Published: January 16, 2022

Sports betting a low priority for Massachusetts state lawmakers

BOSTON (WWLP) – Massachusetts lawmakers are laying out their priorities for the next year and it seems sports betting is on the bottom of their list.

Massachusetts lags behind the rest of the region on sports betting and each month that passes, it seems more and more like a pipe dream. For years now the state legislature has considered dozens of proposals to legalize sports betting.

Most recently, lawmakers filed a bill to allow sports betting through apps like Draft Kings and FanDuel as well as at physical locations like MGM. A majority of the legislature is on board with this proposal but when pressed on the issue earlier this week, Senate President Karen Spilka said an agreement hasn’t been reached.

Spilka told the State House News Service, “You know, some want to do it, some are uncertain they want to do it, but we will be taking a look at it with the Senators.”

Local lawmakers like Longmeadow State Senator Eric Lesser have been leading the charge to get sports betting passed in Massachusetts. Each year that Massachusetts doesn’t legalize sports betting, the state misses out on about $20 million. That’s money that would give a huge boost to the statewide economy.

https://www.wwlp.com/news/state-politics/sports-betting-a-low-priority-for-state-lawmakers/

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