MASS. – Early Monday morning, Massachusetts House of Representatives Speaker Ron Mariano announced lawmakers had reached a deal to legalize betting on pro and collegiate sports.
I am proud to announce that the Sports Betting Conference Committee has reached an agreement on legislation that will legalize wagering on professional and collegiate sports in Massachusetts, bringing the immense economic benefits of a legal sports betting industry to MA. (1/2)
— Speaker Ron Mariano (@RonMariano) August 1, 2022
The House passed a sports betting bill last summer and the state Senate passed their own version of a sports betting bill back in April. The two sides have been working on finding a common ground since and agreed on a deal just before the July 31 midnight deadline expired.
According to a tweet from Mariano, the bill will allow betting on both professional and college sports. According to the Boston Globe, the bill excludes betting on Massachusetts colleges, unless the schools are playing in a nationwide tournament like the NCAA college basketball tournament.
The sports betting bill will now go to Gov. Charlie Baker. If Gov. Baker signs the bill, Massachusetts will be the 31st state in the U.S. to legalize sports betting. Baker has said many times he would sign the bill if the legislature and senate could agree on a deal.
