Massachusetts is one of the most productive sports betting markets in the country relative to its size. Online wagering launched in March 2023, and despite having just seven mobile sportsbooks — fewer than most big states — the Bay State’s passionate sports culture keeps handle high: bettors wager hundreds of millions of dollars a month, and the market generated roughly $150 million in revenue in fiscal 2025. This guide covers what’s legal, the rules that make Massachusetts distinctive, and how to get started.
Is online gambling legal in Massachusetts?
Yes. Massachusetts passed its Sports Wagering Act in August 2022; retail sportsbooks opened on 31 January 2023 and mobile betting followed on 10 March 2023, regulated by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC). You must be 21 or older and physically located in Massachusetts to bet, confirmed by geolocation. Real-money online casino (iGaming) is not legal here, though lawmakers periodically debate it.
What you can play in Massachusetts
- Sportsbooks: mobile betting on every major sport from seven licensed operators.
- Daily fantasy sports: legal in Massachusetts through DraftKings, FanDuel, PrizePicks, Underdog and Sleeper.
- Horse racing: pari-mutuel wagering for Massachusetts bettors via licensed ADW apps.
- Online casino: not yet legal in Massachusetts — see the outlook below.
Online gambling in Massachusetts by the numbers
| Metric | Latest figure |
|---|---|
| Launched | Retail 31 Jan 2023; online 10 March 2023 |
| Tax rate | 20% online, 15% retail (on gross revenue) |
| FY2025 revenue | About $150.7 million (up from $117.4m in FY2024) |
| Online share | ~92% of all wagers |
| Operators | 7 mobile sportsbooks |
| Online casino | Not legal |
| Minimum age | 21+ |
Massachusetts rules you should know
Massachusetts pairs a moderate tax with strict consumer rules. Online revenue is taxed at 20% and retail at 15%, with proceeds split across the General Fund, local aid, workforce training, public health and youth programs. Crucially for bettors, you cannot bet on in-state college teams such as UMass or Boston College unless they are playing in a tournament, and individual college-athlete award futures are barred. The MGC also bans credit-card deposits and enforces geolocation aggressively. Tax-hike proposals (one as high as 51%) and a bill to ban in-play betting have been floated but not passed, so the framework could tighten.
The best Massachusetts sportsbooks
Massachusetts has seven licensed operators: BetMGM, Caesars, DraftKings, Fanatics, FanDuel and theScore Bet (which replaced ESPN BET), plus Bally Bet. Of the books we work with and can verify, FanDuel operates in Massachusetts — strong on app quality and same-game parlays. The market is smaller than most, so compare the live offers on this page before signing up.
See terms and codes on our promo codes page or the full Massachusetts sportsbook guide.
Popular bets and Massachusetts sports
Bay State bettors play the standard markets — moneylines (who wins), point spreads (the margin), totals (over/under) and increasingly parlays and same-game parlays. Local loyalty drives huge volume on the Patriots, Celtics, Bruins and Red Sox, with the NFL leading handle and the NBA and MLB close behind. Just remember the college rule: you can back national college teams and tournament games, but not regular-season bets on in-state programs like Boston College or UMass.
How the Massachusetts market has grown
For a state of its size, Massachusetts punches well above its weight. The market followed the 2022 Sports Wagering Act and has grown fast: monthly handle climbed from around $315 million in its early months to north of $600 million during the 2025 football season, and the state set a monthly tax record of about $16 million in November 2024. By mid-2025 Massachusetts had collected roughly $294 million in total taxes and fees since launch — a remarkable haul from just seven operators, proof that a smaller, well-run market can rival much larger ones.
The operator field is anchored by DraftKings, which is headquartered in Boston, alongside FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars, Fanatics, theScore Bet and Bally Bet. The MGC runs one of the strictest regimes in the country, with a roughly $1 million annual licence fee, in-person vetting and an ongoing debate over whether operators should be allowed to limit winning bettors. That oversight, plus the statewide GameSense responsible-gambling program, makes Massachusetts one of the more tightly regulated — and consumer-protective — markets in the US.
Bet types explained
Most Massachusetts bettors get by with a few wager types. In Massachusetts the moneyline backs a winner straight up — the Patriots, for instance — and a point spread adds a margin to balance favorite and underdog. A Massachusetts totals bet shifts the focus to combined scoring, parlays reward Massachusetts players who tie several picks together on one slip (every leg must hit), same-game parlays do that within a single the Patriots fixture, and futures plus live betting round out the Massachusetts menu as the odds move during play.
