Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 23N, sec. 6 — MA Code / Part I / Title II / Chapter 23N / Section 6
Operator licenses; category of licenses; temporary licenses
Status: in_force

Section 6. (a) A licensed qualified gaming entity may operate sports wagering upon the approval of the commission. (b)(1) The commission shall issue a category 1 license to any holder of a gaming license, as defined in section 2 of chapter 23K, that meets the requirements of this chapter and the rules and regulations of the commission; provided, however, that any holder of a category 1 license shall not be issued a category 2 license. (2) The commission shall issue a category 2 license to: (i) any holder of a license to conduct a live horse racing meeting in accordance with chapter 128A; (ii) a running horse racing licensee that conducted simulcast wagering as of December 31, 2020 as authorized by law; or (iii) a greyhound meeting licensee that conducted simulcast wagering as of December 31, 2020 as authorized by law; that meets the requirements of this chapter and the rules and regulations of the commission; provided, however, that any holder of a category 2 license shall not be issued a category 1 license; and provided further, that no more than 1 category 2 license shall be issued to any 1 person, entity, or affiliate or close associate of such person or entity. (3) The commission may issue a category 3 license to any entity that offers sports wagering through a mobile application or other digital platform that meets the requirements of this chapter and the rules and regulations of the commission; provided, however, the commission shall issue no more than 7 category 3 licenses that are not connected to a category 1 or category 2 license. (4) A category 1 or category 2 licensee may enter into agreements related to mobile or digital sports wagering with a category 3 licensee pursuant to the approval of the commission. Nothing in this chapter shall require a category 3 licensee to partner with or have any commercial relationship with a category 1 or 2 licensee. (c)(1) A qualified gaming entity may submit to the commission a request for a temporary license for the immediate commencement of sports wagering operations. Such request shall include an initial licensing fee of $1,000,000 payable to the commission. (2) Upon receiving a request for a temporary license, the executive director of the commission shall review the request. If the executive director determines that the entity requesting the temporary license is a qualified gaming entity and has paid the sports wagering initial licensing fee pursuant to paragraph (1), the commission shall authorize the qualified gaming entity to conduct sports wagering for a period of 1 year under a temporary license or until a final determination on its operator license application is made. (3) All sports wagering conducted under authority of a temporary license shall comply with the house rules adopted under section 10. (d) Prior to issuing an operator license, the commission shall commence an investigation into the suitability of the applicant. The commission may use information obtained from the applicant pursuant to chapter 23K, chapter 128A, chapter 128C, or information from other jurisdictions where the applicant is authorized to conduct sports wagering. In evaluating the suitability of the applicant, the commission shall consider the overall reputation of the applicant including, but not limited to: (i) the integrity, honesty, good character and reputation of the applicant; (ii) the financial stability, integrity and background of the applicant; (iii) the business practices and the business ability of the applicant to establish and maintain a successful sports wagering operation; (iv) whether the applicant has a history of compliance with gaming or sports wagering licensing requirements in other jurisdictions; (v) whether the applicant, at the time of application, is a defendant in litigation involving its business practices; and (vi) the suitability of all parties in interest to the license, including affiliates and close associates, and the financial resources of the applicant. (e) The commission may deny an application, if the commission determines during its investigation that an applicant has failed to: (i) establish the applicant's integrity or the integrity of any affiliate, close associate, financial resources or any person required to be qualified by the commission; (ii) demonstrate responsible business practices in any jurisdiction; or (iii) overcome any other reason, as determined by the commission, as to why it would be injurious to the interests of the commonwealth to award the applicant an operator license. (f) Upon application by a qualified gaming entity that is not denied pursuant to subsection (e) and payment of a $5,000,000 licensing fee, the commission shall grant an operator license to a qualified gaming entity that provides the right to conduct sports wagering; provided, that the qualified gaming entity shall meet the requirements for licensure under this chapter and the rules and regulations of the commission. Such license shall be issued for a 5-year period, and may be renewed for 5-year periods upon payment of a $5,000,000 renewal fee: provided, that the operator shall continue to meet all requirements under this chapter and the rules and regulations of the commission. The commission shall credit any initial licensing fee paid pursuant to paragraph (1) of subsection (c) to a successful applicant for an operator license against the licensing fee due under this subsection. (g) An operator shall submit to the commission such documentation or information as the commission may require to demonstrate that the operator continues to meet the requirements of this chapter and the rules and regulations of the commission. An operator shall submit required documentation or information no later than 5 years after issuance of its operator license and every 5 years thereafter, or within lesser periods based on circumstances specified by the commission. (h) No licensee shall transfer an operator license, or any direct or indirect interest in the license, without the majority approval of the commission. A person seeking to acquire such license through a transfer shall qualify and otherwise be determined by the commission to be eligible for licensure under this chapter. The commission may reject a proposed license transfer or a proposed transfer of interest in the license to an unsuitable person and may reject a proposed transfer that, in the determination of the commission, would be injurious to the interests of the commonwealth. The commission may promulgate regulations governing this process which may include assessment of a fee to reflect the cost associated with reviewing the proposed transfer. [ Subsection (i) effective until July 1, 2025. For text effective July 1, 2025, see below.] (i) Applications for operator licenses shall be public records under section 10 of chapter 66; provided however, that trade secrets, competitively-sensitive or other proprietary information provided in the course of an application for an operator license under this chapter, the disclosure of which would place the applicant at a competitive disadvantage, may be withheld from disclosure under said section 10 of said chapter 66. [ Subsection (i) as amended by 2025, 9, Sec. 13 effective July 1, 2025. See 2025, 9, Sec. 138. For text effective until July 1, 2025, see above.] (i) Applications for operator licenses shall be public records under section 10 of chapter 66; provided, however, that trade secrets, competitively-sensitive information or other proprietary information provided by an applicant for an operator license or an operator licensee to the commission under this chapter, the disclosure of which would place the applicant or licensee at a competitive disadvantage or would be detrimental to the applicant or licensee if it were made public, may be withheld from disclosure under section 10 of chapter 66 at the commission's discretion.

