Nevada Regulators Seek New Rules to Combat Sports Betting Fraud
The Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) is actively preparing to adjust the state’s sports betting rules in direct response to recent high-profile scandals. The primary goal is to safeguard both consumers and sportsbooks from organized fraud schemes. These schemes rely on deliberate player underperformance or the leak of non-public information to manipulate specific bets.
Control Board members have been seeking guidance from licensing applicants on how to prevent fraud tied to intentional poor performance, especially regarding proposition bets (prop bets). This action follows the federal indictments of current and former NBA players and coaches involved in illegal betting, as well as the UFC incident involving Isaac Dulgarian.
Focus on Proposition Bets and Player Underperformance
The recent scandals have highlighted the vulnerability of prop bets, which involve wagers on specific in-game events, such as a player’s points, rebounds, or missed free throws. The NGCB is focused on creating regulations that address scenarios where players or officials might intentionally change a result to help bettors win thousands of dollars.
Joe Asher, CEO of Boomer’s Sportsbook, whose license was being reviewed, cautioned against an outright ban on prop bets. Asher argued that prohibiting these popular wagers would simply push bettors onto the black market or unregulated platforms. However, he noted that regulation is necessary to ensure all Nevada operators follow the same standards and rules, creating consistency in betting offerings.
Licensing and Industry Cooperation
During a licensing hearing, the NGCB unanimously recommended approval for William Hill to operate at Virgin Hotels. Dan Shapiro of Caesars Digital, overseeing William Hill, informed the board that the operator instructs employees to immediately notify the Control Board when they discover suspicious betting patterns.
The board also unanimously recommended conditional license approval for Boomer’s Sportsbook at Ojos Locos, despite earlier accounting concerns regarding the Ojos Locos management. The final approval for both licenses by the Nevada Gaming Commission is scheduled for November 20. These actions demonstrate the NGCB’s commitment to tightening regulatory oversight and ensuring industry cooperation as it works to protect the integrity of the betting system.
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