Senator John Keenan wants to change the sports gambling landscape in Massachusetts. With the state Senator's Bill S302, he hopes to make dramatic adjustments to stave off what he says could be a "public health crisis".
Keenan has likened the current state of the sports gambling industry to the opioid epidemic, and he hopes his bill, which will increase taxes, prevent advertising, and remove popular betting markets, will keep the industry from reaching a crisis point.
So, what does S302 do?
Bettor Health Act
Known as the "Bettor Health Act", Keenan's S302 is relatively short but packs major punches for the gambling industry, starting with banning in-play and proposition bets.
Prop bets are so popular that they now make up nearly 50% of a sportsbook's total handle. In-play bets have become an important part of a book's business, with companies like DraftKings stating in their 2024 Q4 fiscal results that they'd "extend live betting offerings in 2025".
Ads during televised sporting events would also be banned. This ban is in line with a 2024 Massachusetts Gaming Commission report recommending limits on the intensity and frequency of sports gambling advertising.
Operators would also be forced to conduct affordability assessments on players wagering more than $1,000 per day or $10,000 per month. Wagers above the specified limits can only go through if the wager does not exceed 15% of a player's bank account balance.
The tax rate on gross gaming revenues would also more than double, rising from 20% to 51%. Such an increase would place Massachusetts alongside New York as one of the highest-taxed states in the nation.
With a handle of $7.4 billion in 2024, Massachusetts ranked eighth in the US behind Nevada at $7.9 billion. There's no danger of sportsbooks abandoning the Bay State. But promos and specials might be dialed back in the state.
Can the bill pass? That remains to be seen, but if it does, there is no doubt that it will dramatically alter Massachusetts's sports gambling industry. The bill has been referred to the Massachusetts State Senate Committee for Economic Development and Emerging Technologies
Similar To Safe Bet Act
Much of Keenan's bill may feel familiar to sports gambling industry veterans. That's because you've seen most of the propositions in the SAFE BET Act from Congressman Paul Tonko and Senator Richard Blumenthal.
The SAFE BET Act would legalize sports gambling nationally, force books to conduct affordability checks on players making more than five deposits in 24 hours, ban advertising during live events, and ban prop bets on college and amateur sports.
Tonko and Blumenthal's bill also prohibits ads that target gamblers with bonuses or other promotions. While Keenan's bill does not ban bonuses, increasing the tax rate would have the same effect.
Operators would also be prohibited from using AI to track gaming habits and to create offers and promotions.
So while Tonko and Blummenthal's bill might not see the light of day on Capitol Hill, its impact is being felt at the state level through bills like S302.
Related News
