Massachusetts Weighs Bettor Health Act to Rein in Sports Betting

Senator Keenan’s Push

Calling it a multi-billion-dollar juggernaut that’s exploding daily, the proposal slams the flood of betting ads during games as overwhelming for fans.

Keenan frames online wagering’s rise as a crisis on par with opioids, arguing for a beefed-up safety net to handle the fallout. It’s now headed for a committee hearing in the coming months.

The bill jacks the online sports betting tax from 20% to 51%, aiming to match neighbors like New York and New Hampshire. Ads during live sports broadcasts would get the axe, along with any hype that fudges winning odds.

Operators would double their Public Health Trust Fund payments to bankroll addiction treatment, set daily betting caps until they check customers’ financial health, and stop paying staff based on how much they push clients to wager. Live betting and prop bets, flagged by health experts as addiction magnets, would be off the table too.

Digging Deeper

There’s more. Agents and promoters join the no-bet list, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission gets tasked with probing gambling-suicide links, and operators must hand over anonymized betting data for researchers to dissect problem gambling trends.

Reactions split fast. Bettors and addiction advocates cheer the cash for treatment, Massachusetts logged a 23% spike in gambling helpline calls since legal betting kicked off in 2023.

But the Sports Betting Alliance, speaking for DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetMGM, isn’t thrilled. They warn that a 51% tax could drive people to offshore black markets, dodging state rules and taxes. Operators already pumped $92 million into state coffers last fiscal year, and they argue this hike might backfire.