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The Massachusetts Gaming Commission announced the category 2 sports betting license for Raynham Park will begin next week.
Raynham Park, one of two horse racing simulcast facilities in Massachusetts, aims to build a Caesars Sportsbook at its property. Gaming officials will visit the park on June 9 and 10, with a public review process to begin Monday, June 12.
The review process is ready to begin
Raynham Park has been patiently waiting for its review process for over three months.
Speaking before the MGC in March, Dan Shapiro, Chief Development Officer at Caesars Digital, said the Caesars Sportsbook at Raynham Park would operate much the same as their brick-and-mortar venues at other racetracks in the US, including New Jersey’s Monmouth Park.
Construction on the 30,000-square-foot sportsbook is currently underway. The track will open its temporary sportsbook as soon as Raynham Park receives its betting license. The temporary location will be at 1958 Broadway Avenue in Raynham, about 35 miles south of Boston and east of Providence.
Chris Carney, one of the owners of Raynham Park, has supported the tracks’ partnership with Caesars from the start. Carney said in a post by Boston.com:
“Caesars Sportsbook is the strongest retail sports gaming brand in the industry and we are extremely proud to announce our partnership.”
Caesars plans to continue offering horse betting at Raynham when the permanent facility opens. The legal age limit for Massachusetts horse betting is 18, but Caesars will only allow 21-plus bettors at its Massachusetts sportsbook for both sports betting and horse betting.
Caesars-Raynham deal for retail sports betting only
This deal between Caesars and Raynham Park only covers in-person sports betting. Raynham Park at one point had a deal with UK-based operator Bet365 for its online sports betting business. But in January, the UK operator announced it would not collaborate with the racetrack.
Regarding online sports betting, Caesars has a partnership with Encore Boston Harbor.
The other eligible racetrack to have retail sports betting is Suffolk Downs. However, it has yet to find itself an online or retail partner.
