Massachusetts Retail Sports Betting Gets Launch Time
- The Massachusetts Gaming Commission has set a launch time for retail sports betting
- Bet types and events to be finalized next week
- Online sports betting still set for early March
Massachusetts sports betting has an official start date and a start time for in-person, retail sportsbook locations.
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) announced today it will launch retail sports betting on Tuesday, Jan. 31, at 10 a.m. The launch time is dependent on regulatory testing and approvals, but will likely be when sports betting begins in the state.
Retail Sports Betting Less Than Two Weeks Away
The state’s three casinos, Plainridge Park Casino, Encore Boston Harbor, and MGM Springfield, will be able to open their retail sportsbooks on Tuesday, Jan. 31, at 10 a.m., two weeks ahead of Super Bowl LVII.
The MGC has issued Category 1 retail sports betting licenses to all three casinos in the last month. Plainridge Park Casino has partnered with Barstool Sportsbook Massachusetts to run its retail facility, Encore Boston Harbor has partnered with WynnBET to run its retail sportsbook, and MGM Springfield has partnered with BetMGM Massachusetts to run its retail sportsbook.
Each sportsbook will undergo a soft launch on Monday, Jan. 30, with only staff and invited guests allowed to place bets at each sportsbook. If everything goes well, a full launch for each sportsbook will then commence on Tuesday, Jan. 31.
Each Massachusetts Gaming Commissioner will attend a different sportsbook’s soft launch event and sign off on the facility if everything passes muster.
Betting Types and Events to Be Voted on
The MGC will vote on a final list of sporting events, bet types, and markets on Tuesday, Jan. 24. The MGC was scheduled to finalize the list today, but Commissioner Nakisha Skinner said she needed a refresher on certain bet types, Commissioner Eileen O’Brien had several questions on event types, and MGC Chair Cathy Judd-Stein agreed that it would be smart to take another few days to make sure all questions were answered before the vote was taken.
The MGC will vote on allowing the following bet and market types:
Vote tabled until Tuesday, Jan. 24.
Discussion on bets being allowed for league awards, individual awards, certain award shows (Oscars, Emmys, Golden Globes, etc.), and lesser known events (competitive eating event) will continue.
These are the proposed wagers/markets pic.twitter.com/dnHNViRnpq
— RLinnehanXL (@RLinnehanXl) January 20, 2023
The MGC will also vote on a list of potential events Massachusetts bettors can wager on. They can be found here:
— RLinnehanXL (@RLinnehanXl) January 20, 2023
Chess, cornhole, e-sports, jai-alai, entertainment award shows, competitive eating events, professional sports drafts, and awards presented to an individual or team that are decided by a vote are currently prohibited in Massachusetts, but the MGC can approve them on an individual basis.
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.
