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The Massachusetts Gaming Commission voted 4-0 last week against a proposal by DraftKings Sportsbook to permit gambling in the state on this year’s Boston Marathon.
DraftKings’ Boston Marathon request was part of item 480, a proposal to add several new sports to the permitted Massachusetts gaming catalog. Mobile sports betting in Massachusetts has been live only since March 10, so it is unsurprising that new sports proposals are part of the Gaming Commission’s agenda. Nonetheless, commission members agreed Thursday to delay voting on the other proposed sports in item 480 until they receive further input.
Slap Fighting, US ProMiniGolf, Jai Alai, and Rallycross were among the sports for which discussion was tabled.
Bad Timing for DraftKings’ Boston Marathon Betting Proposal
Commission members did vote on the Boston Marathon wagering proposal due to the event’s proximity — it is scheduled for Monday, April 17 — and the debate was one-sided.
Commission Chair Cathy Judd-Stein shared an email from Scott Stover, chief marketing officer for the Boston Athletic Association, which stated in part:
“At this moment, there is not sufficient time for the Boston Athletic Association, nor its many partners and agencies, to coordinate and fully ensure proper protocols are in place to support such a proposal for wagering on our event. Until we can complete due diligence, our concerns include, but are not limited to, ensuring event security and potential influence on the outcome of the race.”
Commissioners acknowledged that a proposal to permit betting on future runnings of the Boston Marathon could be revisited. However, they expressed disappointment that DraftKings presented this proposal so close to the race date, and seemingly without input from the event organizers.
“I’m going to respect this local organization’s [the BAA] request to be included in the process that could potentially allow wagering on their event, and for that reason I also respect that they don’t think they can work out any issues in 12 days, and that seems reasonable,” Commissioner Jordan Maynard said.
April 17 marks the 127th running of the Boston Marathon. Commissioners also noted that it is the 10th anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombing, adding to their view that DraftKing’s timing request was poor.
While the marathon attracts about 30,000 runners, DraftKings requested to allow wagering on elite women’s and men’s runners only.
Other Items on Mass Sports Betting Regulators’ Agenda
The Commission approved several other items, including proposed language changes to house rules submitted by WynnBet and BetMGM, as well as the addition of volleyball, cycling, and softball to Caesars sports betting catalog.
The committee will reconvene at a future date to consider the new sports proposed in item 480 after stakeholders provide additional feedback.
