The Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) has dismissed an appeal from sports bettor Kevin O’Brien, who sought a $1,008 reimbursement after claiming a malfunction within the Caesars Sportsbook mobile application placed unauthorised wagers on his behalf.
The ruling serves as a reminder to sports bettors that disputed wagers are unlikely to be overturned after the outcome of an event has been determined, particularly where regulators find insufficient evidence of a technical fault.
O’Brien argued that two parlay wagers were generated through the William Hill wagering platform, now operated under Caesars Sportsbook, without his knowledge or consent. The bets, placed in January, included a $999 five-leg super parlay with a potential return of more than $9,200.
According to the NGCB’s report, O’Brien maintained that the wager sizes were inconsistent with his usual betting behaviour, claiming his average stake was typically around $20. However, Caesars estimated his average wager to be closer to $45.
During the investigation, NGCB engineer Amanda Sou testified that geolocation data confirmed O’Brien’s iPhone was located at the Peppermill Hotel & Casino when the wagers were placed. O’Brien acknowledged being at the venue but denied using the Caesars Sportsbook app at the time.
Investigators also found no evidence of account compromise or unauthorised access, noting that no additional wagers were placed during the 37-minute period in which O’Brien was logged into his account.
After reviewing the available evidence, the Nevada Gaming Control Board rejected the appeal, concluding there was insufficient proof that a software malfunction or system error had caused the disputed wagers.
The decision highlights the importance of bettors regularly monitoring their sportsbook accounts and reporting any suspected irregularities immediately, rather than waiting until after wagers have been settled. For operators, the case also underlines the growing importance of robust geolocation, account security and transaction logging as regulators continue to scrutinise sportsbook technology and customer disputes.
