Massachusetts Is Finally Ready To Undergo The Legal Sports Betting Discussion

• A private hearing will be held on May 28 to begin discussion on the nine MA sports betting bills.
• The public hearing will take place on May 29 in hearing room B-1 in the state house.
• Legal sports betting in Massachusetts is expected to bring in $35 million in revenue for the state.

BOSTON – Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker may finally be getting his way in the sense of legal sports betting for his state.

On Wednesday of last week, legislators finally agreed to begin the discussion on several sports betting bills that have seen no action since their January 22 filings.

All of the measures were sent to the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies, which has scheduled an invitation-only hearing as well as a public testimony hearing on May 28 and May 29, respectively.

The invitation-only sports wagering hearing will begin on that Tuesday in the Gardner Auditorium. It is expected to last six hours, as it begins at 10 am and ends at 4 pm. For the hearing that is open to the public, the same timeframe will be given on that Wednesday, but the event will be held in Hearing Room B-1.

Under discussion will be all nine of the outstanding sports betting bills, including the one proposed by Governor Baker, MA HB 68.

His measure would permit sportsbooks in the state of Massachusetts to accept wagers on professional sports, both online and in-person. According to Baker, roughly $35 million in state revenue could be the result of legal Massachusetts sports betting, which would be given to the Massachusetts Gaming Commission’s local aid fund.

However, the other eight bills all differ in licensing fees, authoritative bodies, being able to wager online or in-person, and even where the money goes. This will be the main focus of these hearings, as legislators will attempt to find common ground amongst these measures.

There is no timeline for when these bills must be voted upon, as the Massachusetts legislature meets throughout the year.

For those looking to gain access to the public hearing, enter the state house from the Ashburton Plaza entrance off of Bowdoin Street. Once you pass through the security checkpoint in the state house, turn left, and the room will be on your right.

News tags: MA HB 68 | Massachusetts | sports betting