In recent years, many states in the US have already approved legal sports betting. However,there are few states that are taking longer than others to do the same thing. Massachusetts andMaryland are two of such states whose sports betting are delayed.Massachusetts sports fans have been waiting with bated breath for the state government toallow sports betting operators into the state.This activity has already been approved by the legislators and the state’s governor. But, there isa low chance that Bay Staters will access new sports betting sites in the year 2022.Keep reading to discover the reasons why there is a delay in online sports betting inMassachusetts, which online casinos are already operating, and the latest on Massachusettssports betting. Article Content: Is sports betting legalized in Massachusetts? What is causing Massachusetts to lag behind in legalizing online sports betting? How long will sports betting in Massachusetts be delayed? When can Massachusetts begin legal sports betting? How sports betting will work in Massachusetts Which sportsbooks will operate in Massachusetts? Existing operators to offer sports betting in Massachusetts Legal online sports betting sites in Massachusetts Is Sports Betting Legalized In Massachusetts?Massachusetts recently joined the list of US states that now allow some form of legal sportsbetting. The Massachusetts Sports Wagering Act was signed into law by Governor CharlieBaker on August 10th.The bill was widely backed by lawmakers, passing in the house by a vote of 36-4. However, likemost other states, Massachusetts could not allow legal sports betting immediately. Instead, thestate charged the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, to put in place the necessaryinfrastructure for operators.Dozens of eligible operators have promptly applied for Massachusetts sports betting licenses.Although, none of the applicants have been approved by the state. According to reports,operators may not get their approach until early next year. What Is Causing Massachusetts To Lag Behind In Legalizing Online Sports Betting? Legal sports betting garnered a lot of support from Massachusetts’ lawmakers, which is why itmight be surprising that the practice is facing a lot of obstacles in its path.In 2021 too, a sports betting bill was also passed by House legislators, by a vote of 156-3-1.Despite the large backing it received, the 2021 sports betting bill fell apart in the Senatebecause of budget concerns. The same bill in the Senate during that session, also met thesame fate.Presently, another bill has been passed by lawmakers who worked endlessly to pass it beforethe end of the session.Governor Baker signed the approved bill after it was given a go-ahead by the legislators. Andnow many hurdles have surfaced which legal sports betting must overcome.Reasons For The Delay In Sports Betting In Massachusetts Lack Of Infrastructure To Support Online Sports BettingLike most other states in the US, Massachusetts also doesn’t have the infrastructure to supportonline sports betting.The Massachusetts Gaming Committee is working to establish a process for approvingly andmonitoring legal sports betting operators.For now, in-person sportsbooks will have to hold off, until online casinos are ready to beginoperations. Not Enough Licenses To Go AroundOperators were allowed by the MGC to apply for an online sports betting license, until the end ofAugust. The commission reported that 42 operators applied for a license before the deadline.However, only 15 online sports betting licenses can be issued by the MGC. Competitive Bidding For Licenses7 out of the 15 total licenses to be issued by the MGC, will be awarded based on a competitivebid. The three retail casinos in the “Codfish State” will be getting two sports betting apps each.The two racetracks in the state, will be permitted to have online betting partners too. Uncapped Temporary LicensesThe biggest hurdle faced by Massachusetts’ sports betting is temporary licenses.Sports betting law in Massachusetts limits the number of mobile operators to 15 – the state’sthree casinos get two licenses each, the two racetracks in the state get a single license. Thenseven unclaimed mobile licenses that will be determined in a competitive bidding process. The issue is that the law allows an undetermined number of temporary licenses, which is beinginterpreted by the MGC as temporary licenses being uncapped.Due to more demand than supply, MGC expects more than 15 applications for mobile licenses.The commission states that it can’t make the decision to deny temporary licenses to qualifiedoperators, putting it in a tough position where it would have to approve temporary licenses, andthen deny many of the operators a permanent license.Given the recent development, the MGC can wait for the legislature to resolve the discrepancybetween temporary and permanent licenses.A competitive process can be created and the number of temporary licenses it will issue islimited.They can issue over 15 temporary licenses and determine a competition process to select whichsites would be granted full licenses and which wouldn’t get it.Allow tethered online licenses (casinos and racetracks) to launch their online websites, whiledelaying the launch of the untethered licenses until a fix is established.However, the various options that the MGC has, won’t pacify the many eligible sports bettingstakeholders.Waiting on a legislative fix is the worst-case scenario. This will take time and revisiting the lawcould cause more changes than a simple cap on temporary licenses.Following the competitive process route will also be a lengthy procedure. Furthermore, limitingthe number of temporary licenses could lead to lawsuits for the Commission, so awarding morethan 15 temporary licenses and then shutting down some sites.Permitting tethered licenses to launch first would place untethered licenses at a competitivedisadvantage and might result in lawsuits. On that note, a retail launch, succeeded by tetheredonline licenses and a process to award the seven untethered licenses, may be the moststraightforward route. How Long Will Sports Betting In Massachusetts Be Delayed?There are numerous prospective operators for the MCG to choose from to license. But, theprocess isn’t as simple as it seems. The MGC is presently working towards creating regulationsfor online sportsbooks operators to abide by.After a meeting, the MGC asked that bettors exercise patience as the process unfolds. Aspokesperson for the Commission stated that other US states took as long as 8 months tocreate regulations. Hopefully, Massachusetts’ sports bettors won’t have to wait that long. The