All Sports Betting App Applicants Approved Laws & Regulations

All Sports Betting App Applicants Approved by Massachusetts Regulators

By Lisa Spencer Senior Editor Updated: 01 February 2023

Lisa Spencer Senior Editor

As a Senior Editor at Betting.US, Lisa Spencer is a valuable member of our expert team. With a Master’s degree in Applied Mathematics, Lisa is adept in gambling theory and analyzing odds. She contributes by writing online sportsbook reviews and finding competitive markets to help our readers make an informed choice.

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Last week, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission gave approval to all six operators that applied for a Category 3 untethered license for sports betting.

The decision to approve the six applicants was made at a commission meeting late last week. However, no details have been released with regard to when the apps will start taking bets and whether this will happen at the same time.

Approval of the six applicants means that there are fewer remaining slots available, so competition could become fierce among operators. So far, approval has been given to some of the leading names in the industry, namely DraftKings, FanDuel, Bally Bet, Betway, and PointsBet. An application from Betr was also approved 4-1 by the commission.

One commission board member, Eileen O’Brien, voted against approval for Betr. She said this was due to the operator’s marketing strategy and responsible gaming plans.

The state gives permission for a total of seven untethered licenses, so there is now just one more up for grabs before the quota is filled.

There will also be launches in the state from five operators with tethered category 3 licenses. These include the likes of WynnBet, BetMGM, and Caesars.

No Official Date for the Launch

Despite the approval of sports betting applications, there is still no official date for the launch of sports betting in the state.

According to a report in PlayUSA:

So far, the MGC has only confirmed they would like to issue go-live authorizations for online sportsbooks sometime in March 2023. There’s no guarantee that will happen then, however. It’s all contingent on several factors.

It is thought that there are a few key factors that will affect the launch date of sports betting in Massachusetts.

One of the main factors is when the apps will actually be ready to start taking bets, as this could still take some time even after approval has been received. It has already been revealed that Betway said that its platform would not be ready to start accepting bets by March.

No Information has yet been released as to whether all operators will be expected to launch at the same time or as and when they are ready once the live date comes around. Many expect most operators to launch as soon as they are able to following the go-ahead from the commission. If there is no uniform launch date, this is likely to vary from one operator to another.

Gamblers Already Able to Bet at Land-Based Sportsbooks

While any delays in the launch of sports betting apps will come as a disappointment for many sports fans in the state, they will be able to benefit from access to physical sportsbooks.

These will be available at the three casinos in the state as soon as the end of this month, so sports fans will still be able to get in on the sports betting action.

However, with mobile sports betting gaining huge popularity over recent years, many will undoubtedly be eager to start enjoying the convenience of digital sports betting.