Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker Signs Bill Making Sports Betting Legal in Massachusetts

Earlier today, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker signed into law the Massachusetts Sports Wagering Act. This has been years in the making for the state as it tried to bring itself into the present alongside many of its neighboring states. The bill was signed just in the nick of time with the Thursday deadline for legislation on Beacon Hill looming as the formal lawmaking for the year ends.

In a statement made after the signing Baker said, “Our administration first filed legislation to legalize sports wagering in the Commonwealth several years ago, and I am glad to be able to sign this bill into law today. We appreciate the dedication and compromise that the Legislature demonstrated on this issue, and we look forward to supporting the work of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission on the responsible implementation of the law over the next several months”

This does not mean Massachusetts residents can go bet on sports quite yet, as now the Massachusetts Gaming Commission must step in and make the rules. It will have to establish regulations for the new state industry as well as process licensing applications.

The timeline for sports betting to go live in Massachusetts could be very positive with lawmakers predicting that sports betting could be up and running in time for the upcoming NFL season. Commissioner Brad Hill released a statement saying they would take their time implementing the new law.

Hill would go on to say that, “I want the public to understand, as we as commissioners are starting to understand, that this isn’t something that’s going to happen overnight,” the former state representative said. “I just want the public to be clear, at least from my view — I’m not speaking for the whole commission — but from my point of view, this is going to take a little longer than people probably anticipate. And I’m OK with that.”

House Speaker Ronald Mariano said it would be disappointing if the roll out takes too long.

“You’ve got two hotels that are ready to open the doors as quickly as you can,” he said. “I know Encore has built a room, and I know MGM is depending on this to increase their bottom line. So I hope we can get it up and running … at least in time for fall football.”

However, seeing as the sports betting bill was close to never being passed in the first place, this is a massive moment for both the state and sports betting in general. Make sure to check out OddsJams sports betting software and betting education center so you can be prepared for the rollout!