'We're not trying to be road blockers on this. 'That is putting small business on edge and not giving them any guarantee of a tomorrow,' said Hurst. Jon Hurst is with the MA Retailers Association and said these changes have the potential to hit mom-and-pop stores' bottom lines.
The bills would make two significant changes: Allowing for online lottery games and the ability to pay with a debit card. Bracken said the switch to online sports betting was needed to pull the agency in the 21st century. Since 2015, three casinos and online sports betting have been approved and rolled out.
The Massachusetts State Lottery brought in more than $1.1 billion in 2022 but has met stiffer competition in recent years in the gambling industry.
