The State’s New Expanded Gaming Industry Providing Economic Opportunity for Local Vendors

Licensing and registration process actively underway for those seeking employment or contract work with the state’s new expanded gaming industry

Today the Massachusetts Gaming Commission’s Division of Licensing is pleased to announce that many local vendors have received the necessary registration and preliminary approval to begin providing non-gaming vendor services related to the issuance of the state’s first expanded gaming license. Penn National, the recent recipient of the state’s only slots license, has begun construction on a slots-only gaming establishment in Plainville, Massachusetts. As a result, many local vendors have applied to the Commission to receive the proper registration. These local vendors offer a variety of goods and professional services including oil, printing, construction, engineering and zoning.

On June 17, 2014, local vendor Fabiano Oil was the first registrant to obtain an official certificate from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. Fabiano Oil, a female-owned local business in Wrentham, MA, is now officially registered to begin supplying oil to the construction vehicles at the Penn National slots facility construction site.

MassGaming Chairman Steve Crosby stated, “Maximizing jobs and enhancing economic opportunities for local business is what the expanded gaming law is all about. I commend the hard work of our new Licensing Division and pleased to see the gaming process entering this important phase of our overall efforts.”

At this point, MassGaming’s Licensing Division has received and processed more than 70 gaming and non-gaming vendors. To date, the Commission has collected more than $68,000 in vendor licensing fees. For a complete list of registrants, visit MassGaming.com’s Licensing section.

Recently MassGaming approved Penn National’s Diversity Plan for the Design and Construction phase of the Plainridge Park Casino. To date, Penn National has approved approximately $20 million in construction awards for various subcontractors. Of that amount, $5.5 million (28 %) of the contracts has been awarded to minority and women businesses. In addition, MassGaming’s Vendor Advisory Team, created to assist and support small businesses seeking to conduct business with the proposed Category 1 (resort-casino) and Category 2 (slots-parlor) gaming facilities, recently visited the Plainridge Park Casino and continues to be of assistance with outreach to the Commonwealth’s business community.  Penn National will include two members of MassGaming’s Vendor Advisory Team to advise on their ongoing diversity strategy at the Plainville site as part of the company’s newly established Diversity team.

The Division of Licensing recently made available online the licensing forms and submission instructions for those seeking employment or vendor contracts with the Commonwealth’s new expanded gaming industry. 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.

Licensing forms and accompanying instructions for potential gaming employees and vendors are available on the commission’s website MassGaming.com.

Application for licensure is a two-step process that requires the applicant to submit a completed application and to also be fingerprinted. The Investigations and Enforcement Bureau then conducts a background check to determine the applicant’s suitability. Depending on the license being sought, the investigation may take anywhere from 24 hours to several weeks. The suitability investigations will determine if a company or individual should be granted or denied a license or registration following the necessary background check.

The Gaming Act requires the licensing of key gaming and gaming employees, primary gaming vendors and some secondary gaming vendors. Certain gaming service employees and non-gaming vendors are required to register with the commission. A license is valid for three years and then must be renewed. A registration is valid for five years and then must be renewed.

Lastly, the Division of Licensing is in the process of completing the development of an online portal designed to offer a secure and efficient method of applying for any licenses with the Commission. Applicants will be credentialed with a login ID and password and will be able to complete all required forms online.  Applicants will receive email notifications about the status of their application as it works its way through the vetting and approval process. The Licensing Management System will streamline the application process and provide applicants with a secure way to interact with Commission staff.  The Licensing Management System is currently under development and is scheduled for initial release in the summer of 2014.

Pictured: Sondra Fabiano, President of Fabiano Oil

Pictured l-r: Chairman Steve Crosby,Fabiano Oil President Sondra Fabiano and MGC Director of Licensing David Acosta