Massachusetts regulators haven’t been lacking for work lately.
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) — fresh off a meeting that explored sports bettor limiting — met again on Thursday to deal with several other matters that required the regulator’s attention.
One of those had to do with an email blast DraftKings sent out on Aug. 13 about golf wagers many people didn't make.
The message informed recipients that the mostly non-existent action was settled using "Dead Heat Reduction" rules and informing patrons they were getting a bonus bet.
I hope this email finds you
In Massachusetts, DraftKings sent the email to more than 1.2 million residents or registered users when it was really supposed to go to only 13, according to a memo to the commissioners.
MGC staff also alleged that among those recipients were 184 people who were on the Massachusetts voluntary self-exclusion list for gambling, which would violate the state's rules.
Commissioners decided against any discipline for DraftKings right away (the operator reported the issue to the regulator itself), and instead voted to send the matter to the MGC’s Investigations and Enforcement Bureau for further review.
Commissioner Eileen O’Brien cited the “seriousness of sending something like this out,” in addition to requirements under state law, as reasons for additional investigation.
Not-so Super League
Another issue related to Massachusetts sports betting that came before the MGC on Thursday was a recommendation to suspend all wagering on games under the umbrella of the Chinese Football Association (CFA).
The CFA recently made headlines after a two-year investigation resulted in more than 40 players and club officials receiving lifetime bans for match-fixing and gambling.
According to an MGC memo, the commission's sports wagering division received an alert from monitoring service U.S. Integrity on Tuesday about the bans, which also noted at least 120 matches were fixed involving 41 teams.
The MGC memo added that two former high-level executives of the CFA recently received prison time for taking millions of dollars in bribes and gifts.
Despite the scandal, MGC staff confirmed that sportsbook operators were still taking action on the Chinese Super League and similar leagues as of Thursday morning. The catalog of bettable events in Massachusetts allowed for wagering on events sanctioned by FIFA, with the CFA and related entities included.
That is no longer the case, though, as commissioners unanimously voted to suspend the CFA from the wagering catalog until an investigation is completed and the MGC reaches a final decision.
The Super League and other CFA-sanctioned events could get back on the catalog in the future, but it would require the say-so of the MGC, which needs its concerns addressed first.
"We've got to take care of the integrity for the people of Massachusetts who are betting,” MGC interim chair Jordan Maynard said, adding later “I just want it off the books now.”
