MA Rejects Betting On Saudi-Backed LIV Golf Events Ahead Of PGA Tour Merger

MASSACHUSETTS — A DraftKings bid to allow legal sports wagering on the Saudi Arabia-backed LIV Golf events this year ahead of the proposed merger with the PGA Tour was rejected during Tuesday's meeting of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission.

The five commissioners voted unanimously to reject the request that would have allowed mobile and casino gambling on events ahead of the merger that this week is the subject of a U.S. Senate oversight hearing.

The MGC can revisit the decision at any time and will have the opportunity to do so if the merger goes through for the 2024 season.

LIV Golf is owned by the Public Investment Fund, which is the sovereign wealth fund of the government of Saudi Arabia.

"For a lot of the reasons that are in the press about the financial backing of the LIV league I would feel uncomfortable putting this into our catalog," Commissioner Eileen O'Brien said.

Commissioner Brad Hill said that the clarification that the MGC could consider the golf entity once again if the merger goes through as intended "makes me want to vote against (LIV Golf only) even more" at this time.

DraftKings had sought the addition to the state slate of events, arguing that several other states in which it operates do allow LIV Golf legal wagering.

The PGA Tour and LIV Golf, which have been bitter rivals battling for players and exchanging lawsuits since LIV Golf launched in 2022, announced a "framework agreement" for a merger last month.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)