Politics

Mass. House passes bill legalizing sports betting

John Locher
Betting odds were displayed on a board as people watched sports at a sports book in Las Vegas last summer. John Locher/AP


The state House of Representatives on Thursday overwhelmingly passed a bill that would legalize sports betting in Massachusetts, allowing people 21 and older to place wagers on professional and collegiate athletic events.

The House endorsed the measure 156-3, sending it to the state Senate, which has been less enthusiastic about legalizing the practice.

The bill’s passage follows years of discussion about whether to bring sports betting to Massachusetts, as several nearby states have legalized such wagering. The House passed a similar proposal last July as part of an economic development bill, but the Senate rejected including sports betting in the package.

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