Massachusetts online sports betting laws

The push for the legalization of Massachusetts sports betting picked up serious steam in 2020. By then, it was apparent that states that had already legalized – many of them bordering the Bay State – were seeing some impressive tax revenues.

That’s a compelling argument at a time when many states are struggling financially to cope with the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a state of nearly seven million people that is home to some of the most famous teams across US sport, the arguments against legalized sports betting started to hold less water. However, the bills introduced in 2020 – like the ones launched before them in 2019 and 2018 in the wake of the overturn of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) – failed to pick up enough momentum.

The Senate was the stumbling block, removing sports betting from the economic development bill H4887. At the start of the 2021 legislative session, it became clear that the appetite for legalization was stronger than ever, as no fewer than 14 bills on the subject were introduced.

While the Senate may remain the most serious obstacle to the legalization of Massachusetts sports betting, other lawmakers in the state are more positive on its benefits.

State governor Charlie Baker launched one of the 14 bills, HD678 . He has been quoted as saying that sports betting “is going to be a thing pretty much everywhere, and our view was that we should get on with the show”.

The 14 bills contain an array of different stipulations around factors such as betting licenses and wagering on college sports. It will be fascinating to see which ones fall by the wayside and which, possibly with an amendment or two, go forward to battle for final approval.

It will be a surprise if the provisions for Massachusetts sports betting, if they finally arrive, do not include online betting.

There are only three commercial casinos in the state, which makes for a very small retail footprint if sports betting is confined to those premises.

Leading online sportsbooks will undoubtedly compete fiercely for the opportunity to operate in the state that’s home to the Red Sox, Celtics, and Patriots.

Although sports betting might sound like a new proposition in the state, there is an exception to the rule, and that is horse racing.

The state has legal pari-mutuel wagering, meaning bettors can take advantage of in-advance deposit wagering. This means that bets can be placed on races via the phone or online, with betting sites such as TVG and TwinSpires.

The last bastion of horse racing in a once bustling industry is Plainridge Park in Plainville, a “racino” that hosts standardbred harness racing in addition to casino gaming.