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BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — State lawmakers on Beacon Hill are preparing to debate a bill that would legalize sports betting in Massachusetts. Several states in the region, including New York, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, already allow sports betting.
The bill, H. 3974, would allow sports betting on professional and college sports, taxing the betting at 12.5%. Betting on mobile apps would be taxed at 15%, however.
State House News Service reported House Speaker Ron Mariano's office sent a schedule to House lawmakers on Monday that told them the bill would be debated on Thursday. The outlet reports that the State Senate is more likely to seriously consider a sports betting bill in this session. State Rep. Marc Lombardo (R-Billerica) said the bill was a "joint House and Senate bill."
Gov. Baker, who has previously proposed his own sports-betting legislation, would likely be friendly to the idea of passing the bill. State House News reports that he has repeatedly written millions of dollars of sports betting revenues into his state budget proposals.
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Written by Chaiel Schaffel