Connecticut fined DraftKings and another gambling company, White Hat Gaming, a total of $22,500 for significant regulatory action. The fine was imposed due to operational issues with the online slot machine game "Bonanza of Deal or No Deal Banker," which did not pay winners on more than 20,600 spins during the week of August 2023.

Outline of events:

The game, which advertised the return of nearly 95 cents (RTP) for every dollar earned, did not award 522 Connecticut players who earned nearly $24,000 in total from Aug. 15 to Aug. 21. According to a report from the Connecticut Consumer Protection Agency (DCP), "It was virtually impossible for any of the Connecticut sponsors to win a game for seven days while they were playing live on the game platform," pointing to serious errors in the game's function and its director.

Neither DraftKings nor White Hat Gaming informed the Consumer Protection Bureau of the malfunction until the Consumer Protection Department requested information after the consumer complaint, according to a report by DCP, which was initially detailed by CT Insider News media. This immediate reporting failure occurred despite an internal investigation by White Hat Gaming, which quickly identified problems with the game software and found that the file did not load properly. The game was later released again on Aug. 22 after necessary modifications were made.

The issue first came to light on Aug. 16 when a player suggested there was a difference in the "Return to Player" (RTP) rate after performing "hundreds of spins" without a single victory for DraftKings. Nonetheless, a DraftKings official initially replied, "I understand how frustrating it can be when you don't achieve a win. But all casino games are played at random, regardless of the player or duration of play."

After further complaints, another DraftKings representative reassured other players that the platform was being regulated and monitored for fairness, and advised them on how to "self-regulate" players' play by setting betting limits. Only after several complaints and internally discovering RTP setup issues did DraftKings and White Hat Gaming take corrective action. 카지노사이트 모음

Agreements and Fines:

By January, White Hat had agreed to pay a $3,500 fine to the DCP to settle charges related to running the game at 0% RTP, violating state regulations and failing to meet reporting obligations. DraftKings then agreed to pay $19,000 in April.

"Draft Kings' response to consumer complaints has not been satisfactory," said Caitlin Kraselt, a spokeswoman for DCP, according to a CNBC report, highlighting the importance of regulatory oversight. And as a result of the DCP investigation, [Draft Kings] has been instructed to strengthen internal control of its products, submit regular reports on new games to the DCP, and improve the consumer complaint process. She added that the case "is a good example that might not have been taken seriously by the time the investigator intervened if we hadn't intervened."

A DraftKings spokesperson highlighted the company's efforts in customer satisfaction and product integrity, allowing refunds to all affected customers immediately if any issues are found. Meanwhile, a statement from WhiteHat Studios, an affiliate of WhiteHat Gaming, reiterated its efforts to provide a fair and transparent gaming experience, noting that the incident was one-off and that affected players received a full refund from DraftKings.