Massachusetts Is Shaking Up The Rules For Sports Betting

• Massachusetts is aiming to be the first state with online gambling unaffiliated with a casino.
• This is from Governor Charlie Baker’s legislation MA HB 68.
• College betting doesn’t seem to be in the picture for Massachusetts.

BOSTON – Massachusetts is aiming to create online sportsbooks that are completely unaffiliated with casinos.

Governor Charlie Baker proposed his own legislation, MA HB 68 and it aims to legalize sports betting in Massachusetts. His proposal would be the first in the country to allow online sportsbooks to operate without being tied to a casino.

No Casinos Needed

The fact of the matter is that Massachusetts only has one fully operational casino right now. Another is expected to open in June. The governor wanted to create more sports betting options for the people in Massachusetts that are far away from the casino.

The best way to do that is to allow sports bettors to place their bets online and through their mobile device. Due to the lack of casinos, these sportsbooks are not going to be tied to a casino. DraftKings would be the ones to operate the online sportsbooks.

The daily fantasy sports (DFS) operator already has sportsbooks open in New Jersey. They also handle online options for New Jersey as well. Baker stated that DraftKings would be a great fit for Massachusetts due to the fact that the company has recently opened a new office in the state.

Sports Betting Benefits Massachusetts

Baker is a strong believer that sports betting would have economic benefits to Massachusetts. He said that his legislation would bring $35 million in tax revenue in the 2020 fiscal year. That revenue would go directly into the local communities in Massachusetts.

“Expanding Massachusetts’ developing gaming industry to include wagering on professional sports is an opportunity for Massachusetts to invest in local aid while remaining competitive with many other states pursuing similar regulations,” said Baker.

There are two different tax rates that are planned for legal sports betting in Massachusetts. Brick-and-motor sportsbooks are going to be taxed at 10 percent and online sportsbooks will have a 12.5 percent tax rate.

Rules To Follow

Baker’s legislation lays out a couple of rules that would directly impact sports bettors. One of the most important rules is that you must be 21 years or older to make your bets. This lines up with the legal gambling age of casinos in Massachusetts.

One of the other rules that bettors might be displeased with is the fact that you cannot bet on college games in Massachusetts. This is regardless of where the game is taking place. This might hold legislation back because college game betting is extremely popular. March Madness is predicted to have a bigger sports betting handle than the Super Bowl.

Despite the anti-college betting rule in the bill, the legislation is still moving forward in Congress along with several other sports betting bills. MA HB 68 is now heading to the Legislature’s Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies to be voted on.

News tags: MA HB 68 | Massachusetts | Massachusetts sports betting