(22 News WWLP – Ellen Fleming) Massachusetts is now the 33rd state to accept sports bets but the path to Tuesday’s launch was not without roadblocks.
In 2018, the Supreme Court struck down a federal law that prohibited sports gambling. That paved the way to make it legal in Massachusetts. In a 6-3 court decision, the Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act.
More than four years after the Supreme Court’s decision, Governor Charlie Baker signed a sports wagering bill into law in Massachusetts. But there were plenty of bumps along the way.
Sports betting had been a topic of discussion since 2018 but neither the House or Senate acted until the House included language to legalize the practice in their 2020 economic development bill, this did not survive negotiations.
It wasn’t until the last session that both the House and Senate brought forward bills. The biggest difference was whether or not to allow sports betting on collegiate sports. The bills eventually found their way to a conference committee and a final bill emerged at the last minute during this past session.
Governor Baker signed the bill into law in August, this left regulations up to the Massachusetts Gaming Commission which has been working diligently since.
Senator John Velis is looking toward the future of sports betting and small businesses. “I’m hoping that anyone who wants to participate in this, right? A restaurant, a bar, etc. a convenience store, if it can be done from a regulatory standpoint. I think that’s a good thing because it will allow that revenue to grow and we can always can never forget our small businesses, right? Small businesses are the backbone of our economy.”
Also in the near future, mobile sports betting is expected to go live in March.
It is estimated that sports wagering will bring in anywhere from $35 to $60 million a year.