Gambling Regulator in Massachusetts Overhauls Privacy Regulations

Ensuring consumer protection and compliance with the established rules are a part of the priorities of gambling regulators across the US. While gambling regulators monitor for compliance, they can also implement changes to the sector that increase player protection, allowing users to enjoy gambling activities safely and responsibly. The gambling regulator in Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC), follows exactly that goal by implementing changes that seek to safeguard customers from excessive gambling.

In particular, the regulator pushed changes that seek to restrict the ways licensed sports betting operators can use information collected from their clients. Under the new changes, which received unanimous approval from MGC’s commissioners Tuesday, there will be limitations on the use of customer data such as confidential information.

To use clients’ personal information or data for activities such as advertising, sports betting operators would need to secure approval. This change effectively stops them from leveraging clients’ data for personalized promotions and incentive offers without prior agreement with the customers.

Additionally, MGC’s changes to the gambling sector in the state seek to ensure the safety of at-risk or problem gamblers that are using responsible gambling tools such as self-exclusion and cool-off periods. Under the new regulations, licensed sportsbooks in Massachusetts won’t be permitted to target such consumers. Besides limits to the usage of personal data, sportsbooks would also need to be proactive and ensure the protection of that data.

Only recently, the MGC announced it imposed fines against three casinos after uncovering breaches of the established gambling regulations.

The Changes Seek to Reduce Gambling Addiction

Not unexpectedly, betting operators voiced their concerns about the broader impact of the new data privacy laws. This is because lawmakers in the state are also considering options for data privacy that involve not only the gambling sector. Yet, the gambling regulator’s Commissioner, Bradford Hill, explained that the MGC doesn’t need to wait for legislative changes pushed by lawmakers to improve the player protection rules in the state.

While betting operators have their concerns, Andrea Campbell, the Massachusetts Attorney General’s office, praised the changes to the gambling sector. A representative of the Attorney General’s office supported the idea to restrict the usage of personal data.

“Data must not be used to promote addiction to, or excessive play on, the platforms,” they wrote. The representative said that sports betting operators must not engage with bettors that are inactive and encourage them to gamble. According to them, such actions are against the efforts for player protection and may increase gambling addiction.