Massachusetts Lawmakers Mulling Over iGaming Bills

• The Massachusetts Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure today heard testimony on counterpart Senate and House iGaming bills
• Both H332 and S235 are attempting to legalize Massachusetts iGaming
• The bills had their first hearings today in committee

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The legalization of Massachusetts iGaming will either be a boon for commonwealth casinos or their death knell, depending on who you ask.

The Massachusetts Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure today heard testimony on behalf, and against, two counterpart bills to legalize iGaming in the commonwealth.

Sen. Paul R. Feeney’s (D-Bristol and Norfolk) bill, S235, and Rep. Daniel Cahill’s (D-10th Essex) bill, H332, both seek to license and legalize iGaming for casinos and gaming operators in Massachusetts.

Massachusetts iGaming Legislation Details

The identical bills, if legalized, will allow the Massachusetts Gaming Commission to regulate and license iGaming activity in the Bay State. The legislation allows each of the state’s three brick-and-mortar casinos to hold iGaming licenses and partner with up to two operators to run their iGaming platforms.

Additionally, the MGC can award up to four untethered iGaming licenses to operators.

The iGaming licenses will be valid for five years and will carry an annual licensing fee of $1,000,000. The legislation also carries a 20% iGaming tax on gross gaming revenues for operators.

If legalized, the bill will allow the following types of online casino games:

“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.”

No votes were taken on the bills during today’s hearing.

Will iGaming Support Casinos?

As is the case for every iGaming hearing, opinions varied on the potential of legalized iGaming and its effect on brick-and-mortar casinos.

David Prestwood, Government Affairs Manager for DraftKings, testified to the committee that Massachusetts can expect to see annual revenues of $230 million to $275 million based on a 20% iGaming tax rate within the first few years of launch.

But will legalized iGaming effect the bottom lines of Massachusetts brick-and-mortar casinos? A Sports Betting Alliance representative speaking on behalf of its members – DraftKings, FanDuel, Fanatics, bet365, and BetMGM – said there is no evidence to support iGaming cannibalizing revenues from casinos.

Legalized iGaming has been shown to boost local land-based casino revenues and job growth by at least a 2% rate in legalized states, he said. This is why BetMGM supports iGaming in Massachusetts, he said, and has a large brick-and-mortar casino presence in the state.

“Creating a regulated, legal iGaming market is the proverbial rising tide, lifting all ships,” the representative noted.

However, several testifiers did not share a similar rosy outlook for state casinos if iGaming becomes a reality.

Or Will iGaming Cannibalize Casinos?

If iGaming is legalized in the commonwealth, by all estimates 862 casino gaming jobs and 2,786 support jobs will be at risk, Jamie McNiel, representative for Local 26, told the committee. Local 26 represents more than 12,000 hospitality workers in the commonwealth.

Look at New Jersey, he said, which legalized iGaming in 2019. While it is true that revenues increased, casino jobs have plummeted in the Garden State, McNiel said. A 2025 Innovation Group study showed that states with legalized iGaming showed a 4% decline in brick-and-mortar workforce, while states without legalized iGaming had a 12% increase in their casino workforces.

“In Atlantic City, while iGaming revenue grew 395% from 2019 to 2024, total employment fell 17%, a loss of over 5,000 jobs,” McNiel said.

Mark Stewart, representing the National Association Against iGaming, said Massachusetts could expect to see reduced casino revenues from 16% to 30% if iGaming is legalized.

“Their (legalized iGaming states) experience is a cautionary tale, not a roadmap,” he said.