Massachusetts legislators are advancing new regulations to reshape the state’s sports wagering landscape. Senate Bill 302, The Bettor Health Act, received a 5-0 vote from the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies and now heads to the Senate Ways and Means Committee.
The bill seeks to address social, economic, and health risks tied to sports betting. It bans in-play wagering and proposition bets, prohibits televised sports betting ads, and expands responsible gambling safeguards. Prop bets, focusing on specific occurrences or statistical outcomes independent of a game’s final score, have drawn scrutiny due to scandals in college and professional sports.
“We unleashed an industry that now promotes betting on anything and everything imaginable and unimaginable all over the world, 24 hours a day, every single day,” Sen. John Keenan said Nov. 13. “I want to publicly apologize to those who’ve lost the opportunity to sit and watch a game just for the enjoyment of the game, I want to apologize to those who find themselves in the dark spaces of betting addiction, and to those working through recovery and to their families and friends. I want to apologize to those who have lost loved ones to suicide because of gambling issues.”
Keenan stressed gambling-related harms extend beyond bettors to affect families, jobs, and financial stability.
Tax Hike and Responsible Gambling Measures
SB 302 would raise the excise tax on sports wagering from 20% to 51%, aligning Massachusetts with New York, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. Contributions to the Public Health Trust Fund would double, from $1 million to $2 million annually. Operators must collect anonymized player data for research and identify high-risk wagering. Deposit limits would cap bets at $1,000 daily and $10,000 monthly, with affordability checks ensuring wagers stay under 15% of available funds.
“These proposals respond to rapid changes in how gambling products are designed, marketed, and delivered since H5164 became law in 2022,” Mark Gottlieb of Northeastern University said, noting bettors face frequent notifications and ads promoting excessive wagering.
Integrity Protections and College Sports Concerns
The bill’s restrictions on prop and live bets follow integrity concerns raised by college athletics. NCAA President Charlie Baker, formerly governor of Massachusetts, has advocated for banning college player prop bets. Baker reported that over the past year, investigations involved about 40 student-athletes across 20 schools, with 11 athletes from seven schools found to have wagered on their own performance, shared inside information, or participated in game manipulation.
The legislation also targets marketing practices. It prohibits sports wagering ads during televised games and restricts promotions including bonus offers, same-game parlays, odd boosts, and VIP programs, which the bill considers unfair or deceptive acts.
The measure now awaits further evaluation by the Senate Ways and Means Committee, which determines whether the bill advances to the full Senate for a vote.
By combining restrictions on wagering types, limits on bet sizes, and enhanced public health funding, SB 302 seeks to address the growing concerns around sports betting while maintaining regulatory oversight.
Source:
“Senators advance bill banning in-play, prop sports bets”, wwlp.com, March 10, 2026
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