Schuetz: Good News — Jordan Maynard Reappointed To Massachusetts Gaming Commission 

“Long-term consistency trumps short-term intensity.”

— Attributed to Bruce Lee

I returned to Las Vegas late Sunday evening from an unusual conference sponsored by the Center for Expanding Viewpoints in Higher Education, held at Tufts University in Boston last Thursday and Friday. The title of the event was “The Regulation of Vice,” and it addressed “contemporary governance of gambling, recreational drugs, and pornography in the United States.”

I was a bit surprised when I was invited. Other personalities from the gaming world were also in attendance, including Brianne Doura-Schawohl, Susan Hensel, Jonathan Cohen, Katherine Rand, Steven Light, Isaac Rose-Berman, and Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) Chairman Jordan Maynard. To say the least, this was an interesting group at an interesting conference.

The most significant thing I learned at the event was that on Monday, March 30, in the early afternoon, it would be announced that Chairman Maynard had been reappointed to a five-year term on the MGC and again designated as chairman.

I thought this was extraordinarily good news, for I have found Chairman Maynard and his fellow commissioners to be the most thoughtful and engaged gaming regulatory agency in the United States today. With a deliberate pace and a commitment to research, this agency has shaped the gaming world, whether in handling the Steve Wynn sexual misconduct allegations or in the MGC’s recent deep dive into bet-limiting.

No question who he works for

The Tufts conference had a roundtable format, and one of the more interesting points during the conversations was that gaming regulators may be conflicted about who their constituency is.

This prompted a quick rebuttal from Maynard, who emphasized that his focus was always to operate with a strong commitment to character, honor, and integrity, and to represent the people of Massachusetts to the best of his ability — end of story. There was emotion in his voice, and during the next break, he worked to ensure several people in attendance understood it.

I am quite comfortable knowing that Maynard will continue to be in the mix. The best news, I would suggest, is that we can be confident there will be some adult supervision of the gaming industry from our friends in Massachusetts, and that those discussions will be chaired by Jordan Maynard.

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Richard Schuetz entered the gaming industry working nights as a blackjack and dice dealer while attending college and has since served in many capacities within the industry, including operations, finance, and marketing. He has held senior executive positions up to and including CEO in jurisdictions across the United States, including the gaming markets of Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Reno/Tahoe, Laughlin, Minnesota, Mississippi, and Louisiana. In addition, he has consulted and taught around the globe and served as a member of the California Gambling Control Commission and executive director of the Bermuda Casino Gaming Commission. He also publishes extensively on gaming, gaming regulation, diversity, and gaming history. Schuetz is the CEO of American Bettors’ Voice, a non-profit organization dedicated to giving sports bettors a seat at the table.