PrizePicks has hired former Massachusetts Gaming Commission General Counsel Todd Grossman as its Director of Gaming Regulatory Compliance, the company announced Tuesday.
PrizePicks brings in one of the top Massachusetts gaming regulators into the fold at a time when pick’em daily fantasy sports face scrutiny across the country, most recently in California.
PrizePicks focuses on public policy
Grossman spent over a decade at the MGC, most recently serving as both General Counsel and Interim Executive Director. During that time, he helped build the state’s regulatory frameworks for casino gambling, horse racing and sports wagering.
Grossman will be responsible for managing PrizePicks’ compliance strategy across jurisdictions as the Atlanta-based company continues its national expansion, according to a press release. He’ll focus on oversight, licensing, and public policy, areas he worked in closely while at the MGC and earlier in his career at the Massachusetts Department of Public Safety and State Athletic Commission.
“We’re committed to doing things the right way while pushing innovation in this dynamic space,” Grossman wrote Tuesday on LinkedIn, calling the move to PrizePicks a continuation of his public service mission.
Grossman’s history with PrizePicks in Massachusetts
Grossman’s hire comes a year after the Massachusetts attorney general’s office said it was preparing potential legal action against PrizePicks and similar operators.
In a public meeting, First Assistant Attorney General Pat Moore told the commission that the office was ready to send cease-and-desist letters to daily fantasy operators it viewed as noncompliant. At the time, Grossman, speaking as MGC interim executive director, acknowledged the regulatory uncertainty around fantasy pick’em games.
PrizePicks, which is registered as a fantasy sports operator in Massachusetts and has paid taxes in the state since 2022, pushed back on the comments from state officials. The company noted that it has corrected what it sees as “misinformation spread by competitor lobbyists” in other states and hoped that would be the case in Massachusetts.
Country-wide compliance push
Grossman’s hire follows a series of efforts by PrizePicks to bolster its public policy and compliance credentials. In March, the company became the first DFS operator to receive iCAP certification, a responsible gaming standard from the National Council on Problem Gambling.
Several states have moved to restrict or ban pick’em-style fantasy contest, leading operators to pull out of markets like New York and Florida over the past several years. In response, companies like PrizePicks have sought to more formally engage with regulators and lawmakers as part of long-term licensure efforts.
Meanwhile PrizePicks continues to operate in California despite an opinion from the Attorney General that classifies its games as illegal. The company switched to its peer-to-peer DFS model in the state shortly before the announcement.
Grossman is not the first significant hiring from the gaming industry to join the ranks of companies navigating legal uncertainty in the gaming space. Earlier this year, event contract exchange Kalshi brought on former American Gaming Association executive Sara Slane as its head of corporate development.
