As the pressure to enact legal sports betting in Massachusetts intensifies, state lawmakers continue to drag their feet. In the past three years, over 30 states have welcomed some form of authorized betting.
Bill Clears The House, Stumps the Senate
July brought progress for the Bay State when representatives overwhelmingly approved of a sports betting bill, voting 156-3. Despite the progress, some lawmakers have firmly planted their heels in the ground.
The main issue for legislators seems to be the topic of collegiate betting, not the practice of sports betting itself.
In August, Sen. Eric Lesser stated that the Senate was ready to legalize sports betting legislation as soon as possible. The Senator recently readdressed these claims, stating that negotiations were still “live and under active conversation.”
“Like any bill, you’ve got a process of working with the duly elected members of the chamber on their different issues and their concerns. When there’s a consensus, when we feel like we’ve gotten to that point, I do feel confident that something will move forward.”
Massachusetts Sen. Eric Lesser
However, the Senator is pushing for his own version of the bill. One that prohibits credit card deposits for sportsbooks and completely restricts betting on collegiate sports.
Why Lesser Dislikes College Betting
Many lawmakers in Massachusetts fear that banning college sports betting will deter residents from betting in-state. And they aren’t wrong: every sports betting state allows for collegiate betting in some capacity.
As a result, Lesser has been catching a lot of flack from colleagues and media figures.
“Obviously, March Madness and the bowl games are big business. A lot of people bet on that… We’re not denying reality, but there also needs to be an acknowledgment on the other side of that that it is different when you’re dealing with 18- and 19-year-old unpaid college athletes versus pro teams.”
Massachusetts Sen. Eric Lesser
Lesser isn’t alone with these sentiments. Lawmakers in other sports betting states have expressed similar concerns. Some worry that college students, largely uncompensated for their work, may cheat for financial gains.
Similarly, others find it hypocritical to bet on athletes who are often not of legal age to wager on such events.
Even so, the popularity of the practice in other states (including 4 of the 5 that border Massachusetts) makes it hard to pull the morality card.
How To Bet In Massachusetts
Massachusetts lawmakers will eventually figure it out, but in the meantime, MA residents are missing out on both NFL and NCAAF betting.
Thankfully, offshore online betting services are still available for folks in non-domestic states. Offshore online betting operators have a high bar to meet and often surpass it.
Not only are the betting lines diverse and consistently updated, but bettors can use their winnings to invest in cryptocurrency too!
And that’s a perk you can only get through offshore betting services.
If you don’t know where to start, but want to get in on the fun, our website has how-to’s, reviews, and legal guides to help you make an informed decision on where to bet.
Source: The Patriot Ledger
