What You Need to Know About Plainridge Park Casino’s Retail Sportsbook

Written By C.J. Pierre on January 27, 2023 - Last Updated on August 29, 2023
Everything to know about Plainridge Park Casino's retail sportsbook from playma.com

Plainridge Park Casino has received a boost of energy with sports betting in Massachusetts now legal.

It is also the oldest active place to make a bet in the Bay State. Harness racing and simulcast wagering have been taking place at Plainridge since 1999. And on Jan. 31 at 10 a.m., they began offering retail sports betting with Barstool Sportsbook Massachusetts.

PPC had a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 1 p.m. New England Patriots legend Rob Ninkovich placed the first wager. PPC was the last of the three casinos to get approval in late December.

SPEND A DAY AT PPC: Top 4 Things to Do at Plainridge Park Casino (Other Than Sports Betting)

What You’ll Find at Plainridge Park Casino’s Barstool Retail Sportsbook

Plainridge Park has 18 kiosks and five betting windows available for sports betting at a temporary sportsbook at the casino, casino general manager North Grounsell told Play Massachusetts. He said the casino, not Barstool, will operate the temporary sportsbook, but it will still have Barstool Sportsbook branding.

A permanent Barstool Sportsbook & Restaurant is expected to open in an expanded gaming space at the former location of Flutie’s Sports Pub. Once live, the casino will offer fans a full slate of betting options on an estimated 5,000 sports markets, including the NFL, MLB, MLS, NBA, WNBA, and NHL.

Eventually, there are expected to be 20 kiosks and six betting windows at Plainridge.

PLAN YOUR TRIP: Which Massachusetts Retail Sportsbook Is Closest to You?

Plainridge Park Casino’s Sports Betting License Still Has ‘Temporary’ Tag

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission voted unanimously that PENN Entertainment was “preliminarily suitable for a temporary Category 3 sports wagering operator license” in the state.

PENN Entertainment, formerly Penn National Gaming, is the parent company of both Plainridge and Penn Sports Interactive. The license at PPC comes with a “temporary” tag as the operator is still under investigation by the regulatory agency due to its relationship with Barstool Sports.

READ MORE: Plainridge Park Casino Obtains ‘Temporary’ Sports Betting License As Regulators Continue Investigation

Types of Sports Bets Allowed

The MGC approved a sports wagering catalog, establishing what customers can and cannot bet on.

Bettors can wager on major leagues like the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB. Betting on most college sporting events is also allowed. However, Massachusetts will not allow wagers on non-tournament games involving Massachusetts college teams. Customers can place bets on league drafts and wagers on subjective awards like the NFL MVP. You can also place wagers on entertainment awards shows such as the Oscars.

The MGC did not make any decisions on the Olympics or non-mainstream sports like chess, cornhole, or esports. Commissioners wanted more time to discuss those particular events and the integrity standards and procedures of their governing bodies. There are some concerns about wagering on Olympic sports that feature judging, like gymnastics and figure skating. Additional discussion on the non-major sporting events will likely happen before mobile sports betting launches in March.

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C.J. Pierre

C.J. Pierre is a Lead Writer at PlayMA. He has been covering news and sports for over a decade for both online and TV broadcasts. He was born and raised in Minneapolis and an alum of Minnesota State University: Moorhead. He recently dove into tribal casino news. He also covered the launch of sports betting in Arizona. C.J. has experience as a reporter and videographer and has covered high school, college and professional sports throughout his career. Most notably following Arizona Cardinals, Phoenix Suns, Minnesota Vikings and North Dakota State University football.

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