Rece Davis’s Foot in Mouth Sees PENN Sports activities Interactive Fined $15K
- MGC fines PENN $15K for ESPN “risk-free” comment
- Davis’ betting joke violates Massachusetts promoting rules
- PENN held accountable for ESPN BET broadcast language
ESPN anchor Rece Davis has landed PENN Sports activities Interactive (PSI) in bother with playing regulators in Massachusetts due to problematic remarks he made throughout a phase on the community’s long-running “Faculty GameDay.”
Rece Davis, host of ESPN’s “Faculty GameDay,” drew scrutiny from the Massachusetts Gaming Fee after calling a wager “a risk-free funding” on air. (Picture: ESPN/Getty)
The Massachusetts Gaming Fee (MGC) fined PSI, which operates the ESPN Guess sportsbook, $15K for violating the state’s guidelines in opposition to deceptive promoting. That’s after the veteran sports activities broadcaster referred to a playing tip as “a risk-free funding” reside on air.
Dim View
Davis was referring to betting recommendation imparted on March 24, 2024, by ESPN sports activities betting analyst Erin Dolan, who advised that viewers ought to take the beneath on 60.5 whole crew factors for Northwestern College versus UConn in March Insanity.
Some would name this wagering, playing,” marveled Davis. “I feel the best way you bought this … it’s a risk-free funding.”
The wager got here by means of, however that wasn’t the purpose, in line with the MGC, which took a dim view of Davis’ selection of language.
The MGC decided that the phrase breached Massachusetts’ sports activities wagering rules that forbid advertising and marketing language implying bets are freed from danger or assured to succeed. It additionally violated inside ESPN BET Content material Steering that prohibits the usage of phrases like “can’t lose” or “risk-free.”
Davis later took to Twitter to say the remark had been “tongue in cheek.”
“Sports activities are unpredictable,” he added. “Wagering is hard. So let’s comply with handle financial dangers appropriately.”
Digging a Gap
He appeared to make issues worse when he appeared on “The Pat McAfee Present” to make clear that he didn’t apologize for utilizing the phrase.
“I don’t assume anyone thought we had been actually handing out free cash, however perhaps it’s a greater plan of action sooner or later to go along with the outdated ‘David Letterman’ and say that is an exhibition, not a contest, so please no wagering,” Davis mentioned.
The MGC additionally took situation with this and with Davis stating that “the wager received,” which the fee considered as undermining the prohibition on “risk-free” language.
In its ruling, the MGC famous that though the problematic language got here from a broadcast and wasn’t used instantly within the ESPN BET app, PENN is accountable beneath state regulation for all advertising and marketing and promotional content material linked to its sportsbook, no matter who makes it.
The fee’s order emphasised that the violation was severe, significantly as a result of the usage of “risk-free” claims can mislead shoppers concerning the nature of wagering. It additionally expressed dissatisfaction that PENN’s public response lacked urgency or readability.