Section 6. (a) A licensed qualified gaming entity may operate sports wagering upon the approval of the commission.

(b)(1) The commission shall issue a category 1 license to any holder of a gaming license, as defined in section 2 of chapter 23K, that meets the requirements of this chapter and the rules and regulations of the commission; provided, however, that any holder of a category 1 license shall not be issued a category 2 license.

(2) The commission shall issue a category 2 license to: (i) any holder of a license to conduct a live horse racing meeting in accordance with chapter 128A; (ii) a running horse racing licensee that conducted simulcast wagering as of December 31, 2020 as authorized by law; or (iii) a greyhound meeting licensee that conducted simulcast wagering as of December 31, 2020 as authorized by law; that meets the requirements of this chapter and the rules and regulations of the commission; provided, however, that any holder of a category 2 license shall not be issued a category 1 license; and provided further, that no more than 1 category 2 license shall be issued to any 1 person, entity, or affiliate or close associate of such person or entity.

(3) The commission may issue a category 3 license to any entity that offers sports wagering through a mobile application or other digital platform that meets the requirements of this chapter and the rules and regulations of the commission; provided, however, the commission shall issue no more than 7 category 3 licenses that are not connected to a category 1 or category 2 license.

(4) A category 1 or category 2 licensee may enter into agreements related to mobile or digital sports wagering with a category 3 licensee pursuant to the approval of the commission. Nothing in this chapter shall require a category 3 licensee to partner with or have any commercial relationship with a category 1 or 2 licensee.

(c)(1) A qualified gaming entity may submit to the commission a request for a temporary license for the immediate commencement of sports wagering operations. Such request shall include an initial licensing fee of $1,000,000 payable to the commission.

(2) Upon receiving a request for a temporary license, the executive director of the commission shall review the request. If the executive director determines that the entity requesting the temporary license is a qualified gaming entity and has paid the sports wagering initial licensing fee pursuant to paragraph (1), the commission shall authorize the qualified gaming entity to conduct sports wagering for a period of 1 year under a temporary license or until a final determination on its operator license application is made.

