Residents of Massachusetts have lost their rights to wager or place bets on LIV Golf, a Saudi professional golf tour, after Massachusetts Gaming Commission rejected the application filed by DraftKings, a popular sports betting platform, to add LIV Golf, a breakaway league, in the betting catalog of the Bay State.
On Tuesday, the MGC unanimously rejected DraftKing’s proposal, with all 5 commissioners having the same opinion towards the controversial LIV Golf tour, which is the current focus of the United States Senate.
LIV Golf is owned and operated by the government of Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund.
According to the MGC Commissioner Eileen O’Brien, there are many reasons why the Massachusetts Gaming Commission has decided to put LIV Golf in their catalog in terms of the LIV League’s financial backing even as a freestanding, in spite of the merger’s DOJ investigation.
The MGC is most likely to revisit its decision if the merger of LIV Golf with the PGA tour continues next year. The sports wagering manager of MGC, Sterl Carpenter, stated that DraftKings’ request included adding LIV Golf to the State’s golf section in the sports betting catalog, which includes various online sportsbooks, prior to its 2024 season. The commissioners also cited various reasons for rejecting the application, including concerns over the financial backing of LIV Golf by the Saudi Arabian government, which has faced numerous allegations of human rights violations. Despite this, live golf betting continues to grow in popularity.
The regulators were informed by DraftKings that LIV Golf was not informed about their attempts to support wagers on the Massachusetts League as it already operates as an online casino offering gambling in different states.
