![]() 31.įor mobile sports betting apps, officials are eyeing an early March launch date - just in time for March Madness. As a result, in-person wagering will kick off at the state's three casinos at 10 a.m. The Gaming Commission decided to pursue a staggered rollout so that at least some people could place bets on this year's Super Bowl. The new law directs the Gaming Commission to conduct a study on the feasibility of allowing retail locations to operate sports betting kiosks and report back to the Legislature with recommendations in the near future. At some point in the future, there's also the possibility you could place bets at businesses like restaurants and hotels in Massachusetts. The law further allows Raynham Park and Suffolk Downs - which have continued to host simulcast betting on dog and horse racing - to eventually open on-site sports books. (Exactly how that will be enforced hasn't been outlined yet, but other states with mobile sports betting use geotagging on websites and apps to verify the user's location.) So, you won't be able to take your phone to, say, Vermont and place bets across state lines. The law also says you must physically be in Massachusetts as you place your bet. But all tethered and untethered mobile betting platform have to wait a little longer before they launch (more on that in a moment). Six "untethered" mobile gambling companies, including Boston-based DraftKings or its rival FanDuel, have also gotten the green light. So far, all three casinos have partnerships with mobile betting apps in the works. The three casinos and up to seven other companies will be able to launch mobile sports betting apps, allowing people in Massachusetts to bet on their phone or laptop. The Plainridge Park Casino intends to set up a sports book, too.īut traveling to a casino will be far from your only option. In fact, Everett's Encore Boston Harbor and the MGM in Springfield have already built sports bars in their casinos that are basically sports books-in-waiting. The new law allows the state's existing casinos all to apply for a license to host in-person sports betting. You can read more about the complete catalog of approved sports here. Gaming commissioners also decided to allow wagering on special events like the Academy Awards, Emmys and the annual Fourth of July hot dog-eating contest at Coney Island. That said, your options aren't solely limited to "sports," per se. Regulators at the Massachusetts Gaming Commission also recently voted to - at least initially - exclude a few other sports like chess, cornhole, e-sports, jai alai and Olympic sports in which the winner is determined by a judge. ![]() You also wouldn't be able to bet on a Massachusetts college football team's postseason bowl game - unless it's in the four-team College Football Playoff (but, we probably don't have to worry about that). But you can bet on the team if it's playing in March Madness or its conference tournament. There is one nuance for college sports: no betting is allowed on in-state college teams, unless they’re playing in a tournament.įor example, all regular season Boston College basketball games are off limits (at least for bettors in Massachusetts). However, betting on high school and youth sports remains prohibited. That includes everything from the Super Bowl and the NBA to European beach soccer and the baseball-like Finnish sport of pesäpallo. ![]() Most professional and collegiate sports are fair game. That's in line with Connecticut, but it's a bit stricter than New Hampshire and Rhode Island, which allow those as young as 18 to bet on sports. You'll have to be 21 years or older to bet on sports in Massachusetts, just like gambling at one of the state's casinos. Now, with the first bets set to be placed this winter, here's a look at what's allowed, where you can wager and how the new law differs from sports betting schemes in neighboring states: Who's allowed to bet? Charlie Baker signed a bill to legalize sports betting this past summer , officially joining a wave of states that moved to allow wagering on everything from the Super Bowl to college athletics after the Supreme Court struck down a federal ban in 2018.Īccording to the American Gaming Association, the new law made Massachusetts the 36th state in the U.S. ![]() (Steven Senne/AP)Īfter several years of uncertainty, sports gambling is a sure bet in Massachusetts. Patrons visit the sports betting area of Twin River Casino in Lincoln, Rhode Island.
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