How Do I Gamble Online in Massachusetts?

Gambling online in Massachusetts depends on the type of game you prefer. Massachusetts online gamblers who prefer casino games and poker have one option: play at offshore gaming sites. Those who prefer sports betting have more options, though the choice often amounts to bigger bonuses versus responsible gaming.

Read our guide to gambling online in Massachusetts to learn everything you need to know. We discuss Massachusetts gambling laws, with a focus on online gambling and the Commonwealths’ gaming history. We provide answers about the land-based casino industry, plus a guide to signing up at online casinos, sportsbooks, and poker sites. Once finished, you will have all the details you need to make good decisions about Massachusetts online gambling.

Massachusetts Online Gambling Laws

Since January 2023, Massachusetts online gambling laws have had a dichotomy. If you want to gamble at online casinos or poker rooms, you will need to play at real-money offshore gambling sites. These sites offer big welcome bonuses to new depositors while supporting a huge range of payment options (credit card, crypto, e-wallets). They have a complete list of casino games, including online slots, table games, and live dealer games.

If your online gambling focus is sports betting, then you have two options. One, you can gamble at offshore online sportsbooks that accept Massachusetts bettors. These offer huge welcome bonuses, a full list of sports betting markets, in-game betting, and crypto deposits. Bettors also can download a mobile sports betting app tied to the land-based Massachusetts gambling industry. These offer smaller bonuses, consumer protections, responsible gaming tools, and bets on the sporting events that Americans love.

Gambling Availability in Massachusetts

Massachusetts Online Gambling Timeline & History

• May 14, 2018: The US Supreme Court repealed the Professional and Amateur Sports Betting Act (PASPA), a federal law that banned single-game sports betting in 49 US states over the previous 25 years. Individual US states could legalize sports betting if they chose.
• August 24, 2018: The MGM Springfield opened at a cost of $960 million. It was the first resort casino to launch in Massachusetts. Originally launched by MGM Resorts, it is now owned by Vici Properties, which bought MGM Holdings for $17.2 billion on August 29, 2022.
• June 23, 2019: The Encore Boston Harbor opened at a cost of $2.6 billion. The casino resort operates in Everett, a suburb of Boston.
• August 10, 2022: Charlie Baker signed the legal sports betting bill, House Bill 5164, into law. It approves retail sportsbooks and mobile sports betting apps.
• January 31, 2023: Retail sportsbooks launched in Massachusetts.
• March 2023: Mobile sports betting apps went live in Massachusetts.

How to Gamble Online for Real Money in Massachusetts

Gambling online for real money in Massachusetts is easy, whether you prefer online poker sites, casinos, or sportsbooks. Here are the steps to gamble online at an online casino in Massachusetts:

1. Read Casino Reviews: Research trusted gambling sites by reading reviews and player forums to find a casino that is fair, safe, entertaining, and trustworthy.
2. Create a Player Account: Sign up for a player account at the chosen casino site and verify your account with a photo ID for security purposes.
3. Fund Your Account: Log in to your account and make a deposit using various payment methods such as credit cards, debit cards, Bitcoin, other crypto deposit methods, web wallets, or bank wire transfers.
4. Get Bonus Money: Accept the welcome bonus offered by the casino site for new depositors, which includes cash bonuses and free spins.
5. Read the Terms: Carefully read the rollover terms to ensure you satisfy the wagering requirements before withdrawing any bonus cash.
6. Play For Real Money: Play real money games, such as online slots, scratch cards, and keno, to meet the wagering requirement at 100%, while table games and video poker clear the rollover at 5% to 20%.
7. Make a Withdrawal Request: Once the wagering requirement is met, request a payout through the casino’s cashier page and wait for a few minutes to a few days for the payout, depending on the payment method used.

The Best Online Casinos and Poker Sites for Massachusetts Players

Massachusetts Land-Based Gambling Industry

Massachusetts has most forms of land-based gambling bettors could want: brick-and-mortar casinos, pari-mutuel race tracks, lottery gambling, charitable gaming, and even limited social gambling. The land-based casino gaming appeared only after 2015 when the Plainridge race track gained the right to open a slot parlor.

In the years since Massachusetts added two integrated casino resorts: MGM Springfield in 2018 and Encore Boston Harbor in 2019. In 2022, these gaming venues also opened retail sportsbooks and launched mobile sports betting apps. Meanwhile, charitable gaming continued to operate under the auspices of the Massachusetts Lottery.

Does Massachusetts have land-based casinos?

Massachusetts has two integrated casino resorts: MGM Springfield in Western Massachusetts and Encore Boston Harbor in Everett, a suburb of Boston. The state also has the Plainridge Park Casino in Plainville, a horse track racino with 1,250 gaming machines. Plainridge also has a racebook and sportsbook.

Does Massachusetts have legal betting tracks?

