Massachusetts Lawmakers Push for Online Casino Bills in 2025

Lawmakers from the Bay State are pushing to make Massachusetts the latest U.S. state to legalize online casino real money operations within its territory. Massachusetts Representative Daniel Cahill filed HD 4084 and Massachusetts Sen. Paul R. Feeney submitted SD 2240. Both concern the regulation of online casino games in the commonwealth.

Both HD 4084 and SD 2240 are collectively known as the “Massachusetts Internet Gaming Act,” and have corresponding plans for the state’s casinos to hold Category 1 licenses. This allows the state to partner with online operators without the need for shared branding.

Moreover, up to four other companies could obtain licenses to run online casino platforms independently. These Category 2 licenses would allow non-casino companies to enter the market without a physical presence in the state.

What Would the Massachusetts Internet Gaming Act Entail?

The bills propose a 20% tax rate on online casino operations. This would require license holders to pay $5 million for an initial five-year term, with subsequent renewals costing the same amount. Such a ruling aligns Massachusetts with the trend of expanding legal gambling options.

Furthermore, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) will oversee the licensing and regulation of all online gaming activities. It can also forge partnerships with other states or countries to collaborate on internet gaming, similar to the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA).

To date, the MSIGA has already linked five U.S. states for online poker which include Nevada, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, and West Virginia. Meanwhile, Pennsylvania is on the cusp of being the latest state that will be added to the list to add to its distinction of being one of the best online casinos in the U.S.

A key provision included in the proposed bills is Massachusetts’ potential involvement in MSIGA. By entering this shared player network, Massachusetts could enhance its online poker options by connecting with other member states. 

This partnership could also potentially boost the number of players, making online casino games more appealing with larger prize pools and quicker gameplay.

What are the Potential Issues the Massachusetts Internet Gaming Act can Face?

Rep. David K. Muradian Jr. stated that looking into online gaming is a smart move for the state, especially since online sports betting is doing well and gambling is bringing in a lot of money for other states. This prospect has piqued the interest of local legislators who feel that the state can utilize the potential revenue online casinos will bring to the state.

However, other lawmakers do not share the same optimism. Representative Muradian Jr. noted how bills pertaining to gambling notoriously take long to be ratified, 

“Realistically, the process to pass iGaming could take a few years,” Muradian added.

For context, legislation to create licenses for brick-and-mortar casino gaming first surfaced in 2008 but wasn’t finalized until 2011. Meanwhile, sports betting bills were filed in 2019 but none of them made it to the finish line until 2022. Similarly, the expansion of lottery ticket sales to include online transactions in Massachusetts also took multiple years to complete.

The structure of the online casino bills follows the successful model used for online sports betting, which Massachusetts legalized in 2022 and has since experienced significant revenue growth.

Moreover, Muradian has a pending bill (HD 2393)  which concerns gambling that is currently in the draft stage. In August, Muradian said he would produce a proposal to regulate online casinos in Massachusetts.

Muradian also commented that he would reach out to the sponsor of separate bills to collaborate. However, neither Cahill, Feeney, or Muradian have responded to requests about collaboration between their offices on the issue of iGaming as of this writing.

In the event that the Massachusetts Internet Gaming Act’s bills get passed, the Bay State would be the latest territory in the U.S. to have legalized online casinos.