Underage Access To Sports Wagering Platforms Research Services

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission (“MGC” or “Commission”) is seeking the services of one qualified entity to conduct a study of underage access to sports wagering platforms and best practices in prevention.

The Commission is charged with the regulatory oversight of casino gaming, sports wagering, and horse racing wagering in the Commonwealth. [...] The gaming law directs the Commission to develop an annual research agenda “in order to understand the social and economic effects of expanding gaming in the Commonwealth and to obtain scientific information relative to the neuroscience, psychology, sociology, epidemiology and etiology of gambling.” G.L. c. 23K, §71. Further, the sports wagering law expanded the scope of the agenda to include sports wagering related issues. G.L. c. 23N, §23.

**Estimated Value of Procurement:** Not to exceed **$100,000** for the entirety of the project.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Massachusetts Gaming Commission is seeking the services of one qualified entity to conduct a study of underage access to sports wagering platforms and best practices in prevention.

The successful applicant should consider multiple sources of information including but not limited to academic and non-academic literature, collection of new qualitative and/or quantitative data, information on underage access to sports wagering platforms in Massachusetts and other relevant jurisdictions, previous Massachusetts gambling research, key informant interviews, and other data where available.

Research Questions

The study must answer, at a minimum, the following research questions. Additional research questions or topics are welcome, provided they address the issues of underage access to sports wagering platforms and best practices in prevention.

• How do youth and young adults under the age of 21 engage in sports wagering, and how does this differ by population (for example, among communities of color; by age group; by college enrollment status?)
• How do youth and young adults under the age of 21 attempt to access and access mobile sports wagering platforms, and how does this differ by age group?
• What proportion of underage access attempts involve false, borrowed, altered, or fraudulently obtained identity information and what role do parents, older siblings, or other adults play in facilitating access?
• What are current best practices in preventing underage access to mobile sports wagering platforms?
• What new or emerging technology exists to prevent underage access to mobile sports wagering platforms?
• What are policies and other recommendations to enhance prevention of underage access to mobile sports wagering platforms in Massachusetts, including recommendations to prevent proxy wagering or account sharing?
• What role, if any, do social media, affiliates, or advertising play in directing underage individuals toward sports wagering platforms?

The proposal should clearly detail how the proposed methods will answer the research questions and any additional proposed research questions.

Deliverables

Final project deliverables will include:

• Report providing findings addressing the issues of underage access to sports wagering platforms and best practices in prevention;
• Public presentation of the final report and recommendations delivered to the Massachusetts Gaming Commission.
• One to two additional presentations as requested by the MGC and negotiated with the contractor.

Bidders should merge these components into one Response document (either Word or PDF format) and submit it along with all items highlighted in red in Section 18 of the “Required Forms” table of this RFR.

Bidder must also include in their submission their cost response as part of the Research Plan Proposal Budget Worksheet which can be found as an attachment to this COMMBUYS posting. Overall value and detailed budget narrative will be taken into consideration.

If the bidder is proposing an indirect rate, the indirect rate will be no more than 25%.

All Bidders responding to this solicitation are required to make a significant financial commitment (“SDP Commitment”) to partnering with one or more SDO-certified or recognized diverse business enterprise(s) or non-profit organization(s). [...] The minimum acceptable Total SDP Commitment in response to this solicitation shall be 1%.

At least 25% of the total available evaluation points for this bid solicitation shall be allocated to the evaluation of the SDP Plan submissions.

Bidders must submit the *Business Reference Form* attached to this bid posting in COMMBUYS, and Bidders will submit the completed *Environmentally Preferable Products Form* as part of their response.

Contractors may be terminated from the Contract with cause with thirty (30) days prior written notice or without cause with sixty (60) days prior written notice.