The Massachusetts Gaming Commission approved six online MA sports betting operators to launch on the first available day Friday.
The six operators ready for online Massachusetts sports betting launch, which will begin at 10 a.m. ET, are:
The MGC made all six official via separate 5-0 votes at its Thursday meeting.
Next operators for MA sports betting
Betr will join the market some time in April, founder and CEO Joey Levy told LSR.
Fanatics and Bally Bet will go live in May. Betway will come on the scene in the Commonwealth during Q1 2024.
That will give Massachusetts 10 online sports betting operators.
Path to legal MA sports betting
State legislators agreed to a bill compromise on August 1, 2022 at 5 a.m. Ex-Gov. Charlie Baker signed it into law Aug. 10.
After dozens of long and arduous MGC meetings, commissioners finally approved the initial six online operators at 4 p.m. Thursday.
In-person sports betting went live Jan. 31.
Sports betting ads under AG spotlight
Earlier Thursday, the MGC heard from the state attorney general’s office regarding the risks of sportsbook advertising.
The AG’s office laid out five points to the MGC in a nine-page letter:
- The Commission’s regulations on mobile sports wagering must complement consumer protections set forth in other state and federal laws, with which the gaming operators and their vendors must comply, just like every other business in the state.
- No sports wagering marketing or promotion should be targeted at young people under age 21, and the Commission’s regulations should be strengthened to achieve this important goal.
- To avoid inundating those suffering from or believed to be at risk of gambling addiction with repeated invitations to wager, the Commission must carefully scrutinize app design to prevent addictive elements and strictly limit the ability of gaming operators and their marketing partners to target those vulnerable populations with online advertising or communications.
- The Commission should strictly limit—and, in certain circumstances, outright prohibit—the potentially deceptive use of “experts” or “insiders” paid by operators and promotions that distort the gaming experience and its risks and benefits.
- The Commission should require gaming operators to use their extensive data about customer behavior to identify and intervene with problem gamblers to direct them toward appropriate supports and assistance.
FanDuel MA ads pulled
According to PlayMA, three FanDuel ads potentially violated Massachusetts ad regulations.
Heather Hall, chief enforcement counsel for the MGC, said that a pair of commercials that referenced “iGaming” and “free bets” have been pulled. Online casino gaming is not legal in Massachusetts, which also does not allow the term free bets.
Another commercial that references credit cards and prepaid cards will be pulled. Massachusetts prohibits the use of credit cards to fund accounts.
“We have been in communication with (FanDuel),” Hall said, according to PlayMA. “They have been very responsive to our inquiries.”
The Investigations and Enforcement Bureau will look into the matter.
Encore college violation
IEB also conducted a review into the infractions by Encore Boston Harbor (WynnBet Sportsbook), which offered a pair of Boston College women’s basketball games in February.
Vendor GAN reported that “Boston College Eagles Women” was not on their exclusion list. Combined, there were seven wagers on the games totaling $213 over six hours.
Encore Boston Harbor self-reported the incident.
