Massachusetts sports betting comes to an abrupt halt
The push for legal sports betting ended in Massachusetts (MA) on Wednesday night after the Senate denied a $459m economic development package that would have made the State the 24th market in the US to approve legalized sports betting.
Overwhelmingly approved in the House Tuesday, the measure would have provided funding for non–profits damaged by the COVID-19 pandemic, local projects and legalized sports betting in the State.
“As it relates to sports wagering, I believe the time is close to be tackling this issue, but the time is not now,” said Senator Michael Rodrigues, chairman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee.
The bill would have offered three types of sports betting licenses had it attained approval, namely online and in-person wagering at the MGM Springfield, Penn National’s Plainridge Park and Wynn Resorts’ Encore Boston Harbour; in-person wagering at racetracks; and digital-only platforms for operators that have offered daily fantasy in MA for at least a year and are licensed for sports wagering in two other states.
MA would have become the third state to wholly legalize sports betting this year, following Washington and Virginia. Maryland and South Dakota will hold referenda on the matter later this year.
Despite the Senate’s ruling there was one positive amendment from the Government, with Representatives DinaTitus and Guy Reschenthaler to sponsor a bill ending the 0.25% federal excise tax paid on all legal US sports betting.
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