The Massachusetts legislative bodies, the House and Senate, reached a compromise on a sports wagering bill just before the state’s legislative session concluded.
Both the House and Senate had previously approved sports betting legislation, but there were significant discrepancies between their proposals.
The House passed a bill in July 2021 that resembled other US sports betting bills, featuring a 12.5% tax rate, a $5 million licensing fee, and minimal regulations regarding the offerings and marketing strategies.
However, the Senate’s version of the bill imposed stricter limitations, including a prohibition on various marketing practices, such as promotional wagers. The bill also disallowed marketing during live sporting events and permitted online marketing only if 85% of the audience was likely to be 21 years of age or older.