The Gaming Control Board in Nevada may impose a fine or other disciplinary action against Station Casinos over accepted bets with already known outcomes. This year, the operator reported 167 such bets and the issue was the result of insufficient server memory for the Stadium Live program. Besides this year, the regulator has been notified of such cases in 2018 and 2019.
Nevada Regulator Files Complaint against Station Casinos over Ostensible Sports Bets
Station Casinos may be facing disciplinary action or a fine from the Gaming Control Board in Nevada, according to a complaint filed last week. The regulator filed a complaint about 167 sports bets on events with already known outcomes. Station Casinos reported the issue to the NGCB on March 18 this year. Consequently, the operator took action to refund and effectively void those tickets. As a reason for accepting the bets in the first place, Station Casinos pointed out a “malfunction caused by insufficient server memory for the Stadium Live program.”
“Toleration of such repeated violations constitutes ground for license revocation or other disciplinary action,”
reads NGCB’s complaint
However, in its latest complaint, the regulator noted that the operator already had similar issues with sports wagering bets on events with already known outcomes. This is why the NGCB said that Station was “well aware of prior computer errors related to the Stadium Live program, specifically including insufficient server memory.”
The Board stressed that Station is responsible for any breaches of the rules related to the Stadium Live Program. Thus, the regulator pointed out that repeated violations may result in license revocation or other disciplinary action. Currently, the Board is yet to set a hearing date. This means that the operator may reach a settlement before the hearing date to close the complaint.
Station Previously Had Issues with Insufficient Memory for the Stadium Live Program
In June 2018, Station Casinos accepted money or wrote tickets for approximately 35 bets with already known results. At the time, the operator said that the issue occurred due to insufficient server memory for the Stadium Live program. Consequently, the NGCB issued a regulation violation letter to the operator in August 2018 regarding the ostensible sports bets.
The NGCB revealed that early in January 2019, Station Casinos accepted approximately 116 sports bets for events with already known outcomes. Once again the operator said that the issue was caused by computer errors related to insufficient server memory. Additionally, Station employees confirmed that the errors were a result of server failure and were 100% avoidable. Another violation letter was sent by the Board to Station regarding that occurrence in March 2019.
Again, in March, Station Casinos accepted approximately 30 bets with already determined outcomes. This time, the operator noted that the occurrence was the result of “computer errors related to communication issues between the servers and the Stadium Live program.” In this instance, the NGCB did not send another regulation violation letter but asked for an Order to Show Cause (OSC).
The Board asked Station Casinos why a complaint should not be filed for the continuing issues with accepting bets with known outcomes. A response was then received from Station and in December, the regulator urged the operator to “have redundant monitoring process to ensure it does not accept money or its equivalent ostensibly as a wager upon an event whose outcome has already been determined.” The NGCB explained that that rule applies to third-party wagering programs as well.