After going through the issues that stalled the process, Massachusetts Gaming Commission finally awarded its first brick-and-mortar license in the Bay State. The Commission unanimously voted to jump-start Encore Boston Harbor in the process.
What Were the Issues in the Process?
The application that was submitted was 367 pages; however, some of the pages were missing as details were missing during the meeting. Despite missing a few pages in the document, r Commissioner Jordan Maynard stated that mistakes like these could happen as moving such a document could lead to errors.
It was unanimously voted to accept the missing section by the MGC. This is a good start for the market as the retail sports betting market is expected to launch in January, while the mobile sports betting operation is expected to launch just in time for March Madness.
Wynn may have gotten an early start, but there is still more the Commission needs to do so the operation can run smoothly when the time comes. It follows the MGC’s decision to defer decisions about PENN Entertainment’s Plainridge Park and MGM Springfield licenses. In the case of Barstool, many believe that the company meets the integrity of the Commission.
In addition, MGM Springfield was allowed to submit its retail application late after an error that took place during the process. Rather than submitting the brick-and-mortar form, MGM submitted the mobile application instead.
Having More Kiosks in the Facility the Better…
When a meeting took place in August, Wynn surprised the commissioners with one proposal. The idea was to add more kiosks in the parking garages so people didn’t need to be on the casino floor or inside the building to place wagers.
Commissioner Eileen O’Brien believed that doing so would create numerous security issues. Other states across the country that only offer retail sports betting have done well with their geolocation tactics. Being close to a casino doesn’t mean the bet/s will go through.
In the most recent meeting, Wynn had another idea up its sleeves. There is an implied intention to have parties around events like the Super Bowl, March Madness, and other major championships throughout the year.
General Counsel Jacqui Krum stated the idea is a “wish list” item. The proposed idea wasn’t even mentioned in the extensive document, which is why the idea seems to be far-fetched at the moment.
Another Key Meeting Will Take Place Before the Year Ends
As the Commission is far from getting the job done, two sessions will be on the calendar. The first session will be set for December 10th as more entities look to gain market access in Massachusetts for the mobile side of the business.
The bookmakers include Barstool Sportsbook, BetMGM, Caesars, Fanatics, and WynnBET. 1:30 pm will be the time for the MGC to vote on the issue of operators deducting promotional dollars from taxable revenue or not. This will somewhat affect the amount of adjusted revenue that could be taxable each month.
