The online sports betting ball is now rolling in Massachusetts, as WynnBET has become the first brand to receive approval to operate a digital sportsbook in the state. This coming week will see the applications of other large gaming brands like BetMGM and Caesars being evaluated by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission who, if successful, will join WynnBET as licensed sportsbook operators in the state.
WynnBET Receives Category 3 License
On Tuesday, WynnBET made history in becoming the first-ever brand to be awarded a license to operate an online sportsbook in Massachusetts. With a Category 3 license, the company will work in partnership with the land-based Encore Boston Harbor.
This is one of the six licenses that the Massachusetts Gaming Commission will be awarding to an online betting operator that has partnered with a land-based venue. There are a further 7 licenses that will be awarded to online-only operators.
WynnBET has been conditionally approved to apply for a temporary online sports betting license in Massachusetts. See you soon, Bay State!
— WynnBET (@WynnBET) December 13, 2022
WynnBET already holds licenses in 10 other states, and will go live shortly in Ohio. The brand is really spreading its wings across America’s online betting market, and we’re likely to see even more expansion in the new year.
More Massachusetts Sportsbooks Application Meetings to Come
Now that WynnBET has received the first temporary sportsbook license in Massachusetts, lawmakers will be vetting other applicants this week. Caesars Sportsbook’s application meeting was originally scheduled for Tuesday but, as WynnBET’s meeting took over seven hours, it was rescheduled for today.
“We’re honored by this outcome today and we look forward to being a collaborative partner with the Commission going forward” – says Jennifer Roberts, WynnBET’s Vice President.
BetMGM and Barstool Sportsbook will be reviewed on December 15th. So, by the end of this week, we could have a fairly full roster of online sports betting operators ready to launch in Massachusetts.
In January 2023, the meetings will resume as the MGC looks at the online-only applications. These include, Betway, DraftKings, PointsBet and BallyBet.
When Will Massachusetts Sports Betting Officially Launch?
That’s the question that’s on everybody’s lips right now, as state residents are eager to start wagering on sports books. However, lawmakers in Massachusetts are still unsure of when legal online sports betting will begin.
The earliest potential start date would be sometime in March 2023, according to this week’s discussions. Still, there is lots more groundwork to be laid before an official date can be named.
As we find out more, we’ll keep you abreast of any new developments in Massachusetts online sports betting market.