Online Casinos for players from Massachusetts in 2025

Introduction

Known as the Bay State, Massachusetts represents a unique state among the US states due to its culture and history, which land people started inhabiting around 12,000 years ago.

A nickname like this may refer to its many bays, or it may refer to the Massachusetts Bay Company, which colonized the area with a royal charter, but the name is derived from the Massachusetts tribe, and it means "near the hills," referring to the Blue Hills southwest of Boston.

Pilgrim settlers arrived at Cape Cod in 1620 on the Mayflower ship. A few days after Thanksgiving, the Pilgrims met with the Wampanoag tribe in Massachusetts, which still exists today.

Several Native American tribes, including the Wampanoag, Mohegan, and Mohican, lived on this land thousands of years later; however, there are no tribal casinos today.

Speaking of the casinos, we are here to examine the gaming laws in Massachusetts since there has always been controversy surrounding the gambling system in the United States.

State gaming laws control what is allowed and what is prohibited, with some making it more accessible while others enforcing stricter rules.

While the Massachusetts Gaming Commission regulates all other types of gambling in the state, it does not regulate lottery games - that is the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission's job.

A state lottery, three casinos, and daily fantasy sports betting are available in the Bay State. Furthermore, online casinos are not currently regulated or licensed, while legal sports betting has been in the picture since 2023.

Namely, Massachusetts is one of the latest US states to legalize online sports gambling. This occurs thanks to the legalization of daily fantasy sports in 2016, which acted as a critical step toward support for the legalization of sports betting and, hopefully, the legalization of online casinos!

Today, users cannot legally play online casino games in this US state.

The following sections will examine the history of gambling in Massachusetts, as well as give you a comprehensive report on the current regulations in the Bay State and its responsible gaming initiatives!

History of Gambling in Massachusetts

Gambling laws in Massachusetts date back to 1719, when they were introduced to ban the private lotteries that were very common in colonial times. However, 25 years later, the first public lottery was authorized but banned again in 1833.

It was not until 1971 that the state lottery became legal in Massachusetts.

Many years before that, however, in 1934, the state legalized pari-mutuel betting on horse and dog racing, but the Massachusetts Greyhound Protection Act from 2008 closed all racing tracks after banning dog racing.

However, 2011 represents probably the most significant moment in Massachusetts gambling history when the Expanded Gaming Act was signed, allowing commercial casinos to operate legally across the state!

The new law established legalized gaming by authorizing up to three resort casinos and one slot machine facility. The law created an independent entity, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, which is responsible for implementing and overseeing the gaming license process.

In 2015, Plainridge Park Casino opened its dedicated slots location after Penn National Gaming got the state’s first slots parlor license. The state got its first full-service casino, MGM Springfield, in 2018.

In 2016, Massachusetts legalized online gambling on DFS, while, at the beginning of 2023, online sports betting apps, following the in-person bets, became available!

This has proven to be big business, as the Massachusetts Gaming Commission reported collecting nearly $94 million in taxes from sports betting in just one year!

Current Gambling Regulations and Legal Gaming Options

As already mentioned above, the passing of the H5164 Bill, also known as the Massachusetts Sports Wagering Act, changed sports betting in the state, but it also strengthened the possibility of Massachusetts online casinos in the future.

Namely, online gambling is not permitted in Massachusetts, with the exception of horse racing, daily fantasy sports (DFS), and the Massachusetts lottery.

The legality of online poker in Massachusetts has yet to be established. Bay Staters may not see online poker options before online casinos debut because gambling providers and taxing authorities make lower profits.

Since online casinos aren't expected to launch in the state anytime soon, that may be some time down the road.

The legalization of online casino gaming could be possible if we consider that, according to a survey, there has been no increase in problem gambling following the introduction of casinos in 2015!

However, there are mixed opinions about the impact of casinos on Massachusetts adults, with almost equal numbers of people believing that they have been either beneficial or harmful.

Moreover, Bingo is incredibly popular across the state, with many venues offering the chance to play.

Nevertheless, land-based casino venues are allowed, offering relatively the same types of games players can find online – slot machines, table games like blackjack, roulette, baccarat, craps, and more!

The popular brick-and-mortar casinos include Encore Boston Harbor, MGM Springfield, and Plainridge Park Casino. The latter is a racino, meaning it offers both a casino and a race track.

Apart from gambling, these venues also offer shopping, live entertainment, and top-quality dining.

Moreover, social casinos, also known as sweepstakes, are also the exception.

