Draft report by Massachusetts online gambling commission triggers complaints
News on 26 Jul 2017
News on 26 Jul 2017
The long-awaited draft report of the Massachusetts Special Commission on Online Gaming, Fantasy Sports Gaming and Daily Fantasy Sports was released this week and immediately triggered disquiet and complaints.
Two recommendations in the report created waves; the proposal that “more expansive online gaming” (the legalisation of online casino and poker) be delayed in order to better judge its impact on the state’s two new land casino developments, MGM Springfield and Wynn Boston Harbor; and the classification of daily fantasy sports as “a subset of online gambling” rather than a skill game falling outside the accepted definition of online gambling.
DFS market leader DraftKings was particularly aggrieved by the proposed classification, which would subject DFS to “full regulatory, governance and taxation” as a form of gambling.
A spokesman for the company hinted that the 300 jobs DraftKings provides in the state could be impacted if the recommendation is accepted by lawmakers.
This is not the end of the road, however – the members of the Special Commission have until the end of this month to agree or reject the draft report recommendations, and these are in any case not binding on the legislature, which will have the task of deciding ultimately how online gambling evolves in Massachusetts.
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission, has previously come out in favour of legalisation, suggesting that the state follows the successful examples in Nevada, New Jersey and Delaware.
Read the full draft report here:
