With questions around responsible gaming and suitability front and center, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission Wednesday met for nine hours before postponing a decision on whether to issue a Category 3 (tethered digital) wagering license to Caesars Sportsbook. All the while, executives for MGM and BetMGM were waiting in the wings for their chance to complete the process.
When the MGC will complete the task of licensing Caesars is unclear, as its meeting schedule is jam-packed heading into a proposed late January retail launch and early March digital launch. The dates bounced around for the completion were Dec. 20 and Jan. 4, and executives for Caesars said they would be ready for either.
Last week, the commission declined to vote on MGM’s Category 1 retail license for its Springfield location, saying it was too closely tied to the BetMGM mobile Category 3 application. Both were on the agenda for Wednesday, but they have been pushed to Monday for consideration. Plainridge Park, its parent company PENN Entertainment, and Barstool Sportsbook are also on hold, after the MGC raised concerns about Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy last week.
So far, the commission has approved only Encore Boston Harbor’s Category 1 retail license and WynnBET’s Category 3 digital license. WynnBET will use Encore Boston Harbor’s first digital skin, and Caesars has a deal to use the second one.