by curtailing the urge sports wagerers may have to deride, let alone threaten, college athletes for their individual performances.”
The state pointed out that providing unregulated funding options eliminates the Commission’s control, which is necessary to protect the integrity of sports gaming for Ohio residents. This includes deposits made using unauthorized funds. The OCCC clarified that in this case, DraftKings permitted cash deposits from non-gaming retail establishments (corner pharmacies) to fund deposit-enabled accounts.