MGC to hold Public Meetings on Tethered Category 3 Sports Wagering License Applications

WHO:                  Members of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission including Chair Cathy Judd-Stein and Commissioners Brad Hill, Jordan Maynard, Eileen O’Brien, and Nakisha Skinner

WHAT:                The MGC will hold public meetings on Tuesday, December 13, Wednesday, December 14, and Monday, December 19, 2022 through Tuesday December 20, 2022.

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission will hold public meetings this week and next week regarding applications for Tethered Category 3 Sports Wagering Licenses. Those events will be held at 10 a.m. each morning of the above dates.

Each public meeting is expected to cover one or more applications for Category 3 Sports Wagering Licenses tethered to a Category 1 Licensee or Applicant.

Tuesday’s meeting will cover WynnBET and Caesars Entertainment Inc.’s applications. Those two entities are seeking to be Category 3 Licensees tethered to Encore Boston Harbor, which was awarded a Category 1 Sports Wagering License last week.

Wednesday’s meeting will begin with a resumption on the discussion regarding MGM Springfield’s application for a Category 1 Sports Wagering License. Following that, the Commission will discuss BetMGM’s application for a Category 3 Sports Wagering License tethered to MGM Springfield.

The meeting scheduled for Monday December 19 will start with the Commission picking back up their discussion on Plainridge Park Casino’s application for a Category 1 Sports Wagering License. After that portion, the Commission is set to cover both Penn Sports Interactive’s and Fantatics’ applications for Category 3 Sports Wagering Licenses tethered to Plainridge Park Casino. This meeting may carry into Tuesday December 20.

If any application discussion has not been completed by the close of business on its associated meeting date, the Commission anticipates it will conclude discussion at the beginning of the next available meeting date.

Application considerations regarding Category 3 Sports Wagering Licenses tethered to a Category 1 Licensee or Applicant are expected to follow similar schedules, as detailed below.

First, a legal framework relative to the award of a Category 3 sports wagering operator license will be presented by General Counsel Todd Grossman. The applicant will then give a presentation of its application to the Commission in accordance with 205 CMR 218.06(3).

That will be followed by presentations and analysis relevant to the review and evaluation of the application, which is comprised of three parts: technical components, a report on the applicant’s suitability, and a financial and economic impact analysis.

A review and evaluation of the application is then set to follow, including, but not limited to, consideration of (1) experience and expertise related to Sports Wagering, (2) economic impact and other benefits to the Commonwealth if a license is awarded, (3) proposed measures related to responsible gaming, (4) an applicant’s willingness to foster racial, ethnic, and gender diversity, equity and inclusion, (5) technology intended to be used, (6) suitability of the applicant and qualifiers, (7) and other appropriate factors.

The Commission is then expected to meet in Executive Session following that portion of each meeting.

There is also time reserved at the end of the meeting for other business the Chair did not reasonably anticipate at the time of this posting.


For a complete list of agenda items and anticipated votes, view the official Meeting Notifications and Agendas on the Commission’s website. A LIVE STREAM will be available at MassGaming.com. Community members are also invited to follow along with live meeting updates by connecting with the Commission on Twitter, @MassGamingComm.

Please note that the Commission will conduct this public meeting remotely utilizing remote collaboration technology. Use of this technology is intended to ensure an adequate, alternative means of public access to the Commission’s deliberations for any interested member of the public. If there is any technical problem with the Commission’s remote connection, an alternative conference line will be noticed immediately on our website: MassGaming.com.

WHERE:            Conference Call Number: 1-646-741-5292

Meeting IDs will be available on each meeting’s individual Notification and Agenda, which can be found on the MGC’s website.

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