Published on: August 19, 2025, 09:25h.
Updated on: August 19, 2025, 09:49h.
- Evolution Gaming faces penalties in New Jersey
- Improper card dealing and roulette minimums not met
- Fanatics Sportsbook receives fines as well
Both Evolution Gaming and Fanatics Sportsbook have incurred fines in New Jersey due to regulatory breaches.
The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) has announced that Evolution New Jersey, LLC, operating as Evolution, consented to pay a $12,000 fine due to regulatory discrepancies at two of its live dealer studios in Atlantic City.
The DGE revealed that Evolution was found in violation of New Jersey’s iGaming regulations during four different incidents occurring between June 2021 and September 2023. The company voluntarily reported these incidents.
Evolution’s Regulatory Incidents
A summary from the DGE indicates that in June 2021, an Evolution dealer at the Hard Rock studio dealt incorrect cards in blackjack by neglecting to deal a card to themselves during the first round.
In January 2023, a table game from Evolution displayed misleading felt lettering that stated “Dealer Must Stand on 17,” instead of the correct phrasing “Dealer Must Hit Soft 17.” A soft 17 refers to a hand where the dealer has an ace and a total that can count as either 1 or 11.
During March 2023, several Evolution dealers operating online roulette were unable to spin the wheel adequately to allow the ball to complete the necessary four revolutions before settling in a slot. Additionally, in September 2023, one dealer dealt over 400 rounds of blackjack using a deck that was short of five cards.
The failures of Evolution’s dealers and management to administer proper game dealing led to multiple regulatory infractions,” stated Mary Jo Flaherty, Interim Director of the New Jersey DGE.
Flaherty took over as interim director following the retirement of longtime DGE Director David Rebuck, who managed the agency for nearly 13 years.
As a leading provider of live dealer games for iGaming platforms, Evolution operates live-table studios in Atlantic City at Hard Rock, Ocean Casino, and Tropicana. Its games are distributed via online platforms such as DraftKings, Fanatics, Golden Nugget, BetMGM, Caesars Palace, BetRivers, and bet365.
Evolution is planning a significant investment of $75 million to establish a new live-dealer studio complex in Atlantic City, which will replace its current operations within casinos. The new facility is set to be located at 2301 Fairmont Avenue.
Fanatics Also Fined
In related news from the DGE, FBG Enterprises Opco, LLC, operating as Fanatics Betting and Gaming, was fined $55,000 for “multiple infractions of the Sports Wagering Act.
The announcement did not detail the specific violations concerning the Fanatics Sportsbook. Fanatics operates a physical sportsbook at Ocean Casino Resort and is licensed for online wagering through a partnership with Bally’s.
Leader in Online Gaming
New Jersey remains one of only seven states in the U.S. with licensed iGaming and sports betting, and it leads the country in online gaming revenues.
In 2024, the iGaming revenue for New Jersey reached $2.38 billion. Sports betting brought in over $1 billion, resulting in a total online revenue of around $3.4 billion.
Following New Jersey, Pennsylvania generated iGaming revenues of $2.18 billion and online sports betting profits of nearly $500 million. Michigan ranked third, amassing a total of $1.93 billion from iGaming and online sports betting combined.
Other states offering legal online casinos and sportsbooks include Connecticut, Delaware, Rhode Island, and West Virginia.