UPDATED: Betr No Longer Launching in Massachusetts on March 10
- Betr will not launch on Friday, March 10, as previously planned
- Massachusetts Gaming Commission Chair Cathy Judd-Stein mentioned the update during today’s commission meeting
- Six operators will be ready for Massachusetts online sports betting start
Only six operators will be ready to go on Friday, March 10, at 10 a.m. for the Massachusetts online sports betting launch.
Massachusetts Gaming Commission Chair Cathy Judd-Stein revealed the news during today’s MGC meeting. No additional details about the change in plans were provided.
Down to Six Operators for MA Online Sports Betting Launch
Betr, the micro-betting sports operator, had originally planned to be ready for the commonwealth’s upcoming Friday launch. Now only six sportsbook operators will be ready to go for Friday’s 10 a.m. online sports betting start.
Betr is still expected to launch in the commonwealth. Here is the operator’s official statement on the delay:
“At Betr, it is our priority to give our users the best possible experience while using our app. As we continue to work to ensure we can deliver that in Massachusetts, we now plan on launching sometime over the next month, rather than this Friday. We want to thank the Massachusetts Gaming Commission for all of their hard work and collaboration. This is an important milestone for us and we can’t wait to bring our differentiated product experience to sports fans throughout the state.”
The following operators are expected to launch on March 10:
Fanatics, BallyBet, and Betway have all received temporary online sports betting licenses from the MGC, but have noted they will not be ready to launch by the start date. Fanatics and BallyBet have both acknowledged they’ll likely be ready to launch by May, while Betway will likely not launch until Q1 2024.
The March 10 start date will allow the commonwealth to begin taking bets before the men and women’s NCAA basketball tournaments begin on Tuesday, March 14.
Regulations to Void Bets Discussed
Commissioner Eileen O’Brien asked the MGC to revise or add language to house rules regarding online sports betting operators ability to void wagers “placed with incorrect odds.”
O’Brien questioned the level of discretion given to sportsbook operators for their ability to void bets that were placed on event with incorrect odds. If an operator offers a wager with incorrect odds, and a consumer accepts it, they should not be able to void the wager, she noted.
“I think of other circumstances in commerce, if you make an offer by mistake, you are bound by the offer if the consumer accepts it,” she said.
Putting the onus on consumers to know if an event has incorrect odds “might be expecting and demanding a level of sophistication on the part of the consumer that I don’t necessarily think is appropriate.”
Her MGC brethren supported her concerns. No official action was take, but the MGC’s legal division was directed to investigate several solutions and present them during tomorrow’s commission meeting.
Rob covers all regulatory developments in online gambling. He specializes in US sports betting news along with casino regulation news as one of the most trusted sources in the country.
