Editorial Guidelines

It’s legal or nothing here

The first thing to mention is that we only cover legal gambling in Massachusetts. Any sites or gambling venues that operate with anything less than the full knowledge and cooperation of the state government are not going to receive a drop of digital ink from Play MA. In fact, we feel duty-bound to caution you against playing at any illicit outlets. They bear tremendous risks to you that go beyond the house advantage. Unless it’s completely legal, it’s completely absent on this site.

We also do not have any business relationships or dealings with companies that are offshore or unregulated. Although Catena Media functions through affiliate relationships with legal gambling entities across the US, every one of our partners is a company in good standing and compliance with the laws of each jurisdiction, including Massachusetts.

Play MA is also not an opinion site, and we do not work for or maintain any interest in any gambling company. With every page we publish, we seek to provide you with all the information about gambling in Massachusetts, warts and all. Obviously, we’re humans, so some of our perceptions may creep into the prose once in a while. However, we always seek to write content that reflects the unbiased facts of each situation, regardless of our own opinions on the matter.

How we get our information

Because Play MA is part of the Catena Media family, we have an immense pool of primary contacts and sources for our reporting. In almost every case, our content derives from the originator of the information itself. We get in touch with lawmakers, regulators, gambling companies, and anyone else who might become the subject of our reporting. If we need statistical data, our most common sources are public reports from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, the Massachusetts Lottery, or the Massachusetts Legislature.

Play MA is also not a rumor mill. We may hear whispers of bits of news from time to time, but a whisper is not worth reporting. Unless we can independently verify the veracity of a story, it won’t appear on Play MA. Furthermore, we are always happy to provide citations of our sources. Anything less is a disservice to you, the players in Massachusetts, who are set to have real money on the line.

We don’t just publish

Publishing a piece on Play MA is not simply the act of pressing a button, either. Every bit of content undergoes a review from multiple sets of eyes. Editors and fact-checkers look over both the grammar and content of the piece in order to ensure accuracy. In addition, Play MA Content Manager Matthew Bain sees everything on the site. The many layers mean that, no matter what, every piece on Play MA represents the culmination of decades of professional journalism and gambling industry experience.

Play MA does not accept pitches or guest submissions. However, we will credit original authors if, at any time, reporting from other sites forms the basis of our content.

Keep us in line

Even with all these processes in place, Play MA is still a human endeavor. As such, it is always possible that we will have something inaccurate appear on the site. The most common source of these inaccuracies is the simple passage of time — a small shift in the law or a minor tweak from Mass Gaming can render our information out of date. However, there is always a small chance that we’ve misread or misinterpreted some element of the Massachusetts gambling scene.

We are not in the business of catering to our own egos or feelings of superiority. If you see something that looks out of place or inaccurate, please tell us. Send us an email, tell us what the issue is, and include a link to the page, if possible. We’ll fix it as soon as we can, and we appreciate you letting us know.

How our business works

Most traditional media outlets make their money by selling advertising space alongside their content. Almost any company that wants to promote its products is eligible to secure placement on the various pages.

We don’t do that. Instead, the advertising you see on Play MA is solely the product of our affiliate partnerships. We partner with top legal gambling companies to bring you various promos and bonus offers. In fact, you won’t find some of these promotions anywhere else. As such, with this business model, everyone wins.

However, it is important to clarify that our affiliate partners do not edit or direct any of the content on Play MA. We are in the business of telling you the truth, whatever it may be.

Can my company place an ad on Play MA?

No. Although we appreciate your interest, we do not offer or accept any advertising on Play MA. All of our advertising comes through our affiliate partnerships.

Get in touch

The folks at Play MA aren’t looking to hide. If you have something to say, we are more than happy to listen. We hope that you enjoy your time here, and if there is a subject about which you need more information, let us know. After all, if you’re wondering about something, someone else probably is, too. Reach out and let us know.