How to start betting in Massachusetts
Signing up in Massachusetts is quick — be 21+ and inside Massachusetts, pick a licensed Massachusetts sportsbook, and create an account with accurate information for verification. After opting into the Massachusetts promo and depositing, set your limits, place your first Massachusetts bet, and cash out whenever the offer’s Massachusetts conditions are satisfied.
Will Massachusetts legalize online casino?
Not yet. With sports betting maturing and neighbouring states earning far more from iGaming, online casino comes up regularly on Beacon Hill, but no bill has passed and concerns about cannibalizing the state’s three casinos remain. For now, only sports betting, DFS and horse racing are legal online here, and the safest path is to stick with the seven MGC-licensed sportsbooks rather than any unregulated offshore site.
For the full picture, see our Massachusetts online casino guide, which tracks whether and when real-money iGaming might reach Massachusetts.
One practical note for Massachusetts bettors: because the licensed apps share the same regulator, the real differences between them in Massachusetts come down to pricing on the markets you actually bet, the speed of withdrawals, and how fair the welcome terms are once you read past the headline. It is worth holding two or three Massachusetts accounts so you can line-shop, and worth revisiting this page over time, since operators, promotions and the rules around Massachusetts betting all shift from season to season.
Responsible gambling in Massachusetts
Keep Massachusetts betting in proportion: it is entertainment in Massachusetts, and your stake should be money you can afford to lose. Use the limit, time-out and self-exclusion controls every licensed Massachusetts app provides, and set them up front rather than mid-streak. Help for Massachusetts bettors is free and confidential 24/7 on 1-800-GAMBLER.
Massachusetts sports betting FAQ
1. Is online sports betting legal in Massachusetts?
Yes. Online sports betting launched on 10 March 2023, regulated by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. You must be 21+ and physically in Massachusetts to bet.
2. Is online casino legal in Massachusetts?
No. Real-money online casino games are not legal in Massachusetts — only sports betting, DFS and horse racing. iGaming is debated but no bill has passed.
3. Can I bet on Boston College or UMass?
Not during the regular season. Massachusetts prohibits betting on in-state college teams unless they are competing in a tournament, and bars individual college-athlete award futures.
4. What is the sports betting tax rate in Massachusetts?
20% on online revenue and 15% on retail, split across the General Fund, local aid, workforce training, public health and youth programs.
5. Which sportsbook is best in Massachusetts?
Of our partners, FanDuel operates in Massachusetts and leads on app quality and same-game parlays. The state also licenses DraftKings, BetMGM, Caesars, Fanatics, theScore Bet and Bally Bet.
6. Do I have to live in Massachusetts to bet?
No — you just need to be physically inside Massachusetts when you place a bet, confirmed by geolocation.
7. Are prediction markets like Kalshi legal in Massachusetts?
Prediction markets such as Kalshi are open to Massachusetts residents because they count as federal financial contracts rather than Massachusetts sports betting. That keeps them national even where Massachusetts limits books, but it is genuinely unresolved — courts backed Kalshi against state regulators in 2026 and appeals continue. Massachusetts players should see them as a different, CFTC-governed product.
8. Are sweepstakes casinos legal in Massachusetts?
Sweepstakes casinos like Chumba, LuckyLand and Stake.us reach Massachusetts adults through a virtual-currency model designed to sit outside Massachusetts gambling licensing. That leaves Massachusetts players in a grey area with weaker safeguards than a regulated site, one regulators keep testing — so use them cautiously in Massachusetts.
9. Is daily fantasy sports (DFS) legal in Massachusetts?
Yes — daily fantasy sports operate in Massachusetts as a contest-based activity separate from Massachusetts sportsbook wagering. DraftKings and FanDuel lead the Massachusetts field, joined by pick’em apps PrizePicks, Underdog and Sleeper.
10. Can I bet on horse racing online in Massachusetts?
Yes. Pari-mutuel horse racing is open to Massachusetts residents through licensed ADW apps such as TVG (FanDuel Racing), TwinSpires and AmWager, covering tracks nationwide and separate from the Massachusetts sportsbook.
11. Can I deposit with a credit card in Massachusetts?
No. The MGC bans credit-card funding of betting accounts, so use a debit card, bank transfer or PayPal.
12. Where can I get help for a gambling problem in Massachusetts?
Help in Massachusetts is free, confidential and available 24/7 — call or text 1-800-GAMBLER, or use the deposit limits, cool-off periods and self-exclusion tools in every licensed Massachusetts app. Nobody in Massachusetts has to be in crisis to reach out.
21+. Must be physically located in Massachusetts. Gambling problem in Massachusetts? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.