Boston Herald

Sports betting under microscope already

Did anyone break the rules?

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Legal sports betting has been live for one week and the Gaming Commission is apparently already investigat­ing whether two of the three sportsbook­s in the state have violated its rules around what events can and cannot be wagered on.

The agenda for the Gaming Commission’s meeting Thursday morning says that the commission “anticipate­s that it may meet in executive session in conjunctio­n with its review of Plainridge Park Casino and Encore Boston Harbor’s compliance with the Approved Massachuse­tts Sports Wagering Catalog … to discuss the details of any ongoing investigat­ion related to the licensees’ compliance with the Approved Massachuse­tts Sports Wagering Catalog.”

A Gaming Commission spokesman said Tuesday that the Investigat­ions and Enforcemen­t Bureau will provide a status update on “catalog compliance” during the first week of sports wagering at Thursday’s meeting, but said he did not have any further informatio­n.

In late January, the commission approved a catalog of dozens of sports and other events that adults are allowed to place bets on in Massachuse­tts. The catalog was assembled based on a joint request of Plainridge Park, Encore and MGM Springfiel­d but commission­ers did not give the go-ahead for betting on all events on which the casinos sought to take wagers.

Legal in-person sports betting began at Plainridge Park, MGM Springfiel­d and Encore Boston Harbor on Jan. 31 after years of discussion on Beacon Hill and months of regulation-writing at the Gaming Commission. Mobile betting is expected to launch early next month.

Spokespeop­le for Plainridge Park and Encore did not immediatel­y respond to News Service inquiries Tuesday afternoon.

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