Massachusetts sports betting bills are flying, as a trio of bills were introduced by lawmakers on Wednesday. This after Governor Charlie Baker voiced his support earlier in the week. Separate documents that proposed legalizing online and retail betting, allowing only existing casinos to offer betting and the commissioning of a gaming impact study were filed ahead of Friday’s deadline for the 2019 session. The most ambitious of Massachusetts sports betting bills is SD 903 put forward by Sen Brendan Crighton, which would legalize both retail and mobile operations in Massachusetts. The state has a population of 6.9m, and is home…

Pennsylvania gaming regulators are warning their online licensees to ensure their operations are compliant with the new US Department of Justice opinion on the 1961 Wire Act. On Friday, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) issued a memo to its online gambling licensees – none of whom have actually been cleared to launch their local sites – giving them 30 days in which to clarify how their individual operations might be affected by the DOJ’s new view on the Wire Act. On Monday, the DOJ’s Office of Legal Counsel made public a new legal opinion that the 1961 Wire Act…

Governor Charlie Baker introduced a new proposal on Thursday that aims to legalize Massachusetts sports betting, and tax those bets on professional sports both online and at casinos. The law would allow other entities to be licensed to offer the modality as well. Baker detailed that he would file legislation to allow the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) to license the three casino operators in the state to offer on-site and online sports betting. This legislation would also pave the way for other operators, such as daily fantasy sports (DFS) entities to be licensed for sports betting. “Our legislation puts forth…

Don’t look now, but another state has an eye on gambling. Tennessee sports betting has jumped onto the radar in the form of the Tennessee Sports Gaming Act. When the Supreme Court of the United States struck down the federal betting sports ban last year, all experts expected a torrent of state legislation to follow. Tennessee is proving them right, with a new proposed bill in the works. “Local Memphis” reports the Tennessee Sports Gaming Act will give local governments the right to decide if they want sports betting locations in their area. If approved, local communities could “then petition…

A pair of U.S. senators from opposing parties is proposing a Federal oversight of sports betting in order to take back control of the activity in America. This is the first formal move by Congress after a Supreme Court ruling reopened a complex debate over fans betting on games and who controls the action. Several states have begun offering sports betting after New Jersey won a long-fought challenge in May, and many others are expected to take up the issue during new legislative sessions in 2019 as a way to generate millions in revenue. The federal bill introduced Wednesday by Sen….

The Missouri sports betting debate is back after previous unsuccessful attempts, and the Governor is not opposed to wagering in the state. Missouri is making a play for legalizing sports betting on its territory a little over six months after the US Supreme Court struck down a federal ban on wagering and after seven states have gone live with sports betting since the landmark ruling was issued. According to reports from multiple local news outlets, the state Legislature is likely to consider sports betting as a new source of revenue for the local education system. Rep. Dean Plocher has told media…