The Buckeye State’s legal sports betting watchdog has signed off on fines for two mobile bookmakers in connection with missteps they made with their advertising efforts.
Settlement agreements for Barstool Sportsbook and DraftKings were approved Wednesday by the Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC). The deals include monetary sanctions of $250,000 for Barstool and $500,000 for DK.
The penalties are for violating the state's advertising rules for online sports betting sites.
DraftKings was in the crosshairs of the Ohio sports betting regulator because of advertising that did not contain clear and conspicuous messaging about problem-gambling help, mentioned "free" or "risk-free" promotions that still involved risking real money, and for mailing ads addressed to people under 21.
Barstool's fine was due to a college football show hosted on the University of Toledo's campus in November, during which the online sportsbook was promoted.
“In this matter, we fell short of the mark,” said Chris Soriano, the chief compliance officer for Barstool Sportsbook-owner PENN Entertainment Inc.
So Barstool Sportsbook/Penn Sports Interactive is facing a possible $250,000 fine in Ohio in connection with a Barstool college football show on the University of Toledo's campus in November, according to Ohio Casino Control Commission documents: pic.twitter.com/dntfr01JhN
— Geoff Zochodne (@GeoffZochodne) December 14, 2022
OCCC Chair June Taylor noted there has been a burst of sports betting-related advertising by DraftKings in Ohio (particularly its use of actor and comedian Kevin Hart), where legal sports betting began on January 1. Taylor also pointed out the recent advertising has been noticed by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, who is proposing a tax hike on sportsbook operators in the wake of the early missteps.
“We take very seriously what has occurred,” the chair said during Wednesday’s meeting.
Ohio has quickly become a trend-setter in regulating the sports-betting industry, as multiple fines have been proposed for operators in only a few weeks of authorized event wagering. Wednesday’s settlements are not even the first for the OCCC, which approved a $150,000 advertising-related sanction in January for Caesars Sportsbook.
Sincerely yours
The gravity of the situation may be very apparent to gaming companies. Indeed, Taylor told the representatives of DraftKings that the commission appreciated their “authenticity” and “sincerity” in their dealings with the regulator.
“Because we are committed to our citizens, we’re committed to the transparency that is really needed in order for sports betting to occur safely, and for our citizens to really understand what can occur on the other side of things at times,” Taylor said.
There are more than 15 online sportsbook operators currently taking bets in Ohio, including betPARX, which announced its launch in the Buckeye State on Tuesday.
