Massachusetts Gaming Commission Gets 15 Sports Betting License Applications

The first day companies were allowed to send in Massachusetts sports betting applications was Monday. The Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) received 15 of them. Among those were six applications for untethered online sports betting licenses.

The 15 applications are five fewer than the maximum 20 licenses allowed under the 2022 Massachusetts sports betting law. Meaning there will be enough sports betting licenses to go around when The Bay State launches mobile and in-person sportsbooks early next year.

Massachusetts Sportsbook Applicants

Of the 15 applications received on Monday, 12 were mobile sports betting applications and three were in-person sports betting applications. The three in-person applications came from the three Massachusetts casinos. Six of the mobile applications were for standalone sportsbooks. The other six were split between the casinos and Raynham Park.

Only six companies applied for seven available mobile sports betting licenses not tied to a casino or horse racing facility. DraftKings, as expected, is one of the six. The Boston-based operator is more than ready for sports betting to get rolling in the state. Meanwhile, FanDuel, PointsBet, Bally Bet, Betway and Betr are in the game as well.

The three casinos, Encore Boston Harbor, MGM Springfield and Plainridge Park Casino, are planning to launch retail operations in late January and mobile betting in early March. Encore Boston Harbor applied for two licenses through its partners Caesars Sportsbook and WynnBet.

Plainridge Park Casino also applied for two online platforms through its partners Barstool and Fanatics. MGM Springfield applied for one mobile license through its BetMGM brand. The remaining application filed was for Raynham Park’s mobile partnership with Bet365.

MA sports betting: Tentative Launch Date For Massachusetts Sports Betting Announced

More Applications Expected

The MGC will continue to accept Category 2 license applications on a rolling basis. A Category 2 license allows its holder to offer both retail and online sports betting. In order to provide online sports betting, Category 2 license holders must partner with an online sports betting operator, all of whom must also have a Category 3 sports betting license. Category 3 licenses require a $5 million fee.

The number of applications will grow pretty quickly. The MGC is giving both Raynham Park and Suffolk Downs, Massachusetts’ two horse racing simulcast facilities, more time to apply for mobile and in-person licenses. However, Raynham Park got one of its applications in on Monday. Furthermore, Suffolk Downs has yet to announce its online partnership.

The MGC plans to award the retail licenses over the next couple of months in preparation for a retail launch ahead of Super Bowl LVII. The commission will publicly review applications, with a schedule of upcoming meetings forthcoming.

Read more: DFS Deals With Boston’s Pro Teams Could Help DraftKings Dominate MA Sports Betting Market