The nascent Massachusetts sports betting industry crystallized Monday as casinos and mobile operators submitted their applications for highly coveted gaming licenses.

Fifteen entities applied ahead of the 2 p.m. deadline, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission said in a news release later Monday afternoon. That’s just half of the 30 businesses that previously signaled their interest in sports betting licenses after completing scoping surveys by mid-October.

The applications, which are subject to the commonwealth’s public records law and will be released once the commission reviews them, came with a nonrefundable $200,000 fee. Commissioners are tasked with assessing companies’ responsible gaming plans, past sports betting experience, and employment diversity and inclusion commitments, among other factors.