When Massachusetts launches online sports betting on March 10, it’ll enter a different industry than the one formed by PASPA’s repeal in 2018. Responsible gambling is a legislative and regulatory priority in a way it wasn’t when New Jersey and Delaware first legalized sports betting.

And, frankly, Massachusetts has already shown itself to be a state dedicated to supporting responsible gambling programs.

The state’s large investments in problem gambling infrastructure were built into the 2011 bill that legalized its casinos. Eleven years later in fiscal year 2022, the budget for Massachusetts’ Public Health Trust Fund — which largely funds responsible gambling programs in the state — was about $17 million.

If MA sports betting revenue estimates are accurate, Massachusetts could add about $5.4 million to that budget, a substantial portion of which could fund new research.