Setting The Odds On Massachusetts Gambling Legislation

Jay Myers, of Locke Lord’s Boston office, co-authored an article for Law360 detailing the cautious approach taken by the state of Massachusetts in the legalization of sports betting after the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association. The authors note, “Following years of staunch opposition in the Legislature, Massachusetts legalized gambling only seven years ago, and has similarly showed restraint with respect to expanding gambling to include sports betting.”

In the article, Myers examines a white paper issued by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission on sports betting and the Supreme Court decision that allowed states to begin legalizing sports betting. Lastly, the authors assess the reaction of Massachusetts government officials to the Supreme Court’s decision, and note: “It seems fairly likely that the Legislature will seriously consider enacting a bill on sports betting in the 2019-2020 session, however legislative leaders have only provided limited insight into what could be included in a final law.”

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