When Will Online Gambling Be Legal in Massachusetts?

If you are a fan of online gambling, which has undeniably increased in popularity in recent years, it can be difficult to know whether gambling is available in your state or not. Various states in the US have passed online gambling bills, but others are in progress. Some have not indicated whether gambling will become legal soon. We’ll examine whether online gambling is legal in Massachusetts and where they are in the process.

Throughout this article, we will go over the details about any Massachusetts online gambling bills, its gambling history and future. Our team gives expert projections about what online gambling will look like in Massachusetts when it is legalized. You can also find information here about states where online gambling is already 100% legal.

If you want to know more about online gambling in Massachusetts, check out our guide for the newest updates on the state’s legislature. It also includes links to the best gambling sites for MA residents. You can also use the links below to find information you need quickly in this article.

• The Latest News: Is There a Massachusetts Online Gambling Bill?
• History of Massachusetts’s Online Gambling Bills
• What Types of Gambling Are Legal in Massachusetts Today?
• US States With Legal Online Gambling

The Latest News: Is There a Massachusetts Online Gambling Bill?

Off the bat, we can share that unfortunately, at the time of writing, there is no existing Massachusetts online gambling bill for casinos. Massachusetts does have various other forms of legal gambling, as well as some options to bet online, which is probably why many players assume that the state would also have legal online casino gambling by now.

We will go over the legal types of gambling in MA in more detail later in the article. For now, the main takeaway is that there is no current Massachusetts online gambling bill. Our sources indicate that the state legislature does not have any pending bills on the table for this legislative round in the first half of 2024. Likewise, no lawmakers have made significant statements about there being a bill coming in the future.

Our Predictions

“The Bay State” has had several types of legal gambling over the years, much to the delight of casino and lottery fans. Its legislators have also been open to the possibility of adjusting its gambling laws, as evidenced by the introduction of legal DFS betting and legal sports betting most recently, in March 2023.

This signals that the state is not as conservative as other US states when it comes to the topics of betting and online gambling. This is of course fantastic news for those who would like to be able to participate in these activities, and who would like to have a variety of options available to them.

Though there is no online casino bill pending as of yet, we would not be surprised if a bill were introduced in the future. However, we must warn that the state took a long while to legalize sports betting. It is therefore possible that the process of legalizing online casinos could take several years, as well.

There are some silver linings to the dilemma of legal online gambling in Massachusetts. Some states have introduced online casino games, but not all; for example, online poker is legal in Nevada though other forms of casino games are not. This is one route that this East Coast state might take towards online gambling, which might speed up the process and give players something to enjoy in the meantime.

There are also many other types of gambling that can already be enjoyed safely in Massachusetts. If you are in the position to travel, or if you work or have family in a neighboring state, you may also find that near MA, there are states where you can find legal online casino platforms already. We will go over all of these in the last part of this article.

History of Massachusetts’s Online Gambling Bills

There has never been a bill in Massachusetts directly on the topic of legal online casino gambling. However, MA recently became one of the few states that offers legalized sports betting online, and it also has offered daily fantasy sports for some time before that. Here is a brief rundown on the backstory of gambling in Massachusetts:

• 1971: Lottery was introduced to the state and has since become a widely popular and successful money-raising tool for various public projects.
• 2011: The Expanded Gaming Act was passed, legalizing casinos in Massachusetts. There are now three casinos and one slots parlor in the state, with discussion over building a fourth.
• 2018: Daily fantasy sports betting was introduced in the state thanks to S 2273.
• 2023: Bill H.5164 to legalize sports betting finally passed and was put into effect in March of this year.

What Types of Gambling Are Legal in Massachusetts Today?

You’ll now find several options for gambling entertainment in the state, including legal online gambling in Massachusetts by way of sports betting sites, DFS and social casinos. Here is everything you need to know about the current forms of gambling available today.

Lottery

Since 1971, Massachusetts’s State Lottery has been providing entertainment and prizes to millions of customers. Several different types of lotto games are available, including jackpot draws between different regions like Powerball. Lottery is available to all residents aged 18 and above, which makes it easier to access than casino gaming, which has an age limit of 21 and above.

So far, there is no legal online lottery in the state – perhaps not a surprise given that Massachusetts has been slow to adopt online gambling. One cool thing about the lottery’s fund allocation is that local areas can decide how lotto revenue from that area is used. They most often go towards public projects such as education, recreation and infrastructure. Some portion also goes to the general fund for the state, with over $27 billion added so far.

Sports Betting

As the home of epic sports teams like the Boston Red Sox, New England Patriots, the Bruins and the Celtics, it’s only natural that sports betting would be a prime activity for residents of Massachusetts! Luckily for them, it is legal, with online sports betting introduced in March 2023.

The age for accessing sports betting, online and offline, is 21 years and above. Several bookmakers currently operate in the state, including BetMGM, ESPN Bet, Caesars, DraftKings and FanDuel. There are some limitations to sports betting in the state. For example, almost every professional sport is available to bet on, but college teams and high school teams are off limits.

The latest calculations show that sports betting has earned $655.5 million in Massachusetts as of December 2023. Overall, current law states that up to 15 companies may operate a sportsbook in the state, with about half allocated to in-person and half to online. The online retailers are able to bid for their stake in the action, but must ultimately be approved by the gambling authorities in the state.

Daily Fantasy

Daily Fantasy Sports fans have it good in Massachusetts. Long before they legalized online sports betting, and with no clear date for online casinos in site, DFS has been widely available to players. This is because DFS is legally considered a game of skill and not chance, as opposed to other forms of gambling.

DFS came to MA with the passing of a bill in 2016, which allowed for a temporary testing of the vertical until 2018. Thankfully in 2018, the bill was further amended to establish official regulations for DFS in the state and it has been fully legal since. Fans can use FanDuel, DraftKings and other operators; however it is interesting to note that DraftKings has its headquarters in Boston, so it is often the go-to for Massachusetts-based DFS players.

Social Casinos & Charity

If you search for online gambling legal in Massachusetts, you might come across social casinos like BetRivers. A social casino is one that lets players participate in casino games like poker, slots and many more, in exchange for credits. However, these credits do not translate to real cash. Therefore a social casino is a game, but not a real-money casino.

Social casinos should not be confused with charitable betting, which is also legal in Massachusetts. Charitable betting allows charities and nonprofit organizations to put on events like raffles to raise money towards a certain cause.

Brick-and-Mortar Casinos

Massachusetts had an early history of gambling, before it became an official state, back when it was still considered a colony. However, many of these rules have naturally shifted and evolved over time thanks to new legal infrastructures put in place after the American Revolutionary War. Laws have also responded to social concerns and new technology.

Thanks to a bill passed in 2011, Massachusetts once again allowed legal casinos to operate within its borders. You can now find resort casinos at three locations: Encore Boston Harbor, Plainridge Park Casino and MGM Springfield.

Dog and Horse Racing

Dog racing used to be available in Massachusetts but the practice stopped in 2005. Fans of racing can still place bets on horse and harness races, specifically at Plainridge Park Casino.

US States With Legal Online Gambling

If you are looking for legal online casinos, you can currently play in these US states: Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. You can also access internet poker in Nevada, though it does not offer online casino games as of yet, likely due to the pull of the land-based casino industry.

Soon, online casino fans will be able to legally bet in Rhode Island. The legislation has been passed but it is not expected to go live until March 2024. Many more states, like Massachusetts, offer legal online sports betting and DFS. Social casinos (i.e. playing for no money) are also widely available in the US.