This week's gambling news comes from the floor of ICE London 2023 as J. Todd discusses the launch of sports betting in Massachusetts, the proposition of esports betting in Pennsylvania, and the push for online casinos in Maryland.
Massachusetts sports betting:Sports betting in the Bay State has finally arrived. Right now, there are only three land-based locations accepting wagers in the state –
Encore Boston Harbor,
MGM Springfield, and
Plainridge Park Casino. That won’t be the case for too much longer though as the Massachusetts Gaming Commission set a tentative date of 10 March for online sports wagering, which is right before the NCAA March Madness Tournament. And, when that happens, as many as 11 online operators could be accepting mobile bets from residents.
Pennsylvania eSports betting:Representative Ed Neilson believes that Pennsylvania esports betting will be the next big money maker, and that the activity could quickly be legalized and regulated there. According to an article in Fortune Business Insights, the esports industry has now grown to a value of over $1.2 billion annually, and continued growth could see the business reach to $5.5 billion over the next five to six years. The interest in Pennsylvania esports betting is not a new thing. Other states, like Nevada, have already begun to move toward embracing the activity and regulating gambling on the outcomes of games.
Maryland online casinos:Already this year, there are at least two State Senators pushing legislation to regulate online casino regulation in the Old Line State. Ron Watson and Nancy King introduced a bill that would permit internet casino games to be offered by the state lottery. This comes not long after online sports wagering came to fruition last November. We’re hoping the attempt is successful, but we must also admit that it’s a long shot. First tries at this sort of thing almost never go well… but still, there is a chance.