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H496 • 2025

An Act protecting the Commonwealth’s gaming industry

An Act protecting the Commonwealth’s gaming industry

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Jeffrey N. Roy
Last action
2026-03-23
Official status
Accompanied a study order, see H5269
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

An Act protecting the Commonwealth’s gaming industry

An Act protecting the Commonwealth’s gaming industry By Representative Roy of Franklin, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.

What This Bill Does

  • An Act protecting the Commonwealth’s gaming industry By Representative Roy of Franklin, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
  • 496) of Jeffrey N.
  • Roy relative to the gaming industry of the Commonwealth.
  • Economic Development and Emerging Technologies.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-23 House

    Accompanied a study order, see H5269

  2. 2025-12-04 House

    Reporting date extended to Monday, March 16, 2026

  3. 2025-11-13 Joint

    Hearing rescheduled to 11/13/2025 from 11:00 AM-02:00 PM in A-2 and Virtual Hearing updated to New End Time

  4. 2025-10-31 Joint

    Hearing scheduled for 11/13/2025 from 11:00 AM-01:00 PM in A-2

  5. 2025-02-27 House

    Referred to the committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies

  6. 2025-02-27 Senate

    Senate concurred

Official Summary Text

An Act protecting the Commonwealth’s gaming industry
By Representative Roy of Franklin, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 496) of Jeffrey N. Roy relative to the gaming industry of the Commonwealth. Economic Development and Emerging Technologies.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
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Bill H.496

SECTION 1: Notwithstanding the provision of any General or Special Law to the contrary, Chapter 23K of the General Laws as appearing in the 2018 Official Edition is hereby amended as follows:

In section 2 by striking the definition of “Category 2 license” and replacing with the following new definition:

“Category 2 license” a license issued by the Commission that permits the licensee to operate a gaming establishment with no table games and not more than 1,250 slot machines, except as may otherwise be determined by the Commission subject to the provisions of this Chapter.

In section 11 by adding the following new subsection:

(d)(1) The Commission may and shall be empowered to consider the benefit to the Commonwealth, community and surrounding communities of allowing the Category 2 licensee to host up to 30 table games and an additional 250 slot machines.

Prior to the entertainment of any such consideration the Commission shall require that:

i.

The licensee has requested such consideration.

ii.

The Mayor and City Council or Board of Selectmen and Town Meeting of the category 2 licensee host community have approved and certified approval of such consideration.

(2) Upon such requests for consideration, the Commission may authorize, in its absolute and sole discretion, the category 2 licensee to host from 1-30 table games and/or an additional 1-250 slot machines if, after 2 public hearings, one of which shall take place in the category 2 host community, the Commission has found and determined that:

i.

the licensee request meets the applicable requirements of Section 9 of this Chapter and

ii.

that the Commission’s authorization is in the Commonwealth’s best interests.

SECTION 2: Any authorization made by the Commission as a result of the provisions of this Chapter shall in no way constitute licensure and shall terminate if the Category 2 licensee is not renewed subject to the provisions of section 20 (f) of said Chapter 23K, is terminated, surrendered or suspended.

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