Caesars, BetMGM Get Mobile License: Mass. Sportsbook Updates

• The Massachusetts Gaming Commission has given out two more mobile sports betting licenses to BetMGM and Caesars Sportsbook.
• The MGC has given Plainridge Park Casino a temporary retail betting license to investigate their subsidiary company Barstool Sports.

BOSTON – While attempting to launch by March 2023, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission has now approved two more mobile betting licenses that could start taking bets for March Madness.

Wynn Bet was the first to receive a license through Encore Harbor and Caesars Sportsbook has joined them in being tied to the MA casino. BetMGM has been approved to launch mobile sports betting through the Springfield MGM Casino.

There are currently nine total mobile sportsbook operators in Massachusetts that are still trying to get their hands on a category three license.

Barstool Sports Waiting On Mobile Betting License

With Springfield MGM and Encore Boston Harbor officially receiving licenses to launch legal sports betting, Plainridge Park Casino was the last left without an answer. After much deliberation by the MCG, they decided to award Plainridge a temporary retail sports betting license that allows them to investigate one of their owned operators, Barstool Sports.

Not dependent on Barstool, Fanatics could still receive a mobile license, as they are Plainridge Casino’s other mobile partner.

One of the issues that the MGC has with Barstool, surrounds the morality of the marketing that the media company has put forth. The owner of Barstool, Dave Portnoy, is under scrutiny for how the company and himself have pushed players to sign up and make wagers with their app.

The New York Times published a particular article that talked about Portnoy’s habit of pushing people to gamble even if they cannot afford to lose. This type of “degenerate gambling” is not a mindset that the MGC wants to be associated with, preventing them from making a quick decision on granting Barstool Sportsbook a mobile betting license in Massachusetts.

News tags: Barstool Sportsbook | BetMGM | Caesars Sportsbook | Dave Portnoy | Encore Boston Harbor | Massachusetts | Massachusetts Gaming Commission | New York Times | Penn Entertainment | Plainridge Park Casino | Springfield MGM | WynnBET