Massachusetts sports betting will be available soon, and it could happen at some point in 2022. The state was on the verge of passing sports betting legislation in 2020, but those efforts fell short at the last minute.
Governor Charlie Baker supports sports betting, but it will be up to the state legislature to get a bill passed and land it on his desk. Massachusetts sports betting could help the state out financially, as this could be a large market.
One sports betting bill quickly advanced through the House in 2020, but it was unable to gain the necessary support in the Senate. A new but similar bill has already been introduced in Massachusetts, and industry experts believe it is only a matter of time before it passes.
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When Massachusetts sports betting launches finally, the retail betting options will be the casinos and racetracks that are currently in the state. That has been outlined in every sport betting legislation introduced to date, and it’s not likely that anything will change before a bill becomes a law.
Massachusetts online sports betting will also be included in any law, and two of the biggest operators will receive a license to offer betting. DraftKings and FanDuel have both been mentioned in the legislation to receive licenses, and these two companies have lobbied lawmakers to legalize betting.
It is unclear how many potential sports betting licenses will be available when the industry finally launches, but bettors in the state will have some terrific options.
MA Sports Betting Rules
When Governor Charlie Baker first brought up the topic of MA sports betting in 2019, his proposal prohibited betting on all collegiate sporting events. This portion of the bill has since been amended, and only collegiate events featuring in-state teams would be prohibited.
Nothing will be official until a MA sports betting bill is signed into law, and there could still be some changes coming in 2021. All of the top professional sports in the US will be available, and sportsbooks should have some freedom to offer international events as well.
MA sports betting could also include betting on esports, but that is a topic that has not yet been covered in any of the proposals.
MA Sports Betting Regulations
Governor Charlie Baker proposed MA sports betting in 2019, and lawmakers went to work on drafting up bills to introduce in the legislature. A handful of bills were introduced that year, but none of them were taken seriously are even came up for an official vote.
In 2020, H 4887 was introduced as an economic development bill, and sports betting was included at the very end. That bill passed overwhelmingly in the House, but the Senate removed sports betting from the bill before it came up for a vote.
The Senate has not specifically opposed sports betting, but it has maintained that it should be a separate bill. Several senators are planning on introducing a bill in 2021, and it is likely that something will get done.
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Summary
Massachusetts has been on the verge of legalizing sports betting for months, but 2021 should be the year that it finally happens. Most of the biggest rules and regulations have already been laid out, and that will allow lawmakers to focus on the final details.
DraftKings and FanDuel are expected to be the two biggest online operators when MA online sports betting launches as they will be awarded a license. The rest of the betting will take place at Massachusetts casinos and racetracks that are already up and running.
With a strong sports culture in the state of Massachusetts, this could become one of the bigger markets in the Eastern portion of the US. Governor Charlie Baker is ready to sign a bill, but first, one must pass through the state legislature.