Raynam Park in Raynam is a legal dog track that offers simulcasting and keno. It also has a mobile sports betting app in partnership with Caesars. Suffolk Downs shut down live horse racing on July 6, 2019, but it offers to simulcast and has a mobile sports betting app through its advance deposit wagering (ADW) partners.

Finally, Massachusetts has Plainridge Park Casino in Plainville. Plainridge offers harness racing and has a slots parlor with 1250 gaming machines. It also has a sportsbook and a racebook.

Does Massachusetts allow off-track betting?

No off-track betting facilities exist in Massachusetts, though one might see Suffolk Downs as an OTB since 2019. The state’s most famous race track no longer has live racing, but offers racebook betting through simulcasting.

Does Massachusetts allow charitable gaming?

Massachusetts allows bingo/beano, raffles, and Casino Nights by local charities. The Massachusetts Lottery oversees charitable gaming in the Commonwealth.

Does Massachusetts allow lottery betting?

Massachusetts launched lottery gambling on September 27, 1971. The Massachusetts State Lottery Commission oversees the state lottery, which offers bets on The Numbers Game, Keno, The Wheel of Luck, Mass Cash, Megabucks Doubler, and Lucky For Life.

The Massachusetts Lottery joined the Mega Millions multi-state lottery association in 1996 and the Powerball lottery in 2010. Since then, it has sold Powerball and Mega Millions tickets for the drawings on the allotted nights of the week.

Is social gambling allowed in Massachusetts?

Massachusetts defines gambling as “as winning $5 or more by gaming or betting on sides or hands of those gaming”. Under those circumstances, private home games of poker or casino games would be legal, if the stakes were $4.99 or less. Essentially, people can host penny-ante poker games and casino games. No rake or other fee should be charged by the host.

Chapter 10, Sections 37-40 of the Massachusetts General Law allows for senior groups and senior housing complexes to feature bingo games for the residents. All money taken in must be given out in prizes, which makes this form of bingo different than charitable bingo.

What is the legal gambling age in Massachusetts?

If you want to gamble on the lottery or in charitable gaming halls, you need to be 18 or older. Those who want to gamble in land-based casinos must be 21 or older. If you wish to engage in an offshore online casino or poker betting, you will need to be 18 or older.

Land-Based Casinos and Race Tracks in Massachusetts

Online Gambling Massachusetts FAQ

Is online gambling legal in Massachusetts?

Massachusetts residents can gamble online with no concerns about legal issues. People can sign up and play for real money at offshore online casinos, poker sites, and sportsbooks. While these sites are not licensed, residents do not face legal blowback from gambling online in the privacy of their homes. They do not have legal protection if sites refuse to pay, so the key is finding safe, trusted, and reliable online gambling sites.

In addition, Massachusetts approved licensed mobile sports betting apps in early 2023. That gives gamblers one more option for real money play in the Commonwealth.

Can I legally gamble at online casinos in Massachusetts?

Players can legally gamble at online casinos in Massachusetts, but they do so at offshore sites. People should do their due diligence before depositing in a real money online casino. Read casino reviews, visit player forums, and learn the reputation of sites before funding your account.

Once signed up, Massachusetts online casinos offer a full range of online slots, table games, live casino games, and specialty games like keno, bingo, and scratch cards. These sites offer thousands of dollars in welcome bonus cash, plus a full range of payment methods that Americans use every day.

Can I gamble for real money at online sportsbooks in Massachusetts?

Massachusetts online sports bettors can sign up at offshore bookmaker sites. These bookmakers offer hundreds of dollars in signup bonuses and the ability to make risk-free bets. They allow most forms of sports betting: moneyline bets, point spread bets, parlay bets, futures bets, teasers, pleasers, and prop bets. They have in-game betting on NFL football, NCAA football, NBA basketball, NCAA basketball, MLB baseball, NHL hockey, and other major sporting events throughout the year. This includes the Super Bowl, March Madness, World Series, major MMA fights and boxing matches, and the golf and tennis majors.

Besides that, Massachusetts sports bettors have the option to gamble using mobile sports betting apps. This type of Android and iPhone sports betting is tied to land-based sportsbooks and offers access to the national brands that run commercials on major US sporting events.

Can I gamble at online poker sites in Massachusetts?

Card players can play at offshore online poker sites in Massachusetts. These cardrooms offer Texas Hold’em, Omaha, and Seven-Card Stud in a variety of styles. Players can enjoy cash games, sit-n-go events, and big tournaments with guaranteed prize pools. New players receive hundreds of dollars in bonus money, plus the ability to pay using credit cards, debit cards, web wallets, bank wire transfers, Bitcoin, and other crypto methods.

How do I gamble online in Massachusetts using crypto deposits?

Sign up for gambling sites like Wild Casino, BetUS Sports, BetOnline, or Las Atlantis Casino. These sites offer a combination of online casino games, poker betting, and sports betting. They also support payments using Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ethereum, Bitcoin Cash, and other crypto payment methods.

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