Massachusetts’ Encore Boston Harbor casino is rolling out a gambling limit program: visitors to the property can now set a cap when playing electronic games, including slots. The voluntary budgeting tool, called PlayMyWay, was launched by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission in partnership with the venue and GameSense.
The solution is designed to allow Wynn Rewards players the ability to monitor the amount of money they spend at EBH in real-time and to support their decision to continue or stop play. The PlayMyWay budgeting tool is already available to patrons at Massachusetts properties Plainridge Park Casino and MGM Springfield.
“Encore Boston Harbor has collaborated with the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, the Massachusetts Council on Gaming and Health, and GameSense to develop responsible gaming strategies since day one,” said Jenny Holaday, president of Encore Boston Harbor. “PlayMyWay is a natural extension of those efforts, empowering our guests with new technology to proactively manage their playing decisions.”
Patrons at EBH can sign up for PlayMyWay by inserting their Wynn Rewards card into any slot machine, electronic game, or at the PlayMyWay Kiosk at the GameSense Info Center. Cardholders will be prompted to choose a voluntary daily, weekly and/or monthly budget to track their spending at the casino.
Once enrolled, patrons will receive automatic notifications as they approach and reach the budget they set. If a player continues to play, notifications will be received at fixed intervals. The program is voluntary, and thus a player can un-enroll or adjust their budget at any time.
“Providing players with all the necessary information and resources available will help them make well-informed decisions about their gambling, including when to stop and how much to spend,” said Mark Vander Linden, MGC’s Director of Research and Responsible Gaming.
“PlayMyWay supports informed player choice by giving people the opportunity to set a budget before they begin, and then reinforcing that decision through the gambling session,” Linden added. “We’re thrilled that this tool is now available at each Massachusetts casino.”
PlayMyWay was originally rolled out as a pilot program at Plainridge Park Casino in 2016, and recently at MGM Springfield, in April 2022. Now a fixture at both properties, the gambling limit program currently has nearly 32,000 patrons enrolled between the two properties.
PlayMyWay at EBH is a custom-designed application developed by IGT, a press release explains. The integrated play management software utilizes a simple, easy-to-understand interface that includes graphics to aid players.
Massachusetts' three casinos
“Responsible gaming is always front of mind in all the work we do at the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, and PlayMyWay is another tool to help patrons keep their gambling safe and fun,” said MGC Chair Cathy Judd-Stein. “Encore Boston Harbor has embraced this program as a tool that can help their customers.”
According to Judd-Stein, the launch of PlayMyWay at Encore Boston Harbor “marks a completion of the MGC’s goal” of offering a uniform platform for slot machine players to set a budget and track their play at any Massachusetts casino. Patrons interested in learning more about the program are encouraged to visit the GameSense Info Center inside EBH to talk with a GameSense Advisor about the program.
“For many, gambling can be a fun form of entertainment, but much like other fun activities, it’s easy to spend more time playing than originally intended – and as a result, exceed your entertainment budget,” said Marlene Warner, Executive Director for the Massachusetts Council on Gambling and Health.
“PlayMyWay allows players to voluntarily pre-commit to a spending budget and then adds helpful transparency to their spending in real-time, empowering them to make informed and healthy choices,” concluded Warner.