SPRINGFIELD, MA (WGGB/WSHM) -- Massachusetts lawmakers are moving to tighten the rules around sports betting after seeing how quickly online and app-based gambling has taken off in the state.

State Representative Lindsay Sabadosa said Senate Bill 302 is meant to match the reality of 24/7 sports betting on phones with rules that address the economic, health, and social harms linked to sports gambling.

“We’re not trying to say that there shouldn’t be sports betting. We’re not trying to say that there shouldn’t be gambling,” Sabadosa said. “The legislation is really saying, look, we passed sports betting, but how do we make sure that now as the industry is evolving, the legislature is staying up with that and, again, putting up some guardrails.”

If passed, Senate Bill 302 would make three big changes for sports betting in Massachusetts.

First, the bill would raise the tax rate on sports betting revenue to 51 percent. That’s more than double the current 20 percent tax.

Second, the legislation would ban in-play or live betting. Those are wagers placed while a game is already underway. Operators would have to pull those options off their apps and websites.

Third, the bill requires operators to perform affordability checks to confirm a bettor’s activity does not exceed 15 percent of the total money in their bank account.

Sabadosa said the check helps bettors avoid spending more than they can afford. “I don’t want the government to have to be sort of like the nanny of people, but I also want people to have realization that when they’re in that moment, you know, if you’re spending more than 15 percent of your available cash, you may not be able to make your rent this month or you may not be able to make your car payment,” she explained.

David Nangle, the executive director of Stop iGaming in Massachusetts (SIGMA), calls this type of legislation a positive step for all gamblers in the state. His concern about gambling, especially for young people, is personal.

Nangle served as a state representative for Lowell for 22 years. He said his own gambling addiction became so severe, it cost him his career. “Kids are smart with technology. We know that and they can access...They’re able to access through their parents’ accounts or their older siblings’ accounts via their credit cards, via their information, and so it’s really a grave concern to me because of my own history. So, I’ve dedicated my time, whatever time I have left, to educate anyone about problem gambling,” he explained.

Nangle and SIGMA are focused on what they call the growing threat of online gambling. A new Emerson College poll commissioned with SIGMA shows most Massachusetts residents don’t trust the online gambling industry.

76 percent of surveyed residents have little or no trust that the online gaming industry will protect users from addiction and fraud, with 63 percent having little or no confidence that current technology can prevent children and teens from accessing internet casinos.

Nangle said gambling, especially through a mobile device, is much more dangerous, as it has little to no stopping point. “The thing with iGaming is it’s continuous. It’s rapid and it’s designed for repetition. The technology is built to keep people playing for as long as possible,” he added.

Since sports wagering launched in Massachusetts on January 31, 2023, the state has collected more than $408 million in taxes and fees from sports betting operations.

Senate Bill 302 has cleared committee, but still needs approval from the full Senate and House before it could become a law. If it passes this session, sportsbook operators would have to update their apps to remove many live betting options and build in those 15 percent affordability checks. Supporters said the changes could make people think twice before betting more than they can afford.

Boston-based DraftKings did not respond to a request for comment on how these changes might be reflected in their sports betting app.

The Massachusetts Problem Gambling Helpline is available 24/7 at 1-800-327-5050.

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