Massachusetts Gaming Commission reports dozens of prediction-market inquiries
Regulation1 min read
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission has received dozens of consumer inquiries about prediction-market platforms it does not regulate, a commission spokesperson said. The commission directs those consumers to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, while chair Jordan Maynard told lawmakers that users may confuse such platforms with state-licensed sportsbooks.
A Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) spokesperson said they had personally seen dozens of inquiries about prediction-market platforms outside the regulator’s authority. The MGC tells consumers it does not regulate prediction markets and directs them to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson could not immediately give an exact count or say how many messages involved customer disputes. The response did not name any operators or say whether the CFTC later helped the consumers.
Consumers have sought the commission’s help with disputes involving operators beyond its remit, MGC Chair Jordan Maynard said in congressional testimony. Sports prediction markets can resemble licensed sportsbooks to customers, although different rules govern them. The commission receives calls seeking intervention in patron disputes with companies it does not regulate, which have not applied for a sports wagering licence and do not follow state rules.
A House Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development hearing on November 11 examined the growth of sports gambling on college campuses. The calls Maynard described may not be the same as the inquiries the spokesperson saw in the commission’s general inbox.