Following the signing of Massachusetts’ new sports wagering law by Governor Baker earlier in the month, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission has released a Notice of Intent Regarding License for Sports Wagering, which it has asked to be completed by August 31, 2022.
The Commission stated at a prior meeting that the purpose of the Notice is to permit the Commission to ascertain how many and what sort of entities will be interested in applying for Category 1, 2, and 3 licenses to operate sports betting either in-person or online. The new statute contemplates in-person licensure for the casinos and slots parlors in Massachusetts as well as the existing simulcast wagering facilities. All such entities are included in the Notice of Intent, though of course the Commission is most interested in the information obtained from online operators under Category 3, as such entities are not currently licensed by the Gaming Commission.
The Notice is short, consisting of contact information, information about licensure in other jurisdictions, and a short narrative of the applicant’s business. The Notice is not itself part of a competitive process, though it will certainly inform the competitive process that the Commission crafts regarding the competitive Category 3 licenses.