{"id":231249,"date":"2022-09-10T13:53:18","date_gmt":"2022-09-10T18:53:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/?p=231249"},"modified":"2022-09-12T14:08:37","modified_gmt":"2022-09-12T19:08:37","slug":"massachusetts-sports-betting-report-recommends-in-game-wagering-ban","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/massachusetts-sports-betting-report-recommends-in-game-wagering-ban\/","title":{"rendered":"Massachusetts Sports Betting Report Recommends In-Game Wagering Ban"},"content":{"rendered":"

A \u201csnapshot\u201d report released Thursday by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) included a recommendation to ban in-game wagering when sports betting goes live in the commonwealth.<\/p>\n

\"Fenway<\/a>
An aerial view of Fenway Park and Kenmore Square in Boston at sunset. A report released Thursday recommended to the Massachusetts Gaming Commission that it should prohibit in-game betting as part of its sports betting regulations. (Image: rabbit75_fot\/Adobe Stock Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In-game wagering, also known as microbetting, is the opportunity to bet on an upcoming outcome within the event. Examples include wagering on whether a baseball team scores a run in an inning or a batter gets a hit in his at-bat. It\u2019s a growing segment of the US sports betting industry, with startups like Betr<\/a> and nVenue<\/a> receiving millions of dollars from investors to help launch their products.<\/p>\n

However, the researchers who conducted the report<\/a> for the MGC said they found that \u201cin play sports betting\u2026 is disproportionately utilized by problem gamblers.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Researchers also recommended that any operator licensed in the state be required to give player data to the commission and \u201ccooperate with researchers.\u201d They also called for stipulating responsible gambling features on all web and mobile sites and for controls on marketing, including celebrity endorsements.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

“Authors provided policy recommendations intended to optimize the economic and social benefits of sports betting in (Massachusetts) while minimizing economic and social harm,\u201d the report stated.<\/p>\n

The study was conducted by Rachel A. Volberg, Martha Zorn, and Valerie Evans at the University of Massachusetts Amherst\u2019s School of Public Health & Health Sciences and Robert J. Williams, a health sciences faculty member at the University of Lethbridge in Canada. They are all members of the Social and Economic Impacts of Gambling in Massachusetts (SEIGMA) team, which receives funding from the MGC.<\/p>\n

RG Roundtable Set for Tuesday<\/h2>\n

On Friday, the MGC announced it would hold a public meeting to discuss responsible gaming practices related to sports betting. The public meeting will include a roundtable discussion on voluntary self-exclusion, steps necessary to prevent underage betting, employee training, and other considerations.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s likely the SEIGMA report, and its recommendations will be discussed during the session.<\/p>\n

Those slated to participate in the discussion are:<\/p>\n