The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) has joined the ranks of state regulators cracking down on what they deem online sportsbook operators' inappropriate use of “free bet” and “risk-free bet” in their promotional offers.
A notice was sent Friday by Kevin Kile, director of sports wagering operations for the agency, to those running the 14 online sportsbooks in Pennsylvania, which represent about 93% of the legal sports betting done in the state.
His email to operators, which was provided to by the PGCB, read:
At the direction of Executive Director Kevin O'Toole, we would like to request that you revise the promotional terms and conditions AND all applicable advertising to remove references to “free bet,” “risk free bet,” “free play” or any other similar language which infers that a promotional offer is free when it actually is not.