Massachusetts Online Sports Betting Is Now Live

• The Massachusetts Gaming Commission awarded certificates of operation to six Massachusetts sports betting apps
• FanDuel, DraftKings, Caesars Sportsbook, Barstool Sportsbook, WynnBET, and BetMGM are now live in the Commonwealth
• BallyBet, Fanatics, Betr will likely launch in next two months

It’s been a long eight months, but six Massachusetts sports betting apps are now live in the Commonwealth.

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission awarded certificates of operation to BetMGM MA, DraftKings MA, WynnBET MA, FanDuel MA, Caesars Sportsbook MA, and Barstool Sportsbook MA. All six of these sports betting operators have successfully launched and are now taking bets in the state.

BallyBet, Betr, Betway, and Fanatics Also on the Way

The launch of six online sports betting operators in Massachusetts this morning at 10 a.m. was the culmination of nearly eight months of work.

Massachusetts Gaming Commissioner Chair Cathy Judd-Stein said the commission publicly met more than 80 times since Gov. Charlie Baker (D) signed an act legalizing sports betting on Aug. 12, 2022. The meetings averaged between five to six hours each, she said.

Each operator went through an extensive licensing process to be able to launch today. While these six have launched, Betr, Fanatics, Betway, and BallyBet were also awarded temporary online sports betting licenses by the MGC.

Betr, the micro-betting sports operator,  originally planned to launch today, but Judd-Stein notified the public at Wednesday’s MGC meeting that Betr would not be ready to go.

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.”

Fanatics and BallyBet have both acknowledged they’ll likely be ready to launch by May, while Betway will likely not launch until Q1 2024.

Operators Must Notify MGC of Voided Bets

In addition to awarding certificates of operation yesterday, the MGC approved a waiver requiring the commission to approve any wagers the sports betting operators were looking to void or cancel.  Earlier in the week, Commissioner Eileen O’Brien asked the MGC to revise or add language to the 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.

Operators will not be allowed to void bets due to a material change in circumstances or an “obvious error” without prior approval from the MGC. An obvious error, for example, is a wager placed with incorrect odds or by human error.

FanDuel Under the Microscope for Advertisements

O’Brien also brought to attention three FanDuel advertisements that were run in in the Commonwealth that allegedly violated the commission’s regulations for sports betting advertisements. The three advertisements in question contained references to either iGaming, free bets, or being able to fund accounts with credit cards or prepaid cards, all of which are against regulations.

The violations were not self-reported by FanDuel, she said.

“For me, I want this brought up in front of us for some sort of action To me, right out of the gates they’re talking about free bets, iGaming, and implying you could use a credit or prepaid card…it’s a myriad of violation all happening right at launch,” O’Brien said.

No official action was taken against FanDuel at the meeting. The commissioners requested copies of the advertisements while the Investigations and Enforcement Bureau moves ahead with its investigation of the marketing materials.

If you or a loved one has questions and needs to talk to a professional about gambling, call the Massachusetts Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org to speak with a trained specialist to receive support. Specialists are available 24/7. Services are available in multiple languages and are free and confidential.

21+ and present in participating states. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.