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Industry, unions and public-health advocates clash as committee considers legal online casino bill
Summary
The Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure heard competing testimony on bills to authorize regulated online casino gaming (iGaming) in Massachusetts, with industry witnesses touting consumer protections and revenue and unions and public‑health experts warning of job losses and addiction harms.
BOSTON — The Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure heard more than two hours of testimony on bills that would authorize regulated online casino gaming in Massachusetts, with industry representatives arguing legalization would move wagering from an unregulated market into a taxed, supervised system and opponents warning of job losses and increased problem gambling.
Industry witnesses including David Prestwood, government affairs manager for DraftKings, and James Hartman, state government relations director at FanDuel, told the committee that iGaming already exists in the Commonwealth but is largely unregulated and that a legal market would provide age and identity verification, responsible‑gaming tools and tax revenue. “Regulating iGaming provides…
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