MGC Refuses to Let Bettor Limits Matter Drop

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission is persistent if nothing else. During Monday’s regularly scheduled meeting, Interim Chair Jordan Maynard brought up the matter once again. He said there are still plans for the MGC to discuss bettor limits later in June.

“I want to note, and this is in the interest of full transparency, that FanDuel did reach out to me last Friday to set up a time to follow up on the roundtable that we conducted on limiting wagers last month,” Maynard said.

“I know that we plan to take this issue up again soon. In fact, we have it marked up for a public meeting on June 20 to have a follow-up. I will insure that FanDuel and any other operator know that each commissioner will need to be updated in a way that is transparent and fully compliant with the Open Meeting law. That said, I wanted to acknowledge that reach out and am hopeful for the future as our learning on this issue continues.”

The six sportsbooks who operate in the state are often in the running for the best online sportsbook. They are FanDuel, DraftKings Massachusetts, BetMGM, Caesar’s, Penn Sports (ESPN Bet) and Fanatics.

However, all six were no shows at the scheduled roundtable discussion in May. The discussion was to be about why winning sports bettors saw amounts of their wagers limited, while losing bettors didn’t see the same restrictions.

After initially agreeing to appear at the roundtable, the sportsbooks later balked. They said they didn’t want to discuss the topic in a public hearing. The Massachusetts Gaming Commission said state laws required the matter to be discussed in a public setting.

Sportsbooks Within Rights to Limit Wagers

Since there are once again plans for the MGC to discuss bettor limits, it puts the sportsbooks in a difficult situation. The sportsbooks have no desire to upset the MGC.

They also don’t want to disclose too much about operating procedure publicly. Limiting the wagers of winning bettors has been going on for years. Long before PASPA was overturned it was taking place in Nevada.

In states where gambling is legal, winning bettors have frequently been asked to take their wagers elsewhere, were banned or saw bet size reductions.

The sportsbooks will argue that it’s their right and they do have a point. In Massachusetts, it was the MGC that gave the sportsbooks the right to decide betting limits.

In the section titled “Minimum and Maximum Wagers: Additional Wagering Requirements,” the rules state, “Unless otherwise directed by the Commission, there is no limitation as to the minimum or maximum wager a Sports Wagering Operator may accept.

This rule does not preclude a Sports Wagering Operator from establishing its own minimum or maximum wagers, or limiting a patron’s Sports Wager for reasons considered necessary or appropriate by the Sports Wagering Operator.”

The individual sportsbooks also state in their general rules they can set minimum or maximum limits per customer.

“BetMGM will determine minimum and maximum wager amounts per patron on all events to include: all periods, segments, propositions, and future book wagers,” BetMGM states on its website.

Maynard seems adamant for the MGC to discuss bettor limits. The sportsbooks may appear this time, although they’re unlikely to say anything they don’t want to.

For gambling news, odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.

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