Sports betting has become a reality in Massachusetts with the first legal bets being placed in early 2023 at three retail casino sportsbooks. Online sportsbooks are expected to go live by the middle of March in time for March Madness.
Massachusetts visitors and residents already enjoyed the ability to play in casinos, buy lottery tickets and use OTB locations to bet on horse racing.
However, sports betting was not an option until Governor Charlie Baker signed the Massachusetts Sports Wagering Act into law in August 2022.
It ended a long process for the state with sports betting bills passing one of the two legislative chambers on multiple occasions without reaching the governor’s desk.
In 2011, then-Governor Deval Patrick signed the Expanded Gaming Act which authorized three casino resorts and one stand-alone slots-facility. However, in the wake of sports betting being legalized nationwide, Massachusetts struggled to find the right terms to bring the option to the state.
Massachusttes sports betting falls under the jurisdiction of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC).