Massachusetts meeting reveals Fanatics’ US sportsbook plans
Bay State licensing presentation confirms sports merchandizer’s partners ahead of Q1 2023 launch
New details have emerged concerning the make-up of Fanatics’ sportsbook plans following licensing meetings with the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC).
The sports merchandizer delivered its first presentation as part of licensing hearings in the Bay State, with Fanatics Betting and Gaming CEO Matt King among those delivering testimony to the MGC.
Echoing previous comments made by Fanatics global CEO Michael Rubin, the presentation confirmed the presence of the Betting and Gaming division within the wider Fanatics brand.
Also confirmed was a Q1 launch date for the Fanatics platform, with plans to deploy this across “the majority” of legal sports betting jurisdictions across the US before September 2023, inclusive of the Massachusetts launch, where it will partner with the Plainridge Park Casino.
As revealed by Legal Sports Report in April 2022, Fanatics has confirmed the license of supplier Amelco’s player account system and its sports wagering system, in lieu of developing its own offering in house, or acquiring one via M&A.
In respect of its supply partners, the presentation confirmed GLI for certification, GeoComply for geolocation technology, Socure for know your customer (KYC) technology, and payments supplier Paysafe for its payment processing technology.
Although not confirmed during the presentation, the brand used is likely to be BetFanatics to serve as the umbrella brand for Fanatics’ sportsbook operations.
Fanatics initial line-up of launches is expected to include Maryland, Ohio, and Massachusetts pending a license award by the MGC. Also confirmed during the meeting was the employment of more than 400 Massachusetts residents, as well as the makeup of Fanatics management team.
Among those industry insiders joining Fanatics Betting and Gaming division are chief business officer Ari Borod, previously at Action Network and chief product officer Scot Mclintic, formerly of Penn Entertainment and Paysafe.
Other appointments include CTO Ian Botts from FanDuel, Kristen Lachtman, formerly of Action Network, and former Sky Bet head of trading Andy Wright, who joined Fanatics in May as SVP of trading.
In a nod to the experiences of other operators going through the Massachusetts licensing process, Fanatics has confirmed that it will not advertise across Massachusetts college campuses or in areas where individuals are predominantly under 21 years of age.
In tandem, Fanatics has signed up to the AGA’s responsible marketing code for sports wagering, including responsible gaming messaging in all marketing materials.
In addition, the presentation drew light to Fanatics’ diversity, equity and inclusion goals, something previously the subject of many questions during deliberations concerning other operator licenses, including Barstool Sports and Caesars.
Details of Fanatics’ financial projections and further information about the technology used, including its app, were not revealed in the public hearing, instead being confirmed to the MGC in a closed session.
Meetings to discuss the license award are set to continue today ahead of a full vote potentially next week.