Massachusetts iGaming: Online Casino Bill Gets Extension As Fight Looms On Beacon Hill

Jan 8th, 2026 5:24 PM EST

A bill that would legalize Massachusetts iGaming remains on hold until possibly March after its reporting date was extended Thursday. Sen. Paul R. Feeney first dropped the bill last year. Its reporting date has been extended to March 5 in the upper chamber.

The bill (S.235) follows the framework of the 2022 law that legalized Massachusetts sports betting and would place iGaming in the Commonwealth under the regulation of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission.

It grants three retail casinos in the Commonwealth (MGM Springfield, Plainridge Park Casino (PPC), and Encore Boston Harbor) up to two online casino skins apiece. It also allows up to four untethered iGaming operators one skin apiece.

The Commonwealth has collected approximately $2.274 billion in total taxes and assessments from the three retail casinos since MGM Springfield first opened in 2018. Massachusetts sports betting has generated more than $372.31 million in total taxes and assessments since retail betting launched on Jan. 31, 2023, and online betting went live on March 10 of the same year.

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Massachusetts iGaming Bill: Breakdown By The Numbers

Here's a look at some of the key provisions in S. 235. The bill would legalize iGaming in Massachusetts, and this would be a win for the best online casinos.

Category 1 Operator Licenses: Three retail casinos in the Commonwealth (BetMGM Springfield, PPC, Encore Boston Harbor) will have two skins apiece. Each skin must operate under a distinct brand.

Category 2 Operator Licenses: Up to four untethered skins can be awarded to companies/brands (although a second brand may be used for poker). The MGC determines which four applicants receive the skins.

Licensing Fee: $1 million, with a full 5-year license costing $5 million.

Launch Date: All operators would launch on the same day.

Tax Rate: 20% of net gaming revenues. In addition, operators would be collectively assessed $1 million in fees for public health programs. In terms of allotment, 45% of tax revenue goes to the General Fund, 17.5% to Workforce Investment, 27.5% to Gaming Local Aid Fund, 1% to Youth Development, 9% to Public Health Trust Fund.

The MGC may enter into reciprocal agreements with other state for multistate gaming and would implement responsible gaming measures including self-restriction and self-exclusion.

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Traditional Battle Lines Drawn In Bay State

The push to legalize iGaming in the Bay State faces many of the same challenges posed elsewhere: concerns over both problem and responsible gaming; opposition from unions who represent casino workers; the Mass Lottery - which falls under the regulation of the State Treasurer; and growing opposition to legalized gambling in the wake of betting scandals that have rocked both the NBA and MLB. On the pro iGaming side: revenue, revenue, and lots of revenue. The Bay State remains strapped for cash. Its financial crunch faces multiple challenges: including a pull-back of federal funding on many fronts, a shrinking high-tech and high-finance tax base, and a population drain.

Hearing On Similar Bill Offered Heated Debate

Rep. Dave Muradian's proposal in the Massachusetts House (H. 4431) includes a 15% tax rate on iGaming revenue and consumer protection requirements. His bill received an extension on its reporting through March 16. Muradian make his pitch during a Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies hearing in November. He said iGaming already exists ln Massachusetts through illegal and offshore channels, and regulation would bring it “out of the shadows” while generating new tax revenue.

Industry voices echoed a familiar refrain heard in other states. Supporters argued regulated iGaming shrinks the black market, protects consumers, and creates a controlled alternative to unlicensed operators. West Virginia Delegate Shawn Fluharty who helped pass iGaming legislation in his state, framed the issue bluntly: unregulated online gambling already exists — regulation simply decides who benefits from it and under what rules.

Speaking at the National Council of Legislators From Gaming States winter meeting in December, Fluharty issued a similar warning about unlicensed operators. "Sweepstakes casinos represent illegal gambling and revenue theft," he said.

Opposition, however, was equally forceful. Several lawmakers who previously backed sports betting raised concerns about problem gambling, pointing to increased calls to helplines since Massachusetts launched wagering. The National Association Against iGaming warned of workforce losses and land-based casino cannibalization, citing declines in Pennsylvania following iCasino legalization. Problem gambling advocates stressed that only a small fraction of residents currently use responsible gaming tools, arguing expansion would outpace safeguards.

Time For Talk Will Soon Come To Floor Vote

The Massachusetts iGaming debate moves from the theoretical stage this year. The state now faces the same core question confronting lawmakers nationwide — regulate what already exists and capture revenue, or pump the brakes amid concerns over addiction, cannibalization, and long-term social costs.

About the Author

Bill Speros

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Bill Speros is an award-winning journalist and editor whose career includes stops at USA Today Sports Network / Golfweek, Cox Media, ESPN, Orlando Sentinel and Denver Post.