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In-person betting has been live statewide for the past month. Since opening the market, Massachusetts’ three casinos have reported that patrons were able to place illegal bets while visiting the venues. The recent reports prompted an investigation by members of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission.
According to the investigation, more than $1,200 in bets were placed at the casino on two Harvard University basketball games during the month of February. Because the university “was incorrectly listed as an out-of-state institution,” the commission will consider whether the casino should be fined for the activity.
MGC Senior Enforcement Counsel Kathleen Kramer told Mass Live: “When Harvard was originally added to a ‘blacklist document’ under another state’s requirement of ‘no collegiate sports,’ it was incorrectly designated as being located in Connecticut.”
Kramer went on to add that BetMGM, which owns the sportsbook at MGM Springfield, corrected the designation.
She said: “In addition, BetMGM has reviewed and verified that all Massachusetts collegiate sports are properly restricted.”
She said that BetMGM has responded to the incident by laying out a plan to conduct a daily audit of all offered bets “to confirm there are no restrictions before opening the sportsbook or offerings for the day.”
Currently, Massachusetts does not allow betting on in-state collegiate teams other than during tournaments like March Madness.
The Gaming Commission has scheduled an afternoon meeting on April 14 to discuss the illegal wagers placed at MGM Springfield.
