§ 4 — Commission powers and duties

Massachusetts § 4

• Jurisdiction: Massachusetts
• Part I: ADMINISTRATION OF THE GOVERNMENT
• Title II: EXECUTIVE AND ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS OF THE COMMONWEALTH
• Ch. 23N: AUTHORIZATION AND REGULATION OF SPORTS WAGERING

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Section 4. (a) The commission shall regulate the conduct of sports wagering under this chapter.(b) The commission shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary for the implementation, administration and enforcement of this chapter. The commission may promulgate emergency rules and regulations in accordance with applicable procedures for the promulgation of emergency rules and regulations.(c) The commission shall promulgate regulations to prohibit: (i) the purchase or other use of any personal biometric data of an athlete for sports wagering or aiding a patron in placing a wager with sports wagering operators; and (ii) the following advertising, marketing and branding activities: (A) advertisements, marketing and branding in such a manner that it is deceptive, false, misleading, or untrue, or tends to deceive or create a misleading impression whether directly, or by ambiguity or omission; (B) use of unsolicited pop-up advertisements on the internet or by text message directed to an individual on the list of self-excluded persons established pursuant to paragraph (2) of subsection (e) of section 13; (C) any form of advertising, marketing or branding that the commission deems unacceptable or disruptive to the viewer experience at a sports event; (D) advertising, marketing and branding deemed to appeal directly to a person younger than 21 years old; and (E) advertising on any billboards, or any other public signage, which fails to comply with any federal, state or local law.(d)(1) The commission may promulgate rules and regulations including, but not limited to, those governing the acceptance of wagers on a sports event, other event or a series of sports events; types of wagering receipts which may be used; methods of issuing receipts; methods of accounting to be used by operators; types of records to be kept; types of systems for wagering; and any other sports wagering-related issues.(2) The commission shall promulgate rules and regulations regarding protections for patrons placing wagers and the promotion of social responsibility and responsible gaming that shall include, but not be limited to, a requirement that an operator: (i) implement responsible gaming programs that include comprehensive employee trainings on responding to circumstances in which individuals present signs of gambling addiction; (ii) assess, prevent and address problem gaming by an operator's consumers; (iii) permit a consumer to permanently close an account registered to the consumer on any or all platforms owned or operated by the operator at any time and for any reason; (iv) offer consumers access to their account history and account details; (v) refrain from making claims as to a consumer's winnings or money earned that is not net of wagers placed; (vi) allow a consumer to withdraw funds without further solicitation or promotion in the manner in which the funds were deposited; (vii) annually submit a problem gaming plan for approval by the commission, in consultation with the department of public health, that includes the objectives of and timetables for implementing the plan, identification of the persons responsible for implementing and maintaining the plan, procedures for identifying consumers with suspected or known problem gaming behavior, procedures for providing information to consumers concerning problem gaming identification and resources, procedures to prevent gaming by minors and self-excluded persons and any other information the commission may require; and (viii) shall not offer or provide a line of credit to any consumer.(3) The commission shall promulgate regulations that require mobile applications and digital platforms authorized for sports wagering to prominently display upon each entry into the application or platform the telephone number and website for a problem gambling hotline overseen by the department of public health.(e) The commission shall: (i) determine the eligibility of a person to hold or continue to hold a license; (ii) issue all licenses; and (iii) maintain a record of all licenses issued under this chapter.(f) The commission shall levy and collect all fees, surcharges, civil penalties and taxes on adjusted gross sports wagering receipts imposed by this chapter, except as otherwise provided under this chapter.(g) The commission shall have the authority to enforce this chapter and any rule or regulation of the commission and may request that the attorney general bring an action to enforce this chapter or any rule or regulation of the commission by civil action or petition for injunctive relief.(h) The commission may hold hearings, administer oaths and issue subpoenas or subpoenas duces tecum in order to enforce this chapter and the rules and regulations of the commission.(i) The commission may exercise any other powers necessary to effectuate this chapter and the rules and regulations of the commission.