Published on: March 13, 2026, 08:16h.
Updated on: March 13, 2026, 08:16h.
- New legislation in Massachusetts aims to regulate sports betting limits
- Limits may be bypassed with an affordability verification
- Massachusetts sports bettors faced $865 million in losses last year
Lawmakers in Massachusetts are evaluating new legislation designed to implement essential consumer protection measures within the sports betting sector.
Last week, the Senate Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies unanimously endorsed Senate Bill 302, known as the Bettor Health Act. This legislation is set for consideration in the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, although a date has yet to be established.
Initiated by Senator John Keenan (D-Quincy), the Bettor Health Act seeks to fundamentally reform sports betting regulations in Massachusetts. A key component includes limiting individual wagers to $1,000 in any 24-hour span or $10,000 every 30 days. Any bettor wishing to exceed these limits must submit to an affordability assessment.
Provisions within SB302 echo elements of the unsuccessful federal SAFE Bet Act, aiming to unify the fragmented sports betting landscape across the nation.
Understanding the Affordability Assessment
Senator Keenan emphasizes the need for Massachusetts sportsbooks to take additional measures to prevent consumer gambling addiction and ensure responsible betting behavior.
Keenan’s proposal limits bettors unless they pass an affordability evaluation. According to SB302, this assessment must confirm that “the daily or monthly amounts wagered do not exceed 15% of a person’s available bank account balance.” Given that Massachusetts boasts the highest median household income in the nation at $100,000, this metric seeks to promote responsible gaming.
Additionally, the Bettor Health Act would restrict sportsbooks from advertising during live sports events aired on channels regulated by the Federal Communications Commission, thus encompassing most broadcasts on cable and streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime.
The act would also aim to outlaw in-game and proposition bets, which have been linked to concerns over player harassment and match-fixing across both professional and college sports.
Regulating an Expanding Industry
Beyond consumer protection, SB302 would substantially raise the state’s tax on gross sports betting revenue from 20% to 51%. The legislation would further mandate that sportsbooks provide annual reports containing anonymized player data to the commonwealth.
Senator Keenan believes that the Bettor Health Act aims to contain an “uncontrolled” industry.
“We have unleashed an industry that promotes betting on any conceivable activity, at all hours, every day,” stated Keenan.
“I want to sincerely apologize to those who’ve lost the joy of simply watching a game for the sake of enjoyment, to those grappling with gambling addiction, and to their families. I extend my regrets to those who have lost loved ones to suicide as a result of gambling problems,” noted the Senator.
Keenan supported the bill passed in 2022 that sanctioned sports betting in Massachusetts.
Last year, residents in Massachusetts placed a staggering $8.5 billion in legal sports bets, with sportsbooks retaining $865 million in revenue and generating $151.7 million in state tax income.