Massachusetts Casinos

Massachusetts is home to three retail casinos: MGM Springfield in Springfield, Encore Boston Harbor in Everett, and Plainridge Park Casino in Plainville. These facilities are great if you’re looking for in-person gambling options in the Commonwealth.

Unfortunately, Massachusetts online casinos are not legal at this time. Meanwhile, nearby states including Connecticut, Delaware, and New Jersey, do have online casinos. So, when might Massachusetts join its neighbors in allowing real-money online casinos? It’s hard to know for sure.

However, the good news is that Massachusetts sports betting has launched! Bets can now be placed at all three retail casinos in the state, as well as with legal MA online sports betting apps. With that development, it’s logical to think that online gambling on casino games could be legalized sometime in the future.

If you have questions about MA online casinos and retail casinos, including what options are available, we have answers.

Sports betting at Massachusetts casinos

MA retail sports betting began earlier this year on Jan. 31. You can now bet in person at three Massachusetts casinos: MGM Springfield, Encore Boston Harbor, and Plainridge Park Casino.

Under the MA sports betting law, retail casinos can partner with up to two online sports betting operators. As of now, casino sports betting partners include:

• Encore Boston Harbor: WynnBET MA and Caesars MA Sportsbook
• MGM Springfield: BetMGM Sportsbook
• Plainridge Park Casino: Barstool Sportsbook MA and Fanatics Sportsbook MA.

Bay State gamblers can now place various bets on professional and college sports. There are seemingly endless wager options, ranging from the popular moneyline, spread and total (over/under) bets, to more niche categories like player props and parlays.

It is worth noting that the state’s sports betting law excludes wagers for Massachusetts colleges, unless a team is playing in a tournament of four or more teams, such as March Madness.

Following the launch of retail betting, MA mobile betting apps launched on March 10. In addition to in-person betting, all three retail casinos have been granted online betting licenses and offer mobile betting at their facilities.

Are online casinos legal in Massachusetts?

Unfortunately, online casinos in Massachusetts are not legal at this time. Anything like BetMGM Casino, DraftKings Casino, WynnBET Casino — none of those real-money online sites are permitted in Massachusetts. Any sites advertising themselves as real-money online casinos in Massachusetts are illegal offshore sites, which we strongly advise against using.

However, there is a fully legal and regulated option to play Massachusetts online casino-style games for a chance at real money.

Promotional social casinos have players play with fake digital currency that can be redeemed for cash prizes. But because the digital currency, itself, has no real-world value, these sites are 100% legal in Massachusetts and 47 other US states.

One of the most prominent promotional social casinos is Chumba Casino, which offers more than 100 games, including slots, blackjack, roulette, and more.

In addition, the recent launch of online sports betting in Massachusetts could generate more interest in legalizing online casinos in MA. But for now, that remains to be seen.

When will Massachusetts allow real money online casinos?

It is hard to say when Massachusetts will allow real money online casinos. However, now that Massachusetts online sports betting is legal, industry experts believe that could open the door for legal real money Massachusetts online casinos to launch in the future.

Many of the mobile sportsbooks that have launched in Massachusetts, including DraftKings, FanDuel, WynnBET, BetMGM, and Caesars, also offer online casinos. So, since those platforms are already licensed to offer sports betting in MA, logic says it wouldn’t be too difficult to add online casino licenses in the future.

But for now, it is not for certain.

Potential Massachusetts online casinos

Although we have nothing definite about a timeline for online casinos in Massachusetts, we do have a fairly good idea about which companies are the odds-on favorites to launch in the state if it becomes legal to do so. What we don’t know is how many online gambling sites MA will allow.

However, these four platforms have proven interests and links to Massachusetts and would likely be at the top of regulators’ lists for preferred online casino vendors.

DraftKings Casino

DraftKings was founded in Boston and continues to operate out of its headquarters in Back Bay. The company provides Massachusetts daily fantasy sports (DFS) contests to people in the state on a daily basis and has become one of the best-known gambling companies in the country in the last few years due to its sports betting presence. Its sportsbook app launched in MA on March 10.

DraftKings Massachusetts also offers a sort of two-for-one deal with its online casino offerings due to its acquisition of Golden Nugget Online Gaming, a powerhouse in New Jersey with experience and a slew of games to boot.

BetMGM Casino

MGM Resorts maintains a physical casino in Massachusetts as the owner and operator of the MGM Springfield. It seems likely, then, that a legal online casino market in Massachusetts would include BetMGM. The most striking thing about BetMGM is the sheer volume of online games that it offers.

