The Massachusetts Gaming Commission is looking for a new Executive Director.
Massachusetts Gaming Commission Chair Cathy Judd-Stein has announced that the current Executive Director, Karen Wells, will be departing the agency effective July 14, 2023.
Judd-Stein said, “On behalf of my fellow commissioners I want to thank Karen for her contributions to the MGC over her 10 years of service and for the leadership she has provided as executive director.
"Karen is the model of a leader, and her influence can be seen in everything the MGC does. The MGC’s effectiveness as a regulator is a direct reflection of Karen’s efforts and her ability to build, motivate and direct the MGC team.
"Her strategic abilities and steady presence enabled the MGC to stand up a sports wagering industry committed to consumer protections in a timely fashion. We wish her the very best in the future.”
Wells joined the Massachusetts Gaming Commission in 2013 as Director of the Investigations and Enforcement Bureau. She twice served as Interim Executive Director before assuming the full-time position as Executive Director in September 2020.
She led the Massachusetts Gaming Commission through the Covid-19 pandemic and implemented the Massachusetts sports wagering law signed in August 2022.
Before joining the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, Wells served in leadership roles with the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and the Middlesex District Attorney.
Wells said, “Over the last decade, I’ve had the privilege of working for the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, first as the Director of the IEB and for the last three years as the Executive Director.
“I've worked across the agency since its formation with commissioners and staff who are dedicated public servants, committed to making sure the regulation of the gaming industry in Massachusetts focuses on ensuring the public confidence in the integrity of our operations.”
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission will soon announce a process for selecting a new Executive Director. Discussions about that process will take place at future public meetings of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission.
The Executive Director leads the staff at the Massachusetts Gaming Commission and executes all administrative activities related to the regulation of gaming in Massachusetts.
