Massachusetts sports betting could take months
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission said that if the bill is signed into law, setting up detailed rules for sports betting operators would take at least a few months.
US.- Even though the Massachusetts governor didn’t sign the state sports betting legislation agreed between both chambers, arrangements to move forward with the sports betting market are being considered. Governor Charlie Baker, has expressed support for sports betting legalisation, and has until August 11 to act on the Massachusetts Sports Wagering Act.
Senator Eric Lesser said he expects to have the sports betting market up and running for the fall football season, in October. The Massachusetts Gaming Commission, however, has warned that if the bill is signed into law, setting up detailed rules for sports betting operators would take at least a few months and couldn’t specify a specific timeline for initiating legal betting in Massachusetts.
“I want the public to understand, as we as commissioners are starting to understand, that this isn’t something that’s going to happen overnight,” commissioner Brad Hill said. He added, “this is going to take a little longer than people probably anticipate, and I’m OK with that because I want to do it right.”
The formal regulatory process takes two to three months from start to finish, a commission lawyer said, and, according to a commission official, most license application processes in other states take between three and six months.
“While that bill is on the governor’s desk, there is no vehicle to place a legal sports wager in the commonwealth of Massachusetts. So there are nefarious operators who may still seek to gain customers in this time of transition,” said chairwoman Cathy Judd-Stein. “So again, we remind the public that the sports wagering right now is not legal in Massachusetts.”
The road to legislation
The Sports Betting Conference Committee began working last month to try to find a sports betting bill that both chambers could agree on after the Massachusetts Senate and the Massachusetts House of Representatives each passed different bills. They’ve finally agreed on legislation that would allow wagering on both professional and collegiate sports.
Speaker Ron Mariano wrote on Twitter: “I am proud to announce that the Sports Betting Conference Committee has reached an agreement on legislation that will legalize wagering on professional and collegiate sports in Massachusetts, bringing the immense economic benefits of a legal sports betting industry to MA,”
The 50-page bill says wagers placed at retail locations, such as casinos, will be taxed at 15 per cent and mobile bets will be taxed at 20 per cent. People will be able to bet on college sports but only on games that do not include Massachusetts schools unless the teams are taking part in a collegiate tournament like March Madness. Bettors must be 21 and will not be able to use a credit card to place bets.
