Massachusetts Internet Casino Bill Halted In Committee

Massachusetts legislators on Monday essentially closed the door on legalizing online casino gaming for this year after the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies unanimously voted to send the bill to study.

The 11-0 vote on H 4431, led by committee co-chair and Rep. Carole Fiola, included eight other Democrats and two Republicans. Neither Democrat Rep. Greg Schwartz nor Republican Rep. Kenneth Sweezey voted.

Bill author and Rep. David Muradian Jr. presented H 4431 to the committee at a hearing last November, pointing out that Massachusetts residents were already wagering online without any regulatory oversight.

“There are no consumer protections, no responsible gaming standards, and the bill will change that,” Muradian said at the hearing.

Maybe a return next session

Muradian struck an optimistic tone after the vote, telling The Sun Chronicle he plans on re-filing the bill for the 2027-28 session and that “the momentum H 4431 created this session will hopefully serve as a springboard to future economic growth in Massachusetts, while always focusing on consumer protections and safeguards.”

The bill included multiple consumer-protection provisions, most notably a deposit limit of $20,000 in a 24-hour period. Operators would also be mandated to monitor for problem gambling behavior.

The vote to send the bill to study also is a reprieve for online sweepstakes casino operators, which currently exist in a legal gray area and would have been prohibited. The legislation called for fines between $10,000 and $100,000 for violations, with repeat offenders facing potential imprisonment.