Encore Boston Harbor Fined Laws & Regulations

Encore Boston Harbor Fined Over In-State College Sports Bets

By Lisa Spencer Senior Editor Updated: 11 March 2024

Lisa Spencer Senior Editor

As a Senior Editor at Betting.US, Lisa Spencer is a valuable member of our expert team. With a Master’s degree in Applied Mathematics, Lisa is adept in gambling theory and analyzing odds. She contributes by writing online sportsbook reviews and finding competitive markets to help our readers make an informed choice.

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It has been announced that Encore Boston Harbor is at the center of a regulatory issue relating to in-state college sports bets. Recently, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission announced a fine of $40,000 imposed on the casino for violations relating to its offering of bets on in-state college sports at its physical sportsbook. This development marks the end of a lengthy investigation.

According to reports, incidents go back to February of last year when Encore Boston Harbor first encountered compliance issues relating to this matter, which resulted in a $10,000 fine. At that time, the casino assured the Massachusetts Gaming Commission that the underlying issue was an isolated technical glitch involving its platform supplier GAN and that it had rectified the issue.

However, in just a matter of weeks, Encore Boston Harbor once again found itself under scrutiny for accepting bets on in-state college sports. This included a Boston College women’s basketball game on February 19 and games featuring women’s basketball teams from Massachusetts on February 15.

The casino blamed these breaches on the last-minute loading of bets into the system, leading to errors during routine inspections conducted by GAN.

Modest Sums of Money Wagered

Despite the modest sum of bets involved in these incidents, totaling just $213, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission decided to hit the operator with a fine of $40,000. This decision is thought to be a clear message to all sports betting operators regarding the consequences of non-compliance.

By imposing large financial penalties, the commission aims to deter future violations and safeguard the integrity of the gaming sector.

Speaking about its decision, the Gaming Commission stated:

Only after the Commission requested additional information from Encore was a cogent explanation and solve for the noncompliance event provided.

A spokesperson for the commission added that despite this being the second hearing on the same sort of noncompliance issue, Encore failed to show that it had control over its vendors or that it had even communicated with them ahead of the hearing.

The commission went on to state that it ‘expects more of its operators and licensees.’

One of a Range of Legal Challenges

The Encore Boston Harbor case is just one of a range of legal challenges facing sports betting operators in Massachusetts and the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. Another case involves DraftKings, a leading player in the sports betting market, which has admitted to accepting credit card deposits despite the state’s suspension of such transactions.

As the sports betting sector in the state continues to expand, regulators face the ongoing challenge of striking a balance between encouraging innovation and safeguarding consumer interests. Officials believe that the substantial fine imposed on Encore Boston Harbor will remind other operators of the importance of adhering to regulatory requirements within the gambling industry.

With sports betting in many states across the country now being legalized, the task of ensuring compliance could become increasingly challenging for regulators in many states. However, by imposing large fines, it could help to reduce the risk of regulatory issues arising.