Code of Massachusetts Regulations
205 CMR - MASSACHUSETTS GAMING COMMISSION
Title 205 CMR 247.00 - Uniform Standards of Sports Wagering
Section 247.05 - Data Sources and Official League Data

Universal Citation: 205 MA Code of Regs 205.247

Current through Register 1531, September 27, 2024

(1) Except as otherwise provided in 205 CMR 247.05, a Sports Wagering Operator may use any licensed data source to determine the results of all tier 1 Sports Wagers and tier 2 Sports Wagers, subject to all of the following conditions:

(a) The data source and corresponding data must be complete, accurate, reliable, timely, and available.

(b) The data source must be appropriate to settle the types of events and types of wagers for which it is used.

(c) The data is not obtained directly or indirectly from live event attendees who collect the data in violation of the terms of admittance to an event, or through automated computer programs that compile data from the Internet in violation of the terms of service of any website or other Internet platform.

(d) The proprietor or manager of any data source that provides data directly to a Sports Wagering Operator must be licensed by the Commission as a Sports Wagering Vendor.

(e) The data source and corresponding data must meet any other conditions set by the Commission.

(2) A Sports Wagering Operator shall report to the Commission the data source that it uses to resolve Sports Wagers. The Commission may disapprove of a data source for any reason.

(3) In accordance with M.G.L. c. 23N, § 4(c)(i), a Sports Wagering Operator shall not purchase or use any personal biometric data.

(4) A Sports Governing Body headquartered in the United States may notify the Commission that it desires Sports Wagering Operators to use official league data to settle tier 2 Sports Wagers on the Sports Governing Body's Sporting Events. The notification shall be made in the form and manner required by the Commission and must include, at a minimum, all of the following:

(a) Identification information for the Sports Governing Body;

(b) Identification and contact information for at least one specific individual who will be the primary point of contact for issues related to the provision of official league data and compliance with the act and these rules;

(c) Identification and contact information for any designees that are or will be expressly authorized by the Sports Governing Body to provide official league data in Massachusetts;

(d) Copies of any contracts relevant to the provision of official league data in Massachusetts, including all of the following:
1. Copies of any contracts between the Sports Governing Body and any designees that are or will be expressly authorized by the Sports Governing Body to provide official league data in Massachusetts; and

2. Copies of any contracts between the Sports Governing Body or its designees and Sports Wagering Operators in Massachusetts;

3. A description of the official league data the Sports Governing Body desires to provide; and

(e) Any other information required by the Commission.

(5) A Sports Governing Body may not submit a notification under 205 CMR 247.05(4) unless the Commission has authorized Sports Wagering Operators to accept tier 2 wagers on athletic events of the Sports Governing Body.

(6) Within five days of receipt of the notification, the Commission shall notify each Sports Wagering Operator of the requirement to use official league data to settle tier 2 Sports Wagers. If a Sports Governing Body does not notify the Commission of its desire to supply official league data, a Sports Wagering Operator may use any data source for determining the results of any and all tier 2 Sports Wagers on Sporting Events of the Sports Governing Body.

(7) Within 60 days of the Commission issuing a notification pursuant to 205 CMR 247.05(4), or such longer period as may be agreed between the Sports Governing Body and the applicable Sports Wagering Operator, a Sports Wagering Operator shall use only official league data to determine the results of tier 2 Sports Wagers on Sporting Events of that Sports Governing Body, unless:

(a) The Sports Governing Body or its designee cannot provide a feed of official league data to determine the results of a particular type of tier 2 Sports Wager, in which case a Sports Wagering Operator may use any data source for determining the results of the applicable tier 2 Sports Wager until such time a data feed becomes available from the Sports Governing Body on commercially reasonable terms and conditions; or

(b) A Sports Wagering Operator can demonstrate to the Commission that the Sports Governing Body or its designee will not provide a feed of official league data to the Sports Wagering Operator on commercially reasonable terms and conditions.

(8) In evaluating whether official league data is offered on commercially reasonable terms and conditions for purposes of 205 CMR 247.05(7)(a), the Commission may consider:

(a) The availability of official league data to a Sports Wagering Operator from more than one authorized source and whether it is offered under materially different terms;

(b) Market information, including, but not limited to, price and other terms and conditions of Sports Wagering Operators' purchases of comparable data in the Commonwealth and other jurisdictions;

(c) The characteristics of the official league data and any alternate data sources, including:
1. The nature, quantity, quality, integrity, completeness, accuracy, reliability, availability, and timeliness of the data;

2. The quality, complexity, integrity, and reliability of the process used to collect the data; and

3. Any other characteristics the Commission deems relevant;

(d) The availability and cost of comparable data from other authorized data sources;

(e) Whether any terms of the contract or offer sheet are uncompetitive in nature, are economically unfeasible, or otherwise unduly burden the Sports Wagering Operator; and

(f) Any other factors the Commission deems relevant.

(9) Notwithstanding 205 CMR 247.05(7) or any provision of 205 CMR 247.05 to the contrary, during the pendency of the determination of the Commission as to whether a Sports Governing Body or its designee may provide official league data on commercially reasonable terms, a Sports Wagering Operator may use any data source to determine the results of tier 2 Sports Wagers. The determination shall be made within 120 days of the Sports Wagering Operator notifying the Commission that it requests to demonstrate that the Sports Governing Body or its designee will not provide a feed of official league data to the Sports Wagering Operator on commercially reasonable terms.

(10) The Commission shall maintain, and may publish, a list of all Sports Governing Bodies that provide official league data under 205 CMR 247.05.

(11) At any time, a Sports Governing Body may give written notification to the Commission and all Sports Wagering Operators to which the Sports Governing Body or its designee provides official league data that the Sports Governing Body intends to stop providing official league data. The written notification shall specify in the date on which the Sports Governing Body shall stop providing official league data. Said date shall be no fewer than seven days later than the date of the written notification. On receipt of the written notification, a Sports Wagering Operator may use any data source that meets the requirements of 205 CMR 247.05(1) to determine the results of tier 2 Sports Wagers on athletic events of the Sports Governing Body.

(12) If a Sports Governing Body does not notify the Commission of its desire to supply official league data under 205 CMR 247.05, a Sports Wagering Operator may use any data source that meets the requirements of 205 CMR 247.05(1) for determining the results of any and all tier 2 Sports Wagers on Sporting Events of the Sports Governing Body.

(13) A Sports Governing Body may enter into commercial agreements with a Sports Wagering Operator or other entity in which such Sports Governing Body may share in the amount wagered or revenues derived from Sports Wagering on Sporting Events of the Sports Governing Body. A Sports Governing Body shall not be required to obtain a license or any other approval from the Commission to lawfully accept such amounts or revenues.

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