Massachusetts sports betting: more than 40 companies notify regulators of interest in applying for licenses

As announced Thursday by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, 42 entities - including casino operators such as MGM Resorts International (MGM Springfield) and sports betting operators such as industry giants FanDuel and DraftKings - have officially expressed interest in applying for a sports betting license in the state.

The Commission had set up a Wednesday, August 31 deadline for companies to file "notices of intent" for the licenses, as it tries to work out procedures and rules for running upcoming new industry. More than 40 brands are now on the list of potential operators. However, this does not guarantee them a license under the new law, which makes betting on college and pro games legal in the Commonwealth.

MGM Springfield and the state’s other two casinos - Plainridge Park Casino and Encore Boston Harbor - are all among the potential applicants. Along with simulcasting locations Suffolk Downs and Raynham Park, the five retail locations took part in a roundtable discussion last month with state regulators on their plans for sports betting.

The new sports betting law calls for licenses under three categories:

• Category one pertains to the three casino and slot parlor operators, permitting them to offer in-person wagering and digital betting through no more than two individually-branded mobile applications.
• Category two covers live horse racing tracks and simulcasting facilities, allowing them to conduct in-person betting and digital gaming through no more than one individually-branded mobile application or platform.
• Category three allows for up to seven licenses to be granted to companies that offer sports betting through a mobile application or digital platform. 

In addition to the retail gaming venues, companies filing notices of intent also included well-known sportsbook operators such as Caesars Sportsbook, Bally’s Interactive, Rush Street Interactive, and PointsBet, in addition to the already named DraftKings and FanDuel.

The bid for the category three digital licenses is expected to turn into a competitive process, given more than the stipulated operators are forecasted to apply. It is also expected that the state regulator will hold a separate roundtable with companies interested in this sort of license as well. 

The Commission is now tasked with identifying over 200 potential regulations, adopting industry-recognized standards, setting up a process to investigate and license applicants, hiring a sports wagering chief and scheduling public meetings.

The final number of applicants is notably up from the 12 parties that were first announced on August 26, which would seemingly indicate that many stakeholders rushed to apply at the last minute. Other applicants include Barstool Sportsbook, Hard Rock Digital 888 (likely SI Sportsbook), BetFred, Bet365, Unibet, Resorts World Bet, among others. Find the full list here.

A complex regulatory road is now ahead, with the gaming commission scheduled to provide an update on that process at the next meeting, on Sept. 8, reports Mass Live.  Companies that apply for one of the seven digital wagering licenses are also expected to undergo complex applications, based on the process casinos went through when they were first set up in the Bay State.