New Bettors Advocacy Group on Massachusetts Regulators’ Radar

Jun 24, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Tanner Houck (89) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY SportsA member of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission suggested reaching out to a new bettors advocacy group prior to a sports betting roundtableCommissioner Eileen O’Brien asked the MGC team to reach out to American Bettors’ Voice to prepare for a roundtable about the practice of limiting usersAmerican Bettors’ Voice CEO said the group would be “thrilled” to meet with the MGC

American Bettors’ Voice, a newly formed non-profit group supporting sports bettors, has already caught the eye of at least one regulatory body.

Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) member Eileen O’Brien today requested the MGC team reach out to American Bettors’ Voice (ABV) to prepare for a planned public roundtable with licensed sports betting operators to discuss the practice of limiting users.

“The NCLGS (National Council of Legislators from Gaming States) conference had a presentation late Friday morning about a new group that is advocating for bettors. I haven’t looked at it, but their main topic is basically this topic, transparency and limitations,” she said.

Will ABV Be Involved in Upcoming Roundtable?

O’Brien asked the team to reach out to ABV prior to the MGC’s planned Aug. 1 meeting. While the roundtable meeting has yet to be scheduled, the MGC will begin crafting specific questions and topics during the early August meeting.

“It might be worth the team taking a look at that, seeing if there’s anything worth us getting briefed on beforehand. It could be helpful,” she said.

It seems to be the first public mention of ABV since the group’s formation was officially announced on July 22. Sports betting legends Gadoon “Spanky” Kyrollos and Billy Walters formed the Nevada-based non-profit as means to give sports bettors “a seat at the table” in U.S. online sports betting markets.

Richard Schuetz, CEO of the group and a lifelong gaming and regulatory veteran, told Sports Betting Dime he “greatly respects” the work being done by the MGC.

“We’d be thrilled to meet with them,” he said.

Too many roundtables and informational meetings on the industry only include operators, lobbyists, and gaming firms, Schuetz said, but exclude actual sports betting users. He applauded the MGC for having an interest in the rights of Massachusetts bettors.

It remains to be seen what role, if any, ABV will have in the upcoming roundtable meeting.

The roundtable will feature a discussion on player limitations with the state’s seven licensed sports betting operators, industry veterans, and sports betting professionals.

The MGC originally held a roundtable on the topic in May, but did so without the majority of state operators. All but Bally’s agreed to attend the meeting, holding reservations that they would have to discuss “trade secrets”  in public.

This time around, all seven licensed operators have agreed to attend the meeting.

Giving Bettors a Voice

Both Kyrollos and Walters explained in a press release that the ABV will focus on providing online sports bettors with a voice to stick up for their rights as consumers in the U.S. sports betting market.

“At this stage in my life, I am eager to give back to an activity that has given me so much. Bettors deserve to be treated fairly, and we at American Bettors‘ Voice are unwavering in our commitment to this cause,” Walters said in the release.

Schuetz told Sports Betting Dime that serious discussions need to take place on confusing operators’ terms and conditions, friction with user withdrawals, and the use of palpable errors as a way to void user bets.

He stressed, however, that the ABV is not positioning itself against the industry. The ABV hopes to support the U.S. sports bettor and offer suggestions on how the industry can better do so as well.

“We look at ourselves as a community, and we’re trying to build that community right now…we really want this to be reflective of bettors,” he said.

Brett Smiley, Brianne Doura-Schawohl, Susan Hensel, Allison McCoy, and Eric Raskin are all members of the ABV advisory board.