Could Massachusetts iLottery Slow Online Casino Legalization?

With Massachusetts launching iLottery in the Commonwealth, online casinos may have to wait a bit longer. 

The state treasurer and chair of the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission, Deb Goldberg, has opposed gaming beyond the lottery, and now, there's an online component to the lottery that, per capita in the United States, performs the best. 

“The launch of our online platform marks an exciting new chapter for the Lottery as we continue to evolve and meet the needs of today’s players,” Goldberg said in the release. “Online lottery will allow us to compete on a more level playing field in the state’s gaming marketplace and sales will help make childcare more affordable for families across Massachusetts.”

The lottery in Massachusetts funds grant programs for early childhood education and care, and now the online casino market will have a slightly steeper hill to climb. 

Massachusetts iLottery Expands Digital Gaming

With this iLottery, there will be games on Aristocrat platforms that resemble slots a bit. 

The eInstant Games are defined as "digital games featuring cascading or tumbling symbols that result in instant winning experiences when a cluster of symbols match. Other play styles include key number match and find the symbol." The stakes for these games can range from $0.50 to $50, and there will be a new game every two weeks. There will be other games, such as virtual horse racing, later this year, too. 

Goldberg has often expressed a desire to protect the lottery, including thinking the lottery should launch its own DFS platform when there were issues with it back in 2015. 

Online Casino Bills Remain in Limbo

In June 2025, bills were introduced by Sen. Paul R. Feeney (D-Bristol and Norfolk) and Rep. Daniel Cahill (D-10th Essex) that would allow the three Massachusetts casinos to partner with two operators. 

Then, in March 2026, the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies voted to send another bill, H. 4431, from Rep. David Muradian (R-Worcester), to study, meaning the bill would be reviewed during the recess period. Muradian said he planned to resubmit the bill during the 2027-28 session. 

We'll see how the iLottery impacts the online casino market, if at all. 

In all, eight states have legalized online casinos: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island. These states are all near Massachusetts.