Massachusetts governor names new Gaming Commission chair

Neha Soni October 30, 2024

SiGMA news

Governor Maura Healey has appointed interim chair Jordan Maynard as the Chair of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. Former Melrose Mayor Paul Brodeur was appointed to serve as Commissioner by the Governor, filling the fifth and the final seat of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission.

The appointment comes nearly eight months after Maynard was named interim chair. MGC has been without a commissioner since former chair Cathy Judd-Stein’s retirement. “I’m grateful to Jordan Maynard for providing strong leadership for the Gaming Commission during this transitional period and proud to appoint him as Chair. He has proven to be a consensus builder who has a deep understanding of the agency and strives to do what’s best for the people of Massachusetts,” said Governor Maura Healey. “I wish to congratulate Jordan Maynard upon his designation by Governor Healey as Chair of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission,” Judd-Stein said in an email.

“I appreciated Jordan’s many contributions to the commission’s work during my tenure as Chair. With the outstanding MGC team and now the commission’s full bench, strengthened today by the Governor’s appointment of Mayor Brodeur, the MGC is well-positioned to continue its rigorous but fair regulation of the Commonwealth’s gaming industry, grounded in integrity and committed to crucial consumer protections.”

Maynard was part of the MGC when it developed rules and digital and in-person sports betting last year and was first appointed to the commission in August 2022. The state’s general assembly legalised wagering in August 2022. Talking about the commissioner, Governor said, “Mayor Paul Brodeur is a trusted leader in our state who has a record of bringing people together to deliver results on our most pressing challenges, including by bringing together elected officials, the business community, labor and advocates to negotiate the Grand Bargain which strengthened our economy and supported Massachusetts workers, families and businesses alike. I’m excited for him to continue to service to Massachusetts as a Commissioner.”

About the Gaming Commission

The commission is a five-member independent body, a sole licensing and regulatory body for the state’s casino, horse racing, and sports wagering industries. All members are appointed separately, the governor, the attorney general, the state treasurer appoint one person each. Two are appointed by a majority vote of the same three constitutional officers, while the governor chooses the chair.