According to local outlet MassLive.com, Caesars Sportsbook has found a path into the Massachusetts market. The news site reported that Encore Boston Harbor and Caesars Entertainment have reached a preliminary agreement for Caesars to utilize the casino’s extra license to operate online betting in the state.
Each of the three casinos in the state as well as the two racetracks are allotted a license that will ostensibly be used for the in-house brand in addition to one more online sportsbook license.
Encore Boston Harbor confirmed the deal to the publication, while Caesars Digital did not respond to a request for comment.
It would be an interesting return to the Bay State for Caesars, which actually sued the Massachusetts Gaming Commission back in 2013. When the state was vetting potential casino operators, Caesars alleged the process was biased because the gaming commissioner failed to disclose ties to another bid. The lawsuit was eventually dismissed.
The three casinos will launch Barstool Sportsbook, BetMGM, and WynnBet, but there has not been much news on what the other three brands will be.
Based on a 2019 access deal, it appears Plainridge Park’s second license will go to Flutter. The casino’s parent company, Penn Entertainment, agreed to a market access deal with The Stars Group (TSG) that listed Massachusett’s second skin as belonging to them. Since then, TSG’s parent company acquired the entirety of FanDuel. While there is a possibility FOX Bet is the brand that comes in, the company generally tends to put FanDuel at the forefront in each new market.
