DraftKings Fined $20K in Connecticut Due to Online Slot Glitch

There’s an old saying that goes “the house always wins,” and while that may be the case for some card games, slots usually operate in a different manner. Land-based and online slot games offer different return-to-player (RTP) rates.

Generally speaking, a slot is fair considering that it pays a specific percentage on each dollar spent, for example, an RTP of 95% corresponds to a $0.95 return to the player on $1. While licensed operators are obligated to comply with specific RTP rates, ensuring that their games are fair, glitches may sometimes result in heavy losses for gamblers.

This is precisely the case of hundreds of DraftKings customers in Connecticut who accumulated thousands of spins on an online slot game but received nothing in return. This week, CT Insider revealed details regarding the peculiar case that involved players who amassed 20,000 spins and zero wins.

The game in question, White Hat Gaming’s Deal or No Deal Banker’s Bonanza, was launched by DraftKings’ online casino to customers in Connecticut last August. In one week, a total of 522 online players in the state tried their luck at the new online slot. But after the losses started to pile up, many contacted DraftKings and complained about not having a single win.

Some of the gamblers claimed that their complaints with the iGaming provider were dismissed, which saw them turn to the state’s gambling regulator, the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection’s (DCP) Gaming Division. The gamblers, who experienced a cold streak unlike anything else seen before, complained to the regulator and even sent videos of the slot game which showed no wins despite spin after spin.

Two Fines Issued Following the Slot Glitch

While the gambling regulator looked into the issue, so did DraftKings. A week later, the operator returned a total of $23,909, effectively refunding all players who played the game.

The operator acknowledged that a glitch in the game itself related to its launch in Connecticut effectively changed the RTP from approximately 95% to 0%. This way, it was impossible for the slot game to produce a win.

Despite the refund completed by DraftKings, the gambling regulator took action against the licensee. As a result, earlier this year, the operator reached a settlement with the regulatory watchdog, agreeing to pay a $19,000 fine.

The regulatory action made it mandatory for DraftKings to send reports to the DCP whenever new games are being launched. In those reports, the operator must reveal the RTP rate of each game and highlight that this rate is not zero.

Moreover, the company agreed to contact the gambling regulator immediately in the event of further issues related to its gaming offering in Connecticut. DraftKings explained that the glitch was the result of an error on behalf of White Hat Gaming, the developer of the game. Considering the situation, the regulator imposed a $3,500 fine against the iGaming developer as well.

DraftKings Reaffirms Commitment to Customer Satisfaction and Integrity

A spokesperson for the leading gaming and betting company reaffirmed its dedication to integrity and customer satisfaction. The spokesperson explained that those goals are central to DraftKings’ success. “We have robust measures to monitor potential payout issues, and we investigate any concerns promptly,” added the representative. The same spokesperson acknowledged the importance of addressing game-related issues and revealed that the company acts swiftly to resolve them and “ensure impacted customers are appropriately refunded.”

The spokesperson added: “The issue in Connecticut arose from an error on the game developer’s side. We identified a possible issue within 48 hours of launch and immediately escalated it for investigation. All impacted customers were fully refunded within days of concluding there was an issue, and we have not encountered any similar issues with this vendor.”

It’s important to note that once the aforementioned issue was resolved, no complaints have been filed against the company in Connecticut.