Massachusetts Gambling Regulator Revises Privacy Rules
Date: 2023-08-09 Author: Kirill Zagoruyko Categories: EVENTS
Ensuring consumer protection and compliance with established regulations is part of the priorities of gambling regulators in the United States. While gambling regulators monitor compliance, they can also make changes to the sector that enhance player protection, allowing users to enjoy gambling safely and responsibly. The Massachusetts gambling regulator, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC), is pursuing exactly this goal by introducing changes to protect customers from excessive gambling.
In particular, the regulator has put forward changes aimed at limiting the ways in which licensed sports betting operators can use information received from their customers. Under the new changes, which were unanimously approved by MGC commissioners on Tuesday, there will be restrictions on the use of customer data such as sensitive information.
In order to use personal information or customer data for activities such as advertising, sports betting operators must obtain permission. This change effectively removes their ability to use customer data for personalized promotions and incentive offers without prior approval from customers.
In addition, MGC changes to the state's gambling sector aim to ensure the safety of at-risk or problem players who use responsible gambling tools such as self-exclusion and cooldown periods. Under the new rules, licensed sportsbooks in Massachusetts are not allowed to target such consumers. In addition to restrictions on the use of personal data, bookmakers must also be proactive and ensure the protection of this data.
It was only recently that MGC announced the imposition of fines on three casinos after discovering violations of established gambling rules.
Changes are aimed at reducing gambling addiction
Unsurprisingly, betting operators have raised concerns about the wider impact of new data privacy laws. This is because state lawmakers are also considering data privacy options that are not limited to the gambling sector. However, Gambling Regulatory Commissioner Bradford Hill explained that MGC does not need to wait for legislative changes being promoted by lawmakers to improve player protection rules in the state.
While betting operators have their concerns, Andrea Campbell, the Massachusetts Attorney General, has praised the changes in the gambling sector. The representative of the Prosecutor General's Office supported the idea to limit the use of personal data.
“The data should not be used to promote addiction or over-gaming on the platforms,” they wrote. The spokesperson said that sports betting operators should not interact with and encourage inactive players to play. According to them, such actions are contrary to efforts to protect players and may increase gambling addiction.
In particular, the regulator has put forward changes aimed at limiting the ways in which licensed sports betting operators can use information received from their customers. Under the new changes, which were unanimously approved by MGC commissioners on Tuesday, there will be restrictions on the use of customer data such as sensitive information.
In order to use personal information or customer data for activities such as advertising, sports betting operators must obtain permission. This change effectively removes their ability to use customer data for personalized promotions and incentive offers without prior approval from customers.
In addition, MGC changes to the state's gambling sector aim to ensure the safety of at-risk or problem players who use responsible gambling tools such as self-exclusion and cooldown periods. Under the new rules, licensed sportsbooks in Massachusetts are not allowed to target such consumers. In addition to restrictions on the use of personal data, bookmakers must also be proactive and ensure the protection of this data.
It was only recently that MGC announced the imposition of fines on three casinos after discovering violations of established gambling rules.
Changes are aimed at reducing gambling addiction
Unsurprisingly, betting operators have raised concerns about the wider impact of new data privacy laws. This is because state lawmakers are also considering data privacy options that are not limited to the gambling sector. However, Gambling Regulatory Commissioner Bradford Hill explained that MGC does not need to wait for legislative changes being promoted by lawmakers to improve player protection rules in the state.
While betting operators have their concerns, Andrea Campbell, the Massachusetts Attorney General, has praised the changes in the gambling sector. The representative of the Prosecutor General's Office supported the idea to limit the use of personal data.
“The data should not be used to promote addiction or over-gaming on the platforms,” they wrote. The spokesperson said that sports betting operators should not interact with and encourage inactive players to play. According to them, such actions are contrary to efforts to protect players and may increase gambling addiction.
