Will Massachusetts Legalize Sportsbook Business in 2020?

Residents are wondering if Massachusetts legalize sportsbook business in 2020. A political forum is surprised that the state doesn’t have legal sports betting market despite being the place where DraftKings was founded.

In 2019, Governor Charlie Baker said that legalized sports betting would be available everywhere in the state. Lawmakers held a hearing on legal sports betting last spring 2019. At that time, the governor hoped that it would end by the end of the current legislative session or even earlier.

Based on bookie pay per head solutions insiders, Baker said that Massachusetts would follow New Jersey’s sports betting law. That is good news for local players because that means access to online sports wagering. However, House Bill H.4559 allows a maximum of five online-only sports betting operators.

Massachusetts Legalize Sportsbook Business in 2020

Despite the support from the governor, pay per head providers are wondering if state lawmakers are going to move on the bill. Senator Brendan Crighton, the author of the bill, said that the Massachusetts sports betting bill was no longer a priority for lawmakers. Instead, they are focusing on coronavirus policy matters.

Lawmakers recognized that keeping people safe during the health crisis is more important than legalizing sports betting. However, there is still time to make sportsbooks legal in Massachusetts. Its legislation session ends on July 31, 2020.

The sports betting bill would allow betting on college sports. However, in-game prop bets are not allowed. Also, it would not allow wagering on high school sports and events with minor athletes. Other events unallowed by the proposed law include eSports and the Olympics.

Aside from the governor’s support, major sports betting firms are lobbying for its legalization. There’s no doubt that sports betting will come to Massachusetts. The only question is when it will be available in the state. It seems like it will depend on the effects of the pandemic, which is unpredictable at present.