After several years of uncertainty, sports gambling in Massachusetts is a safe bet.
Gov. Charlie Baker signed legislation to legalize sports betting on Wednesday, officially joining a wave of states that have allowed betting on everything from the Super Bowl to college athletics after the Supreme Court overturned a federal ban in 2018.
“I am pleased to sign this bill into law today,” Baker said in a statement Wednesday, noting that his administration first proposed sports betting legislation in 2019.
The new law makes Massachusetts the 36th state in the U.S. to legalize sports betting, according to the American Gaming Association.
However, the Bay State’s new law differs from sports betting schemes in neighboring states in several ways and will take some time to establish.
Who’s allowed to bet?
You’ll need to be 21 or older to bet on sports in Massachusetts, just as you would to gamble at one of the state’s casinos. That’s in line with Connecticut, but it’s a bit stricter than New Hampshire and Rhode Island, which allow sports betting even for those 18 years old.
What exactly can you bet on?
Professional and (most) college sports are fair game. You can also bet on eSports. On the same subject : Denise Jones is focused on creating unforgettable moments for Los Angeles sports fans. But betting on high school and youth sports remains prohibited.
There is one caveat to college sports: bets are not allowed on in-state college teams unless they are playing in a tournament.
For example, all regular season Boston College basketball games are banned (at least in Massachusetts). But you can bet on them if they play in March Madness or their conference tournament. You also wouldn’t be able to bet on a Massachusetts college football postseason game — unless they’re in the four-team college football playoff (on the other hand, we probably don’t have to worry about that).
Where will I be able to place bets?
The new law allows all existing casinos in the country to apply for a license to host personal sports betting. In fact, Everett’s Encore Boston Harbor and MGM in Springfield have already built sports bars in their casinos, which are essentially sportsbooks-on-hold. This may interest you : The Brave New World of Real Time Sports Betting. Plainridge Park Casino also plans to open a sportsbook.
But a trip to the casino is far from your only option.
The law also allows Raynham Park and Suffolk Downs, which have continued to host simulcast betting on dog and horse racing, to open on-site sportsbooks. Additionally, three casinos, two racetracks and up to seven other companies (think: DraftKings or FanDuel) will be able to launch mobile sports betting apps.
The law says you have to be physically in Massachusetts when you bet. So you won’t be able to take your phone to, say, Vermont and place bets across state lines. (It’s not yet known exactly how this will be enforced, but other mobile sports betting countries use geo-tagging on websites and apps to verify a user’s location.)
At some point in the future, there is also the possibility that you will be betting on businesses such as restaurants and hotels in Massachusetts.
The new law directs the Massachusetts Gaming Commission to conduct a study on the feasibility of allowing retail locations to operate sports betting kiosks and report back to the legislature with recommendations by the end of the year.
When will betting begin?
The new law does not contain any deadlines or deadlines. On the same subject : MLBPA’s Tony Clark is concerned that MLB is entering the ‘dangerous world’ of sports gambling partnerships. What it does is task the Commission with creating a licensing process for the new industry – and a host of other rules and regulations.
Despite some lawmakers’ optimism that betting could be up and running in time for the start of this year’s football season, members of the Gambling Commission warned last week that it would likely take at least several months.
While several commissioners have emphasized that they are studying other states and preparing permit applications, the task ahead is considerable.
All told, Gambling Commission spokesman Tom Mills told WBUR in an email that they have “more than 200 regulations” to decide and formalize. This includes everything from licensing and technology standards to advertising rules to anti-addiction safeguards. They also need to hire staff to run the new sports betting department, draft regulations, take public input and officially vote on any rules.
Carrie Torrisi, an attorney for the commission, noted that the process of proposing and adopting all the rules — once they’re ready — could take two to three months.
In some states, such as Maine and Ohio, implementation takes a year or more.
“I want the public to understand, as we as commissioners are beginning to understand, that this is not something that’s going to happen overnight,” Commissioner Brad Hill said during a meeting last week. “It’s going to take a little longer than people probably expect, and I’m okay with that because I want to do it right.”
How exactly do you place a bet?
Here’s another important point: no credit cards.
This means you’ll likely need a debit card or bank routing number to set up mobile betting accounts. The rule is intended to keep problem gamblers from going into deep debt.
“The idea that someone could be somewhat impulsively racking up huge credit card bills from their couch, who might have an addiction or otherwise gambling problem — that’s a huge concern,” Sen. Eric Lesser, co-author of the bill, said. at a State House News Service forum this past spring.
Are there any other safeguards?
yes While most of these rules will be set by the Gambling Commission, there are some basic measures that are set by law.
Firstly, people with gambling problems – or anyone really – can add their name to the ‘self-excluded’ list. The list will be shared with the operators, who must prohibit those listed from placing bets on their properties or online platforms. (The list will otherwise remain private.)
The commission must also lay down rules against misleading or excessive advertising and guidelines for casinos and other operators to promote “responsible gambling”. Online and mobile betting platforms will be required to display the phone number and website of the national gambling hotline every time a user opens the app.
Is the industry taxed?
But unlike a state sales tax or excise tax on marijuana, consumers won’t see it placed on their bets or winnings.
Instead, the law calls for taxing the entire monthly revenue that casinos and other businesses bring in from sports betting. The rates are a 15% tax on in-person betting revenue, a 20% tax on mobile betting revenue and a 15% tax on fantasy sports revenue.
That’s actually much less than the tax rates in New Hampshire and Rhode Island, which both impose a 51 percent tax on operator revenue. Richard McGowan, a Boston College professor who studies the gambling industry, told WBUR that lower rates in Massachusetts can help the state compete with peers with more established sports betting industries.
“Being a latecomer to the sports gambling table, they might think that if it’s a lower tax rate, they’re definitely going to make it more interesting for operators to come here,” McGowan said.
Lawmakers estimate the taxes will bring in $60 million in state revenue each year on top of $70 million to $80 million from initial license fees that must be renewed every five years.
Where does all that money go?
The law divides the state’s revenue from the betting tax into several different funds:
What happens to unclaimed winning?
Individuals have up to one year to claim their winnings from betting on a game or event. After that, operators must deposit unclaimed winnings into a fund that pays for the Gambling Commission’s work in policing sports betting.
With reporting by WBUR News Unit
