Massachusetts Sports Betting: Bill Passed Today on Massachusetts Sports Betting

Massachusetts Sports Betting: Bill Passed Today on Massachusetts Sports Betting

A sports betting bill in Massachusetts was passed early this morning, and will now be passed to Gov. Charlie Barker to sign.

While it is still currently unclear when sports betting will be launched, the Massachusetts sports betting market is now closer than ever to launching.

Is Sports Betting Legal in Massachusetts?

The short answer is, it will be. The bill has now been passed and compromises have been met between the House and the Senate.

We do not have an exact launch date as of yet, but keep an eye for any news coming out on one soon.

Why Has Massachusetts Sports Betting Taken So Long?

The House and the Senate had previously failed to agree on key points like the tax rates, how many licenses they will distribute and the huge matters of college sports betting and in-game advertising.

The Senate did not want to allow college sports betting, while the House made it very clear this was a key part of passing the bill. In the end, they have compromised and allowed college sports betting, barring in-state colleges. This is similar to what we see in New York, New Jersey, Washington DC, Illinois, South Dakota, Virginia and Washington. This is expected to differ if Massachusetts college teams make it to National Tournaments like March Madness. Sports teams wrote to lawmakers in Massachusetts requesting that they reject a ban on advertising during telecasts, as this could be a huge revenue stream for them. There are still details to work out on this, which will become clearer as the weeks go on.

The Senate have also only approved 9 sports betting licences and 3 state licensed casinos. The House are yet to place a restriction on either set of licences.

The tax rates have currently been agreed at 15% for in-person betting and 20% for mobile applications.

August 2022 Massachusetts Sports Betting Updates

1st August - A bill was passed in the early hours, moving the Massachusetts sports betting market forward. This is expected to be signed by Gov. Charlie Barker.

What Sportsbooks Will We See First in Massachusetts?

At this stage, information of who will be part of the Massachusetts sports betting launch is sparse. Our best guesses are based on recent sports betting launches, and how much of a share an operator has in existing markets.

Here are our best predictions of who will operate from day one in the Massachusetts Sports Betting Market.

BetMGM

BetMGM Sportsbook along with DraftKings and FanDuel should be among the first to launch, as these are often cited as the "Big Three" when it comes to sports betting in the United States. MGM already operate business in Springfield, and Ron Mariano told reporters "I think Encore and MGM in Springfield will open up almost immediately as soon as the laws are signed".

DraftKings

Daily Fantasy Sports users can already play in the state of Massachusetts, so DraftKings Sportsbook will likely follow in the Massachusetts sports betting market.

Boston-based DraftKings celebrated are clearly expecting to be at the front of the queue and DraftKings CEO, Jason Robins said “We are thrilled that our home state has acted to protect consumers, create jobs and grow revenue in the commonwealth,”. “We are hopeful that the legislature will move to quickly pass this and Governor Baker will sign it into law.”

DraftKings has history of launching first in newly legalised states, and they will look to continue that trend here.

FanDuel

Like DraftKings Sportsbook, their existing Daily Fantasy Sports operations makes FanDuel an ideal candidate for a launch date opening. We fully expect both DraftKings and FanDuel to be operable at least early on, if not on launch day.

Caesars

Caesars Sportsbook is well established in AZ, IL, IN, IA, LA, MI, MD, CO, VA, NJ, NC, NY, TN, WV, Washington, DC and NV and also has a license pending in Louisiana.

Clearly then, Caesars has managed to pass legislation, abide by regulations and establish themselves as one of the biggest sportsbooks in the United States. Caesars will look to join the big three in the Massachusetts sports betting market.

Encore

As stated above, Ron Mariano expects Encore to launch on day one, along with BetMGM, given their current business already in Springfield.

Best Sports Betting Promotions in the Massachusetts Sports Betting Market

Details are still to be revealed about the best sports betting promotions in the Massachusetts sports betting market.

Keep checking back to our Massachusetts Free Bets page for more information as this becomes clearer.