Sweepstakes casinos

The situation regarding sweepstakes casinos or social casinos in Massachusetts can be a bit nuanced, especially compared to the state's stance on real-money online casinos. As mentioned above, real-money online casinos are not currently legal in Massachusetts. While the state has embraced online sports betting and retail casinos, online casino gaming (traditional slots, table games, etc., for real money) has not been legislated or regulated yet. Discussions about expanding online gambling laws are ongoing, but no concrete steps have been taken to legalize online real-money casinos. No legislation has yet been passed to ban sweepstakes casinos, but they have not been explicitly regulated either. 

Are Sweepstakes/Social Casinos Legal? 

Sweepstakes casinos, often called social casinos as well (even though, strictly speaking, social means playing purely for fun without any real value rewards) operate under a different legal framework by not requiring players to risk money directly for a chance to win cash prizes. These gaming platforms do not use traditional gambling mechanisms but instead rely on sweepstakes laws. The distinction lies in the dual currency system: one currency is for entertainment, and the other (Sweeps Coins) is for participating in the sweepstakes.

 The key features include:

• Players use gold coins (non-redeemable for cash) to play for fun.
• Sweeps Coins (obtained as gifts through gold coin purchases, giveaways, or other means) can be used to play and redeemed for real-value prizes like cash or gift cards.
• Because they operate under sweepstakes laws, they are not considered gambling in the legal sense.

Bottom Line

• Sweepstakes casinos operate legally in most U.S. states because they comply with federal and state sweepstakes laws rather than gambling laws.
• Their legal basis is the use of a free-entry option, making them not technically gambling since no purchase is necessary to win prizes.
• Massachusetts has no specific prohibition against sweepstakes casinos, which allows them to operate legally.

Social Casinos With and Without Sweepstakes

Some social casinos are purely for fun and entertainment, offering no chance to win real-value prizes. These platforms are universally legal because no monetary value is exchanged.

The term "social casino" can be confusing as it often overlaps with sweepstakes casinos. Look for platforms that explicitly mention "redeemable Sweeps Coins" or “Sweeps Rules” to identify those offering real-value prizes.

Be wary of offshore real-money casinos that claim to accept Massachusetts players. These platforms are not regulated under U.S. or Massachusetts law, posing risks to your personal data and funds.

As long as you're using a sweepstakes or social casino compliant with sweepstakes laws where no real-money gambling/betting in games is involved, you’re technically operating within the bounds of Massachusetts law. Be mindful, however, that any existing laws may be open to interpretation. 

How Do Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins Work? 

The way gold coins and sweeps coins work can indeed be confusing at first, but the system is designed to comply with sweepstakes laws and not traditional gambling regulations.

Gold Coins

• Gold coins (GC) are virtual currencies used for playing games in sweepstakes or social casinos. They cannot be redeemed for real money and are purely for fun.
• Players can purchase gold coins to play games, just like spending money on a mobile game for entertainment purposes.
• Key point is that gold coins have no real monetary value and cannot be cashed out.

Sweeps Coins

• Sweeps Coins (SC) are a promotional currency that is often awarded as a bonus with gold coin purchases or via free methods (social media giveaways, bonus packages, missions, quests, tasks).
• Unlike gold coins, sweeps coins can be redeemed for real prizes, including cash. This is where the legal difference comes into play.

How GC and SC Work Together

1. Buying Gold Coins:
   • When you buy gold coins, you may receive sweeps coins for free as a promotional bonus.
   • For example, purchasing $10 worth of gold coins might give you 10 sweeps coins as an incentive.
2. Using Gold Coins:
   • You can use your gold coins to play games for entertainment. These games are not for real money and are just for fun.
3. Using Sweeps Coins:
   • Sweeps coins can also be used to play games, but unlike gold coins, any winnings you earn with sweeps coins can be redeemed for real-world prizes, including cash.
4. Redeeming Winnings:
   • If you win using sweeps coins, you can request a payout in cash (or other prizes), often through methods like bank transfer, cryptocurrency, or gift cards.

Why Isn’t This Real Money Gambling?

The system avoids being classified as gambling because no purchase is necessary to obtain Sweeps Coins. Players can acquire sweeps coins for free without ever spending money.

Sweeps coins are a bonus, NOT the main product - the purchase is for gold coins, which are used for entertainment. Sweeps coins are provided as a bonus, making the transaction legally distinct from gambling. 
 

Lastly, be aware that the legal Massachusetts gambling age varies by type of gambling, so if you want to buy a lottery ticket, you can buy it at 18, but if you want to play other kinds of gambling, you must be at least 21.

Depositing and Withdrawing when in MA

Please see below for a table of the withdrawal/deposit and banking term rankings. Click on the casino name for a detailed look at the withdrawal and deposit score of each casino and how we determined each. More information about deposit and withdrawal terms for US players can be found here.

Written by: Michael Shackleford