Massachusetts Responsible Gaming Program Expands DraftKings, Cambridge Heath Alliance Partnership

Sports betting operator DraftKings is investing more effort into promoting responsible gaming for its players.

DraftKings’ responsible gaming team and the Division on Addiction at Cambridge Health Alliance will create a comprehensive responsible gaming program. The program will educate both players and those within the gaming industry on methods for safer play.

This is not the first time the two entities have joined forces. In 2016, DraftKings provided data to the Division to conduct research on daily fantasy sports. The research resulted in several academic works on the subject and provided DraftKings with pertinent information on player safety.

Massachusetts continues to lead with responsible gaming programs

The program will cover a lot of ground. But Jason Robins, DraftKings co-founder and CEO, gave a succinct overview of what to expect from this collaboration.

“We look forward to continuing our relationship with the Division on Addiction at Cambridge Health Alliance to expand our research-driven approach to responsible gaming,” said Robins. “Evidence-based and data driven strategies, created in coordination with CHA’s premier researchers, will enhance our player safety policies, product tools and employee trainings.”

DraftKings hopes this will benefit its players in this endeavor. In addition, it looks to help out its employees and others who work across the gaming industry.

The company has also recently taken other steps to promote safe betting. DraftKings implemented the American Gaming Association’s “Have a Game Plan. Bet Responsibly.” campaign in its retail sportsbooks in the US.

In Massachusetts, the multi-faceted program will nicely complement the state’s efforts on safe gambling in casinos. It may even help to sway state lawmakers to finally legalize sports betting.

Will Massachusetts legalize sports betting?

Though daily fantasy sports are already legal in the state, legalized sports betting overall is still not allowed. In May, lawmakers passed a budget that excluded sports betting, further hindering efforts to legalize the industry in the state.

Though progress seems to have been halted for the moment, there are still several bills that can be passed this year to legalize sports betting in Massachusetts.

With things still in the balance, the collaboration between two Massachusetts-based institutions — DraftKings and Cambridge Health Alliance — can only help to push state lawmakers toward legalizing the industry.

It will surely be difficult for the state to continue to cast aside sports betting with a large operator such as DraftKings headquartered within it. The operator’s continued efforts to promote safe sports betting both within the state and across the country should also take any concerns of betting safety out of the equation for state lawmakers when discussing sports betting.