The launch of online sports betting sites in the Bay State is on schedule, which is good news for punters keen to wager on March Madness.
Massachusetts Gaming Commission Executive Director Karen Wells said during a meeting on Wednesday that the regulator is "still on target" for a launch of mobile sports betting in the state on March 10.
Wells also suggested a 10 a.m. start time for March 10, giving operators plenty of advance notice for when the online portion of Massachusetts sports betting can commence. Commissioners ultimately agreed with the suggestion.
“I think it was just more that if there are any issues, or any questions, or anything going on around the start time that we would have our staff on duty and working at that time should anything come up,” Wells said in response to a question about the 10 a.m. start.
The magnificent seven
Legal sports betting began in Massachusetts on January 31 at three casinos. However, the MGC has been hard at work since then to prepare for the start of mobile wagering in the state, which will require its own form of oversight. It will also be at online sportsbooks where most of the event wagering in Massachusetts will happen.
Based on comments made by operators and during the MGC meetings, seven online sportsbooks could be live in Massachusetts on the first day of mobile wagering. They are:
If it sticks to the March 10 start date, the MGC’s timeline will allow Massachusetts sports bettors to gamble on the NCAA men's basketball tournament that will begin March 14.
Next to the Super Bowl, March Madness is arguably the biggest event on the calendar for both bettors and bookies. The American Gaming Association forecast that more than 17% of American adults intended to wager $3.1 billion on last year’s tournament.
The launch timing will allow Massachusetts to capture tax revenue generated by wagering on the tournament. It will also go over well with Bay State gamblers.
“I think that it's really going to be a benefit to the commonwealth that before one of the largest sporting events in the country, March Madness, that it looks like everything's going to launch,” Commissioner Jordan Maynard said during Wednesday’s meeting.
