Six online operators have been approved by Massachusetts to offer mobile betting options in Massachusetts: WynnBet and WynnBet; FanDuel, DraftKings and Barstool; BetMGMGMM and Caesars.
Six months after the signing of House Bill 5164 by Charlie Baker, then-governor, online players are now placing bets with the six licensed Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC), joining the majority of US states who have legalized this activity.
This rollout comes after the launch of retail betting towards the end January. That allowed any land-based operator of a casino or racetrack to apply for licenses.
BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt stated that the Massachusetts debut of sports betting has brought an extraordinary amount of excitement to MGM Springfield’s retail Sportsbook. “We are proud to offer a better-than-average wagering experience in Massachusetts during one of the most exciting months for sports.”
Role for sports fans
Eric Hession, President of Caesars Digital, took the opportunity to thank MGC for allowing Caesars’ online sportsbook expansion to the State. He also highlighted the importance of sports fans in the new system.
He said, “With momentum building in the sports calendar and many Massachusetts teams having extraordinary seasons, it’s an excellent time to offer a new entertainment experience for sports fans in the Commonwealth.”
FanDuel took it one step further, announcing a new partnership to the Boston Bruins ice hockey team on the same day that its online Massachusetts offering was launched.
Mike Raffensperger, chief commercial officer at FanDuel, stated that “Bruins fans embody that passion and they look forward to supporting them this season and beyond.”
Licensing Process
The MGC received fifteen applications to the Category 3 Online Only Sports Betting License prior to the November submission deadline.
These operators included smaller ones such as Jake Paul’s micro-betr startup Betr and Joey Levy’s micro-betr start-up Betr. FanDuel was the largest US operator by revenue.
These included six online licenses that were tied to a land-based licence, three category one licenses and six standalone online only licenses.
The Massachusetts sports betting law allows the regulator to issue seven licenses. There are however more licenses that can be tied to licensed land-based entities.
The state seems to be preparing for a very strict regulatory regime. Online sports betting licensing hearings were some of the most stringent yet.
