A total of 29 applications have been submitted to the Massachusetts Gaming Commission as various entities vie to secure one of the online sports betting licences that are up for grabs in the state.
The deadline for prospective entities to respond to a MGC issued survey, a required pre-requisite to operate in the region, was set for 5pm on Monday 17 October. A non-refundable application fee of $200,000 is not due until full applications are submitted. Applicants for sports wagering operator licences are required to submit a completed application by 2pm on Monday 21 November.
The state’s three casinos and two racetracks are entitled to eight online sports betting platforms between them, each of which completed the aforementioned process to proceed with licence receipt.
The former, which are listed as category one applicants, permit the operation of in-person sports betting as well as no more than two skins.
Each operational gaming establishment in the state has submitted, these being Encore Boston Habor, which Wynn Resorts parent boasts the WynnBet digital entity; MGM Springfield, owned by an MGM Resorts that operates online via BetMGM and Plainridge Park Casino, which is a part of the PENN Entertainment stable that occupies space in the digital ecosystem via Barstool.
Category two licensees relate to the operation of sports wagering in person at establishments that either conduct live horse racing or simulcast wagering on horse or greyhound racing.
These are permitted one skin, with application received by the current venues Raynham Park and Suffolk Downs, as well as the proposed Commonwealth Equine and Agricultural Center/Great Meadowbrook Farm.
Furthermore, in addition to these licences tethered to a category one or category two licence, the MGC may also award up to seven untethered category three sports wagering permits
Interested parties to have submitted survey responses include BallyBet, bet365, Betfred, BetMGM, Betr, BetRivers, Betway, BuddyBet, Caesars, ClutchBet, DraftKings, Easywin, Fanatics, FanDuel, Fanlogic, MaximBet, Mohegan Digital, Novibet, Penn Sports Interactive, PointsBet, Underdog, Unibet and WynnBet.
