Sports betting and online gaming operator BetMGM announced Wednesday the company has learned that certain patron records were obtained in an unauthorized manner. The number of users affected was not specified.
The issue affected personal information of some customers such as name, contact information, date of birth, hashed Social Security number, account identifiers (such as player ID and screen name) and information related to transactions with BetMGM. The affected information varied by patron.
The company says it promptly launched an investigation after learning of the matter, and has been working “with leading security experts” to determine the nature and scope of the issue, according to a press release.
BetMGM became aware of the matter on November 28, and believes the issue occurred in May. The company “has no evidence that patron passwords or account funds were accessed in connection with the issue,” as its online operations were not compromised.
Adam Greenblatt, CEO of BetMGM, assured that the company is “taking this matter very seriously” and that it is working quickly to investigate it. “The security of our platform and our patrons’ data is a top priority for BetMGM,” he said. “We regret any inconvenience this may cause.”
It is recommended that patrons remain alert for any suspicious activity or unsolicited communications regarding their personal information. The company has arranged to offer affected customers credit monitoring and identity restoration services for two years at no cost to them. Furthermore, BetMGM is coordinating with law enforcement and “taking steps to further enhance its security.”
This isn’t the only problem BetMGM has encountered as of late. Also this month, it was announced the operator will pay the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission a record fine of $146,000 to settle alleged violations of the Sports Wagering Law, the largest consent agreement the commission has ever approved. According to the regulator, the company took wagers before it was officially authorized to do so.
On November 16, BetMGM accepted mobile wagers before the company was granted a Maryland license. There were 146 mobile wagers made over three hours after a mistaken change in the configuration of the beta website allowed people to bet online prematurely.
Each of the gamblers had their bids voided and their money returned, with the exception of one person who had already withdrawn their winnings. The commission voted to approve the agreement on the fine in a meeting Thursday.
Original article: https://www.yogonet.com/international/news/2022/12/21/65492-betmgm-notifies-breaches-in-personal-information-affecting-some-of-its-patrons
