Massachusetts Sportsbooks Commit to Public Discussion on Player Limits

All seven of Massachusetts’ legal sports betting operators will attend a public meeting to discuss player limits, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) has announced. The agreement comes just one month after most of them failed to show up at a roundtable on the same issue.

Commissioner Skinner Skeptical of Operators’ Last-Minute Change of Heart

During an update, MGC officials said the licensed operators — DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbook, ESPN BET, Fanatics Sportsbook and Bally Bet — have committed to an open conversation about player limits.

Last month’s roundtable was meant to address the practice of limiting bettors in Massachusetts, but only Bally Bet showed up. The others requested that it be held in executive session — a closed-door meeting — which the MGC declined. Some commissioners were frustrated by the no-shows and took it as a slight against the panel.

Commissioner Nakisha Skinner voiced her suspicions about why operators are now willing to participate publicly. She called their change of heart into question and wondered aloud if this meeting would be any more transparent than its predecessor. Skinner said she wants it to be substantive and not a mere formality with the sole goal to satisfy the Commission.

Massachusetts Gaming Commission Eyes Transparency in Player Limit Talks

Operators have told interim chair Jordan Maynard they are willing to educate commissioners about player limits. However, some board members remain wary and want to ensure that any forthcoming talks are productive and informative. 

Commissioner Eileen O’Brien suggested this might be better suited as an agenda item during a regular MGC meeting instead of another roundtable, stressing how crucial it is to involve industry experts who attended last time.

A lack of understanding about what goes into limiting players has been a sticking point. It remains unknown why sportsbooks set certain thresholds or how those limitations are lifted if they ever are. DraftKings had said previously its absence from round one was due to the need to protect sensitive business information.

In other news, Bally Bet is preparing to launch its online sportsbook in Massachusetts on June 27. The operator got its initial license in January 2023 but had yet to go live. With the recent approval of its online sports betting house rules by the MGC, Bally Bet is set to join the competitive market shortly.With this important public meeting looming for the MGC and operators alike, the focus will be on ensuring transparency when discussing player limits in sports betting — a topic that is vital to the integrity and fairness of Massachusetts’ wagering landscape.