MA Goes For 2 On Sports Betting: The HUB

The HUB is a daily newsletter designed for what you want — to be caught up on the most interesting, important news in 5 minutes or less. It's a little bit of this, a little bit of that, but if there's something you want more or less of, email me at alex.newman@patch.com.

Today is Thursday, July 22. Let's get started.

Legalized sports betting could take a step forward in Massachusetts Thursday, as the state House of Representatives is expected to pass a bill allowing people 21 and older to bet in person at casinos and racetracks or through mobile apps and online platforms.

If passed, it will be the second time sports betting has gone before the state Senate. The House included legalized sports betting as part of its economic development bill in July 2020, but the Senate called time out, saying it wanted to consider the policy as a separate bill.

The legislation calls for licensing fees of $5 million for five years, with operators paying a 12.5 percent tax on betting receipts for in-person betting and 15 percent for mobile and digital bets, Commonwealth Magazine's Shira Schoenberg reports.

An additional 1 percent tax would be levied on bets on games happening in Massachusetts, to cover extra stadium costs related to gambling, and online companies would pay another $1 million each year to address gambling addiction.

More than a dozen lawmakers in the House alone have introduced amendments to be debated Thursday, including multiple measures prohibiting gamblers from using credit cards, The Boston Globe's Jasper Goodman reports. One amendment would lower the gambling age to 18 for online betting.

Is it time to bring back Happy Hour? Massachusetts may have been the first state to ban Happy Hour, outlawing it back in 1984 when a 20-year-old woman died during a joyride with friends after the group won free pitchers of beer at a Braintree bar. But a new poll cited by The Boston Herald says 70 percent of residents surveyed are in support of Happy Hour, which could provide a lifeline to bars struggling to recoup their pandemic losses.

You may have heard about "breakthrough" COVID cases. That is, people contracting the coronavirus after getting vaccinated. More than 5,100 such cases have been reported in Massachusetts, resulting in at least 80 deaths, NBC Boston reports. But health experts aren't worried, and say you shouldn't be either. Here's what to know about "breakthrough" cases, via NPR.

Massachusetts is set to receive more than $500 million over 18 years as part of a settlement with three of the country's largest opioid distributors and Johnson & Johnson. The sweeping agreement resolves thousands of lawsuits and ends multiple investigations into the opioid crisis – but it all depends on cooperation between state and local governments, the State House News Service reports.

A national look

Life expectancy in the U.S. fell by a year and a half in 2020, its steepest drop since World War II. Data showed the coronavirus pandemic disproportionately impacted communities of color. (The New York Times)

The select committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot will have one Republican member – Trump critic Liz Cheney – after House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy pulled the GOP picks in protest of Speaker Nancy Pelosi's decision not to seat Reps. Jim Jordan and Jim Banks. Pelosi made clear her mind's made up. (The Hill)

At least 12 confidential informants assisted the government's investigation into the alleged plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. But some informants, guided by the FBI, may have played a larger role in the conspiracy than originally thought. (Buzzfeed)

What I'm reading today: What would you do if you only had months to live? Keep a box of tissues handy for this beautiful – and, at times, heartbreaking – ode to a life well-lived, by Boston Globe veteran Jack Thomas.

Weather

The National Weather Service says: Sunny, with a high near 79. North winds of 6 to 8 mph. Partly cloudy at night, with a low around 62. Northwest winds of 3 to 5 mph.

You can email me at alex.newman@patch.com and follow me @NewmanPatch.