What You Need To Know

• The Division of Licensing issues licenses to vendors and individuals that intend to do business with the Gaming Companies in the Commonwealth.
• Every casino employee and gaming vendor must be licensed or registered by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission prior to commencing employment or conducting business at a gaming establishment in Massachusetts.
• Licenses or registrations are required to ensure that those involved with the expanded gaming industry meet the statutory requirements of good character, honesty and integrity by clear and convincing evidence.

About the Division of Licensing

The Division of Licensing issues licenses to vendors and individuals that intend to do business with the Gaming Companies in the Commonwealth.  Working in conjunction with the Commission’s Investigations and Enforcement Bureau (IEB), the Division of Licensing will issue different types of licenses to gaming employees, gaming vendors and non-gaming vendors.

The Gaming Act requires the licensing of all casino applicants, gaming employees of casinos and gaming vendors, and the qualification of directors and officers of gaming vendors. In some cases, non-gaming vendors also must be licensed as gaming vendors. These licenses allow companies and people to do responsible business with and within the gaming industry. After the initial licensing, gaming licenses, such as those given to casinos and slot parlors, must be renewed every three years. The commission determines employee license lengths. However, even those must be periodically renewed.

It is up to the division to administrate these licensing functions, which include: the receipt, control, follow-up and licensing or other disposition of applications for licensing and registration. In order to complete this arduous task, the Division of Licensing works closely with all applicants in order to make the process as expedient as possible.

During FY14, the division promulgated regulations that govern the application process for employees of a gaming establishment and vendors who will be providing goods or services to a gaming establishment (205 CMR 134.00).  The regulations define thresholds for license or registration, the forms be filed, licensing standards that must be met by applicants for licensure or registration, and how licensure will be determined.  Applicants have the right to request a hearing in the event an application is denied.

The Licensing Process

The division created and developed procedures and forms for the submission, review, and acceptance of licensing applications.  These documents are required of individuals and vendors applying for the different licenses.

The types of licenses are: Key Employee, Gaming Employee, Gaming Service Employee, Gaming Vendor Primary, Gaming Vendor Secondary, Non-Gaming Vendor, and Gaming School Certification.

Upon the determination of completeness these applications are forwarded to IEB so that a probity investigation may be conducted to determine suitability for licensure.  Upon determination of suitability, the IEB recommendation is forwarded to the Division of Licensing for the issuance of a license credential or a certification indicating that suitability has been met.

The Division of Licensing has developed an online Licensing Management System (LMS). The LMS allows for the electronic filing of an application for licensure or registration by a vendor or an employee and eliminate paper applications to enhance Commission efficiency and license applicant convenience.

In future phases of development, the LMS will allow for the electronic filing of applications for racing licensing, certification of gaming schools, tracking of self-exclusion, tracking of reports used to determine compliance with established regulations or conditions of licensing, as well as tracking of excluded individuals.