The Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) has recently settled a lawsuit initiated by the Public Health Advocacy Institute (PHAI), fulfilling a long-standing requirement to provide anonymized data from casino players to qualified researchers.
On July 23, PHAI announced that it would drop its lawsuit after the MGC adhered to the stipulations set forth in Section 97 of the state’s 2011 Expanded Gaming Act. The MGC now features a dedicated page on its website where researchers can apply for access to anonymized behavioral data collected from casino licensees.
The lawsuit, filed in 2024, claimed that the MGC had not complied with the legal obligation of Section 97, which mandates casino operators to gather player-tracking information and share anonymized data with researchers investigating gambling behaviors.
Additionally, the law requires the MGC to partner with a nonprofit organization to ensure that personal information is removed before the anonymized data is made available.
This data will assist researchers in analyzing player behavior, including the development of gambling addiction, to formulate strategies aimed at mitigating problem gambling. Furthermore, the MGC is obligated to compile reports from researchers that could inform future regulations on gambling.
According to the lawsuit, the MGC had not initiated data collection following the opening of the state’s first casino in 2015. Even after the launch of all three commercial casinos in 2019, the regulator had yet to start the required data collection.
PHAI sought a court order compelling the Commission to comply with the law or to declare that it had failed to meet its statutory duties.
Following the filing of the lawsuit, the Commission took the necessary actions to begin collecting, anonymizing, and storing player data from its casino licensees, making it accessible to researchers, as stated by PHAI Litigation Director Andrew Rainer.
In 2025, MGC contracted with the University of Massachusetts to manage the storage and anonymization of the data. The process was finalized earlier this month, enabling qualified researchers to apply for access.
The application portal includes a concise version of the player data dictionary, which encompasses player demographics, loyalty program details, session timings, wagering amounts, average bets, win/loss statistics, jackpot activity, game characteristics, and other behavioral metrics from Massachusetts’ three commercial casinos.
Approved researchers will receive the complete data dictionary to assist in their analyses.
PHAI attorney Jacob Wolk expressed satisfaction with the outcome, stating, “Mission accomplished! We are pleased to collaborate with the Commission in requesting the Court to dismiss the lawsuit, as it has fulfilled its intended purpose.”
PHAI now considers the goals of the litigation met.
Looking ahead, PHAI is advocating for Massachusetts to implement similar data-sharing requirements for sports betting operators, as highlighted by Executive Director Mark Gottlieb.