BOSTON — Legalized sports gambling in Massachusetts took a big step forward Thursday as the state Senate began debating its own version of a sports betting bill.
The Massachusetts House of Representatives passed its own version of a sports betting bill about nine months ago, but there is a big difference between the House's legislation and the Senate's legislation regarding sports gambling.
While the House's bill allows gambling on college sports, the Senate's bill does not.
Gov. Charlie Baker said Wednesday that under the right circumstances, betting on college sports is OK with him.
"We filed a bill without college sports in there. The House did it with college sports. It would depend to some extent on the language, but I've said earlier that we would support that," Baker said.
The Senate's version of the sports betting bill also does not allow for the use of ************ to place bets.
Three New England states that are adjacent to Massachusetts — Connecticut, New Hampshire and Rhode Island — have already legalized some form of sports betting.
The Massachusetts House of Representatives passed its own version of a sports betting bill about nine months ago, but there is a big difference between the House's legislation and the Senate's legislation regarding sports gambling.
While the House's bill allows gambling on college sports, the Senate's bill does not.
Gov. Charlie Baker said Wednesday that under the right circumstances, betting on college sports is OK with him.
"We filed a bill without college sports in there. The House did it with college sports. It would depend to some extent on the language, but I've said earlier that we would support that," Baker said.
The Senate's version of the sports betting bill also does not allow for the use of ************ to place bets.
Three New England states that are adjacent to Massachusetts — Connecticut, New Hampshire and Rhode Island — have already legalized some form of sports betting.