Bally Bet Sportsbook Launches in Massachusetts

Bay State’s sports betting market has just gotten a little bit bigger.

Bally Bet launched its online sportsbook in Massachusetts yesterday, just a day after receiving final approval from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC). Their launch is the eighth market Bally Bet will be live in, giving the state eight online sportsbooks. 

“We’re super excited to go live in Massachusetts, a state with such a rich sports history, a state where sports is such a fabric of the community,” Bally’s COO Brett Calapp said during the MGC’s approval meeting. “We can’t wait to participate in the entertainment, the fun, and excitement of sports in your state.”

Bally’s was initially awarded an operating license in January 2023 but decided to postpone a launch as they made strategic adjustments to their market strategy. The plan was for Bally Bet to launch last week, but delays pushed it until Tuesday.

The launch represents significant growth for Bally Bet, which has struggled to compete in a crowded sports betting market. They have struggled to compete against the industry leaders, leading to them shrinking their availability in the US. The addition of Massachusetts shows that Bally’s is committed to its online sportsbook and adds one of the top markets in the country.

Bally Bet Off to a Good Start with MGC

The MGC has been one of the most active regulators in the country. Over the years, it has battled several online sportsbooks, issuing fines and demanding answers for anything it perceives as a violation. Their most famous battle came with Penn Entertainment and Barstool Sportsbook, which decided to exit the market amid an investigation from the regulator.

The MGC held a roundtable discussion in May to discuss the practice of limiting customers. However, only Bally Bet showed up. The other operators no-showed the event, claiming public discussion of the topic would be sharing trade secrets. This decision led to the debate being a waste of time, leading to angry responses from MGC commissioners.

While Bally Bet wasn’t live during the discussion, their appearance will have earned them the state regulator's favor. Time will tell if that cooperation lasts once Bally Bet no longer needs the MGC’s approval to launch.