On February 20, 2024, Governor Maura Healey along with Massachusetts Gaming Commission Chair Cathy Judd-Stein announced that Judd-Stein would be completing her role as chair of the Commission, concluding her commitment to serve a full term as chair and decades of public service to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Chair Judd-Stein’s last day with the Commission will be March 21, 2024.  

In a press release from her office, Governor Healey detailed Judd-Stein’s accomplishments and noted that in her over five years as Chair of the Commission, Judd-Stein led an agency that mirrored her commitment to transparency and fairness while ensuring rigorous regulation of the Massachusetts casino, horse racing, and sports wagering industries.  

During her tenure, Judd-Stein navigated the complex review and resolution of Wynn Resorts’ suitability, which imposed historic corrective measures. She guided the Massachusetts casino industry through the uncertainty of COVID-19 with a focus on employee and patron safety, encouraging important collaboration with public health officials and the licensed casino facilities. She championed public meetings and roundtables where issues would be discussed and decided in public view that supported the launch of the legal sports wagering industry in Massachusetts in just six months. Judd-Stein’s commitment to consumer protections and responsible gaming can be seen in the policies of the Commission and the standards to which the operators are held. To date, legal and regulated sports wagering has generated nearly $108 million in revenue for the Commonwealth and worked to drive business away from the illicit black market. 

Judd-Stein noted the pride she felt in the accomplishments the Commission was able to count, and pointed to the staff, current and former, in reflecting on her time in the role of Chair. This focus has been common for Judd-Stein who was recently profiled by Gambling Insider Magazine where she was quoted as saying, in part, that her favorite aspect of being Chair is working with the team, especially the younger and newer members, who have had an opportunity for growth and been trusted with important roles.  “We have a great team. They have really good mentors and superiors,” Judd-Stein said in the profile, which notes “she beams” when discussing the MGC staff.  

“It is with immense pride and unwavering optimism that I conclude my time as Chair of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission,” Judd-Stein said. “Since 2019, I’ve worked alongside creative, committed, and generous colleagues, including my fellow commissioners and the dedicated team responsible for making the MGC run well. I am proud of the work we accomplished together – the hard decisions, the important research, the best-in-class policies, and standing up a new industry in Massachusetts as sports wagering was legalized. I would like to thank Governor Baker for appointing me to this role as well as the support Governor Healey has provided over the past year.” 

Over the next few weeks, she has no intention of slowing down as she mentions work she still must tackle and the Commission’s always-busy agenda.  

“I know that I’m leaving the Commission in a solid place with great people who will continue to carry out our responsibilities, prioritizing integrity, the health and welfare of those who choose to gamble, and the Commonwealth’s best interests. I am committed to doing my part until my final day on the job,” she said.