(3) All sports wagering conducted under authority of a temporary license shall comply with the house rules adopted under section 10.

(d) Prior to issuing an operator license, the commission shall commence an investigation into the suitability of the applicant. The commission may use information obtained from the applicant pursuant to chapter 23K, chapter 128A, chapter 128C, or information from other jurisdictions where the applicant is authorized to conduct sports wagering. In evaluating the suitability of the applicant, the commission shall consider the overall reputation of the applicant including, but not limited to: (i) the integrity, honesty, good character and reputation of the applicant; (ii) the financial stability, integrity and background of the applicant; (iii) the business practices and the business ability of the applicant to establish and maintain a successful sports wagering operation; (iv) whether the applicant has a history of compliance with gaming or sports wagering licensing requirements in other jurisdictions; (v) whether the applicant, at the time of application, is a defendant in litigation involving its business practices; and (vi) the suitability of all parties in interest to the license, including affiliates and close associates, and the financial resources of the applicant.

(e) The commission may deny an application, if the commission determines during its investigation that an applicant has failed to: (i) establish the applicant's integrity or the integrity of any affiliate, close associate, financial resources or any person required to be qualified by the commission; (ii) demonstrate responsible business practices in any jurisdiction; or (iii) overcome any other reason, as determined by the commission, as to why it would be injurious to the interests of the commonwealth to award the applicant an operator license.

(f) Upon application by a qualified gaming entity that is not denied pursuant to subsection (e) and payment of a $5,000,000 licensing fee, the commission shall grant an operator license to a qualified gaming entity that provides the right to conduct sports wagering; provided, that the qualified gaming entity shall meet the requirements for licensure under this chapter and the rules and regulations of the commission. Such license shall be issued for a 5-year period, and may be renewed for 5-year periods upon payment of a $5,000,000 renewal fee: provided, that the operator shall continue to meet all requirements under this chapter and the rules and regulations of the commission. The commission shall credit any initial licensing fee paid pursuant to paragraph (1) of subsection (c) to a successful applicant for an operator license against the licensing fee due under this subsection.

(g) An operator shall submit to the commission such documentation or information as the commission may require to demonstrate that the operator continues to meet the requirements of this chapter and the rules and regulations of the commission. An operator shall submit required documentation or information no later than 5 years after issuance of its operator license and every 5 years thereafter, or within lesser periods based on circumstances specified by the commission.

(h) No licensee shall transfer an operator license, or any direct or indirect interest in the license, without the majority approval of the commission. A person seeking to acquire such license through a transfer shall qualify and otherwise be determined by the commission to be eligible for licensure under this chapter. The commission may reject a proposed license transfer or a proposed transfer of interest in the license to an unsuitable person and may reject a proposed transfer that, in the determination of the commission, would be injurious to the interests of the commonwealth. The commission may promulgate regulations governing this process which may include assessment of a fee to reflect the cost associated with reviewing the proposed transfer.

[ Subsection (i) effective until July 1, 2025. For text effective July 1, 2025, see below.]

(i) Applications for operator licenses shall be public records under section 10 of chapter 66; provided however, that trade secrets, competitively-sensitive or other proprietary information provided in the course of an application for an operator license under this chapter, the disclosure of which would place the applicant at a competitive disadvantage, may be withheld from disclosure under said section 10 of said chapter 66.

[ Subsection (i) as amended by 2025, 9, Sec. 13 effective July 1, 2025. See 2025, 9, Sec. 138. For text effective until July 1, 2025, see above.]

(i) Applications for operator licenses shall be public records under section 10 of chapter 66; provided, however, that trade secrets, competitively-sensitive information or other proprietary information provided by an applicant for an operator license or an operator licensee to the commission under this chapter, the disclosure of which would place the applicant or licensee at a competitive disadvantage or would be detrimental to the applicant or licensee if it were made public, may be withheld from disclosure under section 10 of chapter 66 at the commission's discretion.