BOSTON (AP) — A pair of hearings at the Statehouse this week will focus on the best way to legalize sports betting in Massachusetts as state lawmakers work to tackle the latest shift in the state’s gambling landscape.
The hearings on Tuesday and Wednesday will focus on several bills that aim to regulate wagering on sports events — including one filed by Republican Gov. Charlie Baker that could bring in an estimated $35 million in state revenue.
The move toward sports betting was prompted by a 2018 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that overturned federal law prohibiting states from legalizing sports betting.
Baker’s bill would allow the Massachusetts Gaming Commission to license the state’s casino operators to offer both on-site and online betting.
Democratic House Speaker Robert DeLeo has taken a more cautious approach.