A Massachusetts legislative committee voted 11-0 to study House Bill 4431, shelving the online casino proposal for the current session. The bill would have allowed existing casinos to apply for licences, permitted up to three online sites per casino and imposed a 15% tax on adjusted gross revenue.
The study vote delays any legislative progress on online casino licensing in Massachusetts until at least 2027.
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Virginia’s Senate Courts of Justice Committee approved a substitute to SB 579 on 11 February 2026, replacing a proposed sweepstakes-gaming ban with a Lottery Board study, according to reports. The 14–1 vote directs the board to report to legislative committees by 1 December 2026, carrying the issue into the 2027 session. A separate casino bill, SB 118, advanced from the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee with provisions addressing unlicensed sweepstakes activity.
A Georgia Senate study committee recommended legalising sports betting in a report filed in December, reportedly adding the proposal shortly before filing. The recommendation comes as legislators face unresolved bipartisan and constitutional questions, while former bill sponsor Marcus Wiedower left office in October 2025.
A Massachusetts legislative committee advanced SB302 and referred it to the Senate Ways and Means Committee, according to the report. The proposal would prohibit in-play and proposition bets, cap wagers at $1,000 per day and $10,000 per month, subject to an exception, and raise the tax rate on gambling companies from 20% to 51%; sportsbooks oppose the restrictions and tax increase.
Encore Boston Harbor generated $46.1 million in gaming revenue in September, down more than 22% from September 2025, reportedly as a strike involving about 1,350 workers continued. The casino said it made a financial offer in September and was awaiting a response from the unions; Massachusetts received about $11.5 million in tax revenue from the property, compared with $14.8 million a year earlier.
A press headline reports opposition to a historical horse racing proposal in Massachusetts. It names PENN, Wynn and MGM, but provides no details of their positions.