We usually hear news about faulty slot machines in land-based casinos, but computer glitches can cause the same problem for legal online casinos.
This is precisely what happened at the DraftKings online casino in Connecticut after a software problem caused 20,000 dead spins in Deal or No Deal Banker’s Bonanza slot.
What Exactly Happened?
It all started with one player, James C., who asked to remain unidentified due to concerns about repercussions in his personal and professional life. James began to play one game at the DraftKings Casino in Connecticut called Deal or No Deal Banker’s Bonanza, a White Hat Gaming slot based on the popular Deal or No Deal TV show that appeared at the casino in August 2023.
He invested 10 cents per spin, the minimum bet in the game, but he won none after almost 70 spins, which already seemed unusual for a slot with a medium variance and a low but decent Return to Player (RTP) of 94.95%.
James eventually clicked the spin button around 400 times, but he stated he knew something was wrong in the first 10 minutes of the experience.
However, James wasn’t the only player who experienced this in the game. Over a single week, as many as 522 players of the licensed Connecticut online casino played the same game and ran into the same issue. Collectively, they turned the reels in the online slot 20,000 times, and not a single of these produced any win.
A glitch affected the title launch. Despite the game’s advertised RTP being nearly 95%, which means that, on average, the slot should return $95 for every $100 invested. This didn’t happen because the glitch set the odds of winning to zero.
DraftKings returned precisely $23,909 to all the users who played the Deal or No Deal Banker’s Bonanza slot but did not explain its reasoning.
Why Was DraftKings Fined?
The casino removed the game, fixed the glitch, and re-released it. However, the brand didn’t notify the state regulator. The game’s developer also didn’t contact the state’s regulator, the Department of Consumer Protection’s Gaming Division.
They did so only a week after the incident when the regulator contacted the company after several players had filed complaints. Among them was James, who recorded a video of his playing sessions in the faulty slot and even complained to his VIP host, a perk he obtained because he wagered around $3 million on the site in three years. After sending the video, DraftKings eventually locked his account and referred him to gambling addiction services.
The CT regulator eventually investigated, uncovering all that happened, and decided to fine DraftKings with $19,000 and White Hat Gaming with $3,500.
DraftKings stated that the glitch was limited to that specific game and only in its CT online casino. The brand also noted that the glitch resulted from a developer error but did not encounter the same problem with other White Hat games.
Both the casino and the developer have agreed to implement greater controls. At the same time, DraftKings is also required by the state’s regulator to regularly send reports on new games to prove the returns are consistently above zero.
Connecticut Gambling Market on the Rise
Connecticut is one of the smallest in the legal online gambling sphere that joined this market in 2021. However, the Connecticut online gambling market has grown significantly since its launch in 2021. The state and its regulator have worked hard to keep the market fully overseen. The industry expanded further in early 2024 when an online lottery system was opened.
The Gaming Division of the Department of Consumer Protection had to double its staff to 62 employees to oversee the online sports betting sites, online casinos, land-based casinos, and the lottery.
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