The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (NJDGE) has fined The Stars Group, owner of PokerStars, $10,000 for accepting wagers on basketball games involving New Jersey college teams.
PokerStars processed 216 bets on the game between Rutgers University Scarlett Knights and the Eastern Michigan University Eagles last November. The bets on the game amounted to $2,657.89.
The operator also processed a single bet on a game between the Monmouth University Hawks and the University of Pennsylvania Quakers in January. The value of this wager was not disclosed.
Although sports betting in New Jersey is legal, state law prohibits sportsbooks in the state from accepting bets on New Jersey college teams, even if the game is played in another state.
As well as being fined $10,000, the largest fine issued to an NJ sportsbook yet, PokerStars has acknowledged that it breached state law and has refunded the bets that were made on both games.
PokerStars is the latest operator to be issued a fine for processing prohibited wagers on New Jersey college teams.
Lawmakers in the Garden State are considering a bill that would increase the fines for sportsbooks that process prohibited wagers.
The bill, titled A 4947, was introduced by Assemblyman Ralph Caputo in February and would set fines between $20,000 and $100,000 for violating the state’s gambling laws.
The bill was initially introduced by Caputo, who was frustrated with the fines that had been issued to sports betting operators in the past.
Last year, Caesars Entertainment Corporation and Golden Nugget Atlantic City were both fined for accepting wagers on New Jersey college games.
Caesars was fined $2,000 for bets placed on a game between the Kansas Jayhawks and Rutgers Scarlet Knights in September, while Golden Nugget was required to forfeit $390 in winnings for bets placed on New Jersey college football games.
The NJDGE has also issued several other fines to gambling operators in the state this year.
Last Month bwin.party, which is owned by GVC Holdings, was fined $81,000 for allowing self-excluded players to continue to gamble on its website.
Rush Street Interactive was also fined $30,000 in January for allowing underage residents to access its online gambling services.
