Caesars Sportsbook got licensed without any problem but the Massachusetts Gaming Commission still had concerns regarding Plainridge Park Casino operating under the Barstool brand.
Plainridge Park Casino to Cooperate in Investigation
Plainridge Park Casino has chosen PENN Entertainment as its sportsbook partner in Massachusetts, which sparked the concerns of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission when they held the license hearing on December 6. The Commission could not make a decision then and asked for further information and investigation.
The Commission’s considerations were regarding PENN Entertainment’s recent acquisition of Barstool Sports whose spokesperson and founder Dave Portnoy is very popular among younger audiences. The Commission voiced fears that the appeal of Portnoy will have a negative effect on the state’s efforts to control and fight gambling harm.
The Boston Herald reported that, during its second hearing on Tuesday, the Commission finally granted a temporary license to Plainridge Park Casino under the condition that the casino will cooperate with the Investigations and Enforcement Bureau in order to find out whether Portnoy’s presence could have a negative impact by attracting underage audiences. A further condition is that Plainridge has to ensure that nobody who is under 21 will have access to any of the Barstool College Football Shows.
The Commission’s decision was nudged in the right direction by PENN Entertainment president Jay Snowden who extensively elaborated that the company has been operating other Barstool branded sportsbooks in various US states and never had any of the mentioned issues.
Caesars Sportsbook Will Have to Wait Before Mobile Betting is Launched in Massachusetts
Another sportsbook that was granted a license by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission was Caesars Sportsbook as reported by Massachusetts Live. Caesars Sportsbook and WynnBET will provide mobile betting for the Encore Boston Harbor casino. So far three brick-and-mortar casinos have received licenses, including Encore Boston Harbor, Plainridge Park Casino, and MGM Springfield.
The brick-and-mortar casinos in Massachusetts will be allowed to offer retail sports betting at their venues and mobile wagering through two separately branded mobile applications.
However, the actual launch of the mobile sports betting market in the state is still 3 months away scheduled for March 2023 but maybe Massachusetts residents will have to wait even longer as there are always unforeseen circumstances and delays.
In-person sports betting on the other hand is ready to be launched toward the end of January 2023. The licensing process is now more or less finalized with the three casinos – Encore Boston Harbor, Plainridge Park Casino, and MGM Springfield – receiving their licenses this week.