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The Massachusetts Gaming Commission voted Friday to launch retail sports betting on three Category 1 (i.e., physical) casino sportsbooks in “late January” and Category 3 (mobile) betting in “early March” after a controversial discussion that It turned out that neither the committee nor the staff had studied the sports calendar or understood how betting around major events works.

Four commissioners voted to approve the launch windows. Commissioner Nakisha Skinner, who called for the launch timetable to be developed by staff rather than sticking to a major sporting event, abstained. Before voting, the commissioners agreed that the dates could change based on public comments or recommendations from staff.

An employee suggested that the launch on an NFL Sunday would be easier than on a “busy Thursday or Friday” for the weekend, while a commissioner suggested that the launch on an NFL playoff Sunday could resemble a salmon run. The commissioner added that in the interest of public safety, it would be wiser to launch on the night of January 29 – after conference championships will be played – then earlier in the day, if that is ultimately the date.

For the second day in a row, there was a possibility that there would be no vote, but Chair Cathy Judd-Stein insisted, although it was clear there was no consensus. Crucial to the decision is that no specific launch dates have been chosen, and although Commissioner Bradley Hill suggested January 18, Executive Director Karen Wells was clear in saying her staff needed more time. Therefore, it seems highly likely that the three retail sportsbooks could launch before the NFL Conference Championships on January 29, or possibly the day after.

Super Bowl Bets Start Early

Sportsbook operators have said the Super Bowl is the biggest individual sports bet of the year, but bets don’t just happen on Super Bowl Sunday, which takes place in Arizona on February 12. Super Bowl futures bets can roll in almost as soon as the regular season schedule is set, but around the Super Bowl, bets are heavy leading up to the conference championships and during the two weeks leading up to the final game.

There are three Category 1 operators in Massachusetts – Barstool Sportsbook, BetMGM and WynnBET – each of which has retail sportsbooks in existing casinos in Boston (Encore/WynnBET), Plainfield (PENN Entertainment/Barstool) and Springfield (MGM/BetMGM). The new law also allows a physical sportsbook on each of the state’s two horse racing tracks and up to 15 digital platforms. Eight of those platforms will have to be tethered to a physical location, while seven will be standalone mobile sportsbooks.

The commissioners spent a lot of time discussing how to manage public safety and prevent consumers from overwhelming the three retail sportsbooks on the first day of legal betting. That discussion will likely continue as the calendar gets closer to launch and could play a role in which day is ultimately chosen.

Based on the phrase “early March,” the MGC aims to launch digital betting ahead of NCAA March Madness, which begins with the top four in Dayton March 14-15 and ends April 3 in Houston.

Launch of horse racing sports book undecided

The launch of Category 2 licensees, which will be physical sportsbooks at two horse racing tracks, was not considered during the meeting. Both Raynham Park and Suffolk Downs are allowed to open sportsbooks, but neither has announced a partner.

Part of the urgency surrounding announcing a launch date probably has to do with Massachusetts being surrounded by legal gambling states, including New Hampshire, where Boston-based DraftKings has a monopoly on retail and digital betting. Connecticut, New York and Rhode Island all offer legal betting as well.

The committee voted to begin enacting rules and setting up the supplier approval process. MGC employees posted a scoping survey on Friday and had plans to post the application to operators and open a 45-day window for interested parties to complete it. If the application is posted on Friday, that would mean that applications must be submitted on November 21. From there, the MGC staff would begin vetting the applicants and the committee would consider issuing approvals.