The five commissioners of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission remain committed to examining the practice of sportsbooks limiting bettors. However, a meeting on Thursday resulted in more talk and no action on the matter.
The discussion follows a May meeting where Bally Bet was the only operator to appear as part of a roundtable discussion on the matter. The other operators in the state declined to participate unless they were granted the opportunity to speak in private executive session about their limiting practices.
MA commissioners want actual action, not just talk
The commissioners were eager to hear from operators but were not interested in convening another round table unless operators were willing to have substantive discussions about how they go about limiting bettors.
“It’s hard for me to believe that the operators don’t have an opinion on this policy decision that we may or may not make,” said Interim Chair Jordan Maynard.
Commissioner Nakisha Skinner warned that this discussion was not just an exhibition with no meaningful results for the state.
“I’d like the operators to understand that this isn’t just for show, this isn’t just calling a meeting just for the sake of doing that. It really is, as Chair Maynard said, a way for us to be educated around this issue. It is in the operator’s best interest to come and talk to us and tell us what they need us to know as we consider the matter,” she noted.
“But under no circumstances am I interested in just convening a meeting for the operators to save face, who up this time and then say, ‘gee, we can’t say anything,'” she added.
Operators concerned about risk management
In a written memo from MGC staffers to the commissioners, the staff did note some of the concerns operators had raised in casual conversations about limiting debate.
Operators pointed to the casino side of industry to note that the premise of limiting players already exists in other verticals, such as when casinos prohibit advantage players from gaming at a property. They also justified it as a necessary risk-management tool but also one that they argue is only used sparingly.
The memo cited a recent Wall Street Journal story where DraftKings estimated the number of restricted bettors with the operator to be less than 1%.
Operators question leaders speaking on behalf of bettors
Operators also took a shot as some of the more notable voices pushing this topic. Gadoon “Spanky” Kyrollos recently launched a new venture with Billy Walters called American Bettors’ Voice (ABV) that is pushing for more transparency amongst regulated operators.
Kyrollos and Walters recently appeared in front of a number of regulators and lawmakers at last month’s National Council of Legislators from Gaming States (NCLGS) and spoke on the topic of limiting. Walters was highly critical of the regulated U.S. betting industry.
Some of the leaders of the sharp bettor community have been convicted of gaming-related criminal felonies. Sharps engage in various ways to get around limits,” the memo noted.
While he was not mentioned by name in the communication, Kyrollos was convicted of a gambling-related felony back in 2014.
Commissioner Eileen O’Brien acknowledged the criticism but did not think it meant the debate did not have merits.
“They make some valid points about some of the voices that are on the bettor’s side. But that does not mean necessarily, that what’s being said is not valid in the conversation,” she said. “But I don’t want to cut players out.”
The group did not take official actions but the idea of drafting a regulation to force operators to respond more thoroughly to the issue was floated as an option.
Maynard also asked if it would be possible to add the number of limited or banned accounts to operators’ quarterly reporting to regulators.
It is unclear exactly will come next from the MGC but the group does seem committed to seeing this issue through in the near future.
