Massachusetts Gaming Commission to Address Betting Limits for Consistently Winning Bettors

This conversation, scheduled for Tuesday at 11 AM, will include input from various stakeholders, including licensed sports betting operators, bettors, and representatives from responsible gambling organizations.

Regulatory Measures and Responsible Gambling

In the United States, responsible gambling tools like deposit and spending limits are commonly used to help manage bettors’ behavior.

Typically, these limits are voluntary, but operators have a duty of care to enforce them if they detect signs of excessive gambling. This enforcement can include restrictions on bettors who are consistently losing money.

However, fewer people are aware that similar restrictions can be applied to bettors who consistently win. The MGC’s upcoming discussion aims to address this lesser-known aspect of gambling regulations.

The goal is to examine the implications of enforcing such limits and to consider whether additional regulations are necessary.

Agenda and Participants

The roundtable will involve all seven licensed sports betting operators in Massachusetts: FanDuel, DraftKings, Caesars Sportsbook, BetMGM, ESPN Bet, Fanatics, and the soon-to-launch Bally’s.

The MGC released a detailed agenda outlining the key topics for discussion. These include:

Reasons for Enforcing Betting Limits: Operators will be asked to explain their criteria and processes for imposing limits on individual bettors.

Bettor Experience: The discussion will explore how bettors are affected when limits are enforced due to their consistent winnings.

Responsible Gambling Implications: Participants will consider the potential impact on responsible gambling if regulations around patron limits become more stringent.

Comparative Practices: The roundtable will look at how other jurisdictions and sportsbooks handle similar issues.

Commitment to Responsible Gaming

MGC Chair Jordan Maynard emphasized the Commission’s proactive stance on this issue in a recent interview. “Massachusetts is the first jurisdiction that I know of to tackle this kind of head-on,” Maynard stated. He underscored the importance of getting input from all parties to ensure that any new regulations are fair and effective.

The practice of limiting winning bettors has been a contentious issue, with many affected individuals voicing their concerns online. Critics argue that while operators are quick to restrict successful bettors, they may not be as diligent in addressing problem gambling among those who consistently lose.

Despite these criticisms, it’s important to note that enforcing limits on winning bettors is not illegal. Betting operators have the right to impose such restrictions based on the terms and conditions agreed upon by users.