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SOURCE
More than a year and a half after the Supreme Court gave states the green light to take legal bets on sports, the legislative
committee that’s been studying the issue and considering the possibility of bringing it to Massachusetts looks to be approaching the end of its process.
A suite of Sports Betting bills, including one (H 68) filed last year by Gov. Charlie Baker, was included in an extension order (H 4392)
filed Wednesday by the Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies. The committee is seeking permission to
keep working on the bills through Friday, Feb. 28.
Led by Rep. Ann-Margaret Ferrante and Sen. Eric Lesser, the committee held two days of hearings on Sports Betting last
May and has been exploring the many ramifications -- positive and negative -- that could come with legal Sports Betting.
Rep. Michael Soter, a Bellingham Republican who serves on the Economic Development Committee, praised Ferrante's
deliberate approach to Sports Betting in a recent interview on WEEI and said the committee wants to make sure
"that we are putting all the necessary steps in place to effectively roll out the best product."
He said three of the biggest issues being discussed are how to ensure any Sports Betting system has consumer
protections and responsible gambling safeguards built in -- "there are layers and layers and layers of technology
and things like that that we need to understand," he said -- how to insulate college athletes from any undue
influence that could arise if betting on NCAA games is permitted, and how to shield the Lottery from
Sports Betting "bringing in a whole different competitive piece."
More than a year and a half after the Supreme Court gave states the green light to take legal bets on sports, the legislative
committee that’s been studying the issue and considering the possibility of bringing it to Massachusetts looks to be approaching the end of its process.
A suite of Sports Betting bills, including one (H 68) filed last year by Gov. Charlie Baker, was included in an extension order (H 4392)
filed Wednesday by the Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies. The committee is seeking permission to
keep working on the bills through Friday, Feb. 28.
Led by Rep. Ann-Margaret Ferrante and Sen. Eric Lesser, the committee held two days of hearings on Sports Betting last
May and has been exploring the many ramifications -- positive and negative -- that could come with legal Sports Betting.
Rep. Michael Soter, a Bellingham Republican who serves on the Economic Development Committee, praised Ferrante's
deliberate approach to Sports Betting in a recent interview on WEEI and said the committee wants to make sure
"that we are putting all the necessary steps in place to effectively roll out the best product."
He said three of the biggest issues being discussed are how to ensure any Sports Betting system has consumer
protections and responsible gambling safeguards built in -- "there are layers and layers and layers of technology
and things like that that we need to understand," he said -- how to insulate college athletes from any undue
influence that could arise if betting on NCAA games is permitted, and how to shield the Lottery from
Sports Betting "bringing in a whole different competitive piece."
