Positive impacts of legalization
The two bills under consideration are Senate Bill 235, proposed by Sen. Paul R. Feeney (D-Bristol and Norfolk), and House Bill 332, proposed by Rep. Daniel Cahill (D-10th Essex). Both would enable the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) to vet, license, and regulate online casino operators.
According to the bills, all three Massachusetts casinos—Encore Boston Harbor, MGM Springfield, and Plainridge Park Casino—would be allowed to partner with up to two iGaming partners. The MGC would also be allowed to license four untethered operators.
“Authorized games include but are not limited to poker, blackjack, craps, roulette, cards, slots, and any other games or those substantially equivalent typically offered at a casino, and any other game approved by the Commission,” the Senate Bill reads.
DraftKings Government Affairs Manager David Prestwood testified in front of the committee and said that, assuming a 20 percent tax rate, the state could receive an extra $230-275 million in the first few years of operations.
A representative of the Sports Betting Alliance, which includes members bet365, BetMGM, DraftKings, Fanatics, and FanDuel, also said that fears of online casinos eating at retail casinos’ bottom line are unfounded.
“Creating a regulated, legal iGaming market is the proverbial rising tide, lifting all ships,” the representative said.
Critics still remain
Despite the praise for a legal iGaming market, there are still those who are not convinced.
Jaimie McNiel, a representative for the Local 26 union, told the committee that estimates suggested that there could be losses of 862 casino jobs and 2,786 support jobs. He referenced a 2025 Innovation Group study, which found that states with legal online casinos lessened their retail casinos by four percent, while states without them increased their retail staff by 12 percent.
“In Atlantic City, [New Jersey], while iGaming revenue grew 395% from 2019 to 2024, total employment fell 17%, a loss of over 5,000 jobs,” McNiel said.
A National Association Against iGaming representative, Mark Stewart, also told officials that iGaming could lead to a 16-30 percent reduction in retail casino revenue.
Massachusetts has been willing to embrace gambling in recent years. It legalized casinos in 2011 and sports betting in 2022, and it ranked 14th in total casino revenue by state in 2024, per Statista.
Both bills must be approved in their respective houses and must receive a signature of approval from Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey (D) before they can become law.
