The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) has approved a consent agreement imposing a $100,000 fine on BetMGM, LLC after investigators concluded the operator failed to maintain adequate safeguards against fraudulent activity on its BetMGM and Borgata online wagering platforms.
Regulators Cite Weak KYC and Anti‑Fraud Controls
According to the agreement, BetMGM did not have sufficient Know‑Your‑Customer (KYC) and account‑monitoring procedures in place, allowing bad actors to:
- Create and access multiple accounts using stolen personal information
- Fund those accounts with fraudulently obtained or stolen payment devices
The PGCB’s Office of Enforcement Counsel identified four separate fraud rings operating over multi‑year periods:
- 25 months (until Jan. 2024): 1,567 fraudulent accounts; $229,580 in combined wagering
- 34 months (until Nov. 2024): 34 fraudulent accounts; $14,598 in wagering
- 29 months (until Nov. 2023): 119 fraudulent accounts; $895,092 in wagering
- 19 months (until Dec. 2023): 304 fraudulent accounts; $867,910 in wagering
The Board noted that additional details are available in the full consent agreement through its Office of Communications.
PGCB Adds 16 Individuals to Involuntary Exclusion Lists
In separate actions, the Board placed 16 individuals on its various Involuntary Exclusion Lists, which bar listed persons from:
- All Pennsylvania casinos
- All PGCB‑regulated online gambling sites
- All Video Gaming Terminal (VGT) locations
Four Adults Banned for Leaving Minors Unattended
The Board highlighted four cases involving adults who left children alone in vehicles while they gambled:
- A man left an 11‑year‑old in a car for 52 minutes at Hollywood Casino York
- A man left a 5‑year‑old in a car for 17 minutes at Rivers Casino Philadelphia
- A man left a 9‑year‑old in a car for 1 hour and 7 minutes at Rivers Casino Philadelphia
- A man left two minors (ages 7 and 12) in a car for 32 minutes at Parx Casino
The PGCB reiterated that leaving minors unattended at casino properties creates dangerous and potentially life‑threatening situations. To support casino efforts, the Board continues to promote its statewide awareness initiative, “Don’t Gamble with Kids” (DontGamblewithKids.org).
Additional Exclusions
Twelve more individuals were added to the Involuntary Casino Exclusion and/or Involuntary Interactive Exclusion lists for various violations.
With these actions, the PGCB’s exclusion lists now include 1,515 individuals.
