The Massachusetts Senate has taken out sections related to the control of sports wagering from a broad economic growth bill, possibly putting an end to hopes of legalization in the current year.
The House of Representatives Committee on Finance and Revenue proposed a bill, H.4879, designed to encourage “growth partnerships” within the state, and included a variety of proposed actions.
This included a section on sports wagering that would have permitted in-person, mobile, and online betting within the state.
Although the House passed a modified version of the bill, the Senate voted recently to replace the renumbered H.4887 with amendment S.2842, which eliminated the sports betting section, along with other measures.
A number of senators, including Senator Bruce Tarr, proposed changes to try to keep sports betting in the bill, but these were rejected by the Senate. Two other changes were withdrawn before a vote.
Consequently, amendment S.2842 was approved without opposition, without any provisions related to legal sports wagering.
The legislation will be returned to the House for endorsement, however, if any alterations are made, it must be sent back to the Senate before it can be forwarded to the Governor.
You can access the complete narrative on the iGB North America website.
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