BOSTON, MA – Governor Charlie Baker signed House Bill 5164 into law, which designates the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) as regulator of the new sports wagering industry in the commonwealth.
“On behalf of my fellow commissioners and the staff of the MGC, we appreciate the confidence the Legislature and the Governor have in naming us as regulator of this new industry,” said Cathy Judd-Stein, Massachusetts Gaming Commission Chair. “For the past several years, we have been monitoring sports wagering legislation and taking appropriate steps to prepare for our potential role. As soon as this week we will be working to understand the landscape of interest in operator licensure as we move forward with this process. I appreciate the work currently underway by my fellow Commissioners and the entire MGC team. We are committed to ensuring the integrity of sports wagering in the commonwealth and are looking forward to engaging stakeholders in an inclusive and transparent process.”
“I appreciate the support of the chair and the commissioners of the MGC as we work to implement sports wagering,” said Karen Wells, Massachusetts Gaming Commission Executive Director. “As the chair has mentioned publicly, a great deal of work has already been done by our team in anticipation of sports wagering becoming legal in Massachusetts. This includes identifying over 200 potential regulations, adopting a framework to utilize industry-recognized technical standards, establishing an infrastructure to investigate and license applicants, initiating the hiring of a Chief of Sports Wagering, and scheduling public meetings. Now that we have a law that defines our responsibilities as regulator, we will work with our stakeholders to swiftly stand up this new industry with a focus on integrity, player safety and consumer protection.”