Legal Sports Betting in Massachusetts Looks Promising
Massachusetts is one of the United States of America gambling locations where sports betting is still illegal despite the overturning of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA) by the Supreme Court. However, over three years later, things are beginning to look up for the state with its legislature making another attempt at legalizing the gambling activity.
On Thursday, July 22, The House voted to pass the sports betting bill, with an overwhelming 156 of the legislators voting in favor of the move. This isn’t the first attempt by the State of Massachusetts to legalize sports betting. Its legislators tried to do so towards the end of 2020 as part of an economic development bill but the process ended with the Senate (Boston Herald, 2021).
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The New Massachusetts Sports Betting Bill
According to the newly passed sports betting bill, the minimum age for sports betting in Massachusetts would be 21 years and all bettors would be required to be physically present in the state to place bets. The gambling activity will also be regulated by the state’s Gaming Commission. The specific betting forms covered by the bill include professional sports, car racing, e-sports, video games, and college sports. The bill will be riding on Senator Eric Lesser’s 269, which is already in the Ways and Means Committee, at the senate (Boston.Com, 2021).
If Senator Lesser’s bill is passed at the Senate, a conference committee will be set up and charged with the responsibility of creating a compromise that satisfies both the State House and the Senate. This is required due to the existing differences in both bills. A major one is as regards collegiate sports betting. Lesser’s bill completely prohibits betting on college sports while the bill from the House allows it. The only exception by the House concerns betting on individual college athletes. Another difference in both bills is that the House’s bill permits the use of credit cards for placing bets while the Senate’s doesn’t.
If the bill successfully passes through the Senate, the next step would be for Governor Charlie Baker, the state governor, to sign the bill into law. No problems are expected here since Governor Baker has clearly been in support of sports betting within the state. He filed a sports betting bill himself in 2019 which rules out betting on college sports.
Permitted Gambling Activities in Massachusetts
Compared to its surrounding states, Massachusetts has maintained a restrictive approach towards gambling. Accepted forms of gambling in the state are the Massachusetts State Lottery, charitable parimutuel, horserace betting, dog race betting, and casino gaming. The closest residents can come to legal sports betting is with daily fantasy sports. Casino gaming was legalized in 2011 with the Expanded Gaming Act that allowed up to four commercial land-based casinos to operate in the state. Casino games that are allowed include slot games and electronic table games (Massachusetts Gambling, 2021).
Online gambling is also not available, however, seeing how much progress is being made with gambling in the state, it is safe to hope that it will also be legalized soon. While residents of the Bay State keep their fingers crossed as regards the legalization of sports betting in the state, they can participate in its legal and regulated gambling activities. Otherwise, visiting nearby states with more relaxed gambling laws would be the next alternative.
Sources
- Boston.Com, 2021 – https://www.boston.com/sports/sports-news/2021/07/23/sports-betting-bill-massachusetts-details/?amp=1
- Massachusetts Gambling, 2021 – https://www.massachusettsgambling.info
- Boston Herald, 2021 – https://www.bostonherald.com/2021/07/22/house-again-votes-to-legalize-sports-betting-in-massachusetts/
