DraftKings rapped by Ohio Gaming Commission over advertisement

Ohio has launched sports gambling, and this is huge news, with betting in the Buckeye State now live for its millions of sports fans. However, not everyone is having it easy. The onslaught of betting advertisements has caused a few operators to allegedly make a faux pas here and there, among which is DraftKings Sportsbook.

The operator could now face a $350,000 fine by the Ohio Casino Control Commission, which confirmed the news on Friday cited by Cleveland.com, a local media outlet. Essentially, the commission has taken issue with the way DraftKings promoted its products as the company may have inadvertently sent gambling ads via email to individuals who are not of the legal gambling age in the state, set at 21.

Instead of slapping a fine outright, though, the commission first wants to hear DraftKings’ side of the story, which means that the matter will be discussed as a part of an official meeting. Any enforcement action by the commission will be delayed until such a time that a hearing has been held and a verdict – reached.

The commission stipulates that DraftKings ended up emailing ads for its upcoming sports betting app product back in November. The regulator estimates that some 2,500 of these ads were addressed to people who were under the legal gambling age in the state. A total of 150,000 people were mailed.

Ohio Casino Control Commission Executive Director Matt Schuler said that the regulator upheld the strictest possible rules when it comes to gambling and expected all participants to also recognize those rules and their importance.

Sports gambling advertising remains a priority and compliance should not falter, Schuler said, adding that the commission was disappointed with the cases where a lack of compliance had been established.

"While we do not take administrative action lightly, DraftKings’ conduct, in this case, warrants the commission’s intervention to ensure the integrity of sports gaming," Schuler concluded sternly. Ohio’s gambling start is off to a flying start, admittedly, but this doesn’t mean that the Ohio Casino Control Commission had it easy.

The commission previously had to intervene in a case involving Barstool Sports that had to do with an event the operator held at the University of Toledo. According to the regulator, the Penn Entertainment-owned entity had promoted gambling on the premises of an institution of higher learning.

We are some time off before the first results from the gambling industry arrive with the public, but Ohio, despite a few misfires, is off to a great start in its gambling industry. Enforcement action is a natural part of the regulated market and is designed to keep consumers and business operations safe and sustainable.

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