There are hundreds of slot titles of all kinds, including standard reel games, video slots and progressives like Divine Fortune and Cleopatra. BetMGM Casino has dozens of table games, including several variants of blackjack and roulette. There is an entire roster of video poker options, along with variety games like Slingo and virtual sports games to play.

There is also a retail BetMGM Sportsbook at MGM Springfield, and the BetMGM Massachusetts app went live on March 10.

WynnBET Casino

WynnBET is the online gambling wing of the Wynn chain of casinos, which includes both Wynn and Encore casinos. As such, Wynn already has a footprint in Massachusetts through the Encore Boston Harbor in Everett. Obviously, the owners of one of the state’s casinos would want to extend that business into the online sphere.

WynnBET’s online casino site is an example of quality over quantity. It doesn’t offer an overwhelming number of games, but each one is beautifully rendered. The site has more than a dozen variants of blackjack and roulette.

In addition, there are several other games, like Ultimate Texas Hold’em, Let It Ride and Mississippi Stud. WynnBET is also home to more than a half-dozen video poker games.

FanDuel Casino

FanDuel is a familiar name to many in Massachusetts due to its daily fantasy sports contests. FanDuel has expanded its business dramatically into sports betting and online casinos in the past few years, and a populous state near FanDuel’s own headquarters (in New York City) is likely near the top of its priority list. The FanDuel Massachusetts sports betting app launched on March 10.

FanDuel Casino is another quality-over-quantity site in terms of the number of games you can find. Instead of an overwhelming onslaught of games, there are sleek versions of popular titles like Divine Fortune, Joe Exotic and Triple Da Vinci Diamonds. FanDuel even has plenty of options for Slingo fans.

Types of online casinos

Across the US, there are three types of online casinos. It’s good to familiarize yourself with the different kinds, so you know what’s legal, what’s smart, and what’s available.

Legal and licensed

Currently, there are no legal and licensed Massachusetts online casinos. We’re talking about real-money casino sites like all the ones mentioned above. Legal and licensed online casinos work basically the same exact way as retail casinos — just via an online platform. If (or more realistically, when) online casinos are legal in Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission would very likely be the regulatory body providing oversight.

Offshore

We strongly recommend against using offshore sites. Yes, they are technically not legal or illegal. But they are 100% unregulated, and that’s what should scare you off. That means there’s no organization like the MGC making sure offshore casinos treat their customers ethically. These offshore sites also often lack high-quality digital security, which leaves your financial and personal information vulnerable to cybercriminals. It might be hard to wait for regulated real-money online casinos, but we encourage you to do so.

Promotional social casinos

Promotional social casino sites are fully legal in Massachusetts and everywhere across the US, except Washington and Idaho. You can redeem your winnings for cash prizes on these sites. But how is it legal? Well, promotional social casinos like Chumba Casino, Funzpoints, and LuckyLand Slots have players use fake digital currency, most often called Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins. Once a player accumulates enough Sweeps Coins, they can redeem them for cash prizes.

This promotional social model is legal in Massachusetts because the currency used in the games has no real-world value. Although you can exchange Sweeps Coins for cash prizes, you can’t use Sweeps Coins to buy groceries.

The best part? Social casinos are regulated. The Malta Gaming Authority oversees all promotional social sites and makes sure customers are treated fairly and given their winnings in a timely manner.

Retail Massachusetts casinos

While online gambling has gained popularity over the last few years, there are still plenty of people out there who want to gamble in person. Thankfully, there are a few options for those folks inside Massachusetts state lines.

In fact, the Expanded Gaming Act of 2011, the law that enabled the placement of casinos in the Bay State, ensured that the casinos would be at least somewhat spread out. The law allowed for each of three regions of Massachusetts to be home to a resort casino. Roughly speaking, the three sections are the western, eastern (including Boston), and southeastern portions of the state.

The parameters of the regions are as follows:

• Region A: Suffolk, Middlesex, Essex, Norfolk, and Worcester counties
• Region B: Hampshire, Hampden, Franklin, and Berkshire counties
• Region C: Bristol, Plymouth, Nantucket, Dukes, and Barnstable counties

The only source of confusion might be the fact that Region A is to the east of Region B. Region C is where you might imagine. So far, casino resorts have opened in Regions A and B. However, Region C does not have a casino, but we’ll discuss the reasons why in just a bit. Here are the details for the two casinos in Massachusetts.

Encore Boston Harbor — Region A

Encore Boston Harbor is the newer of the two locations. It sits on the Mystic River in Everett, almost due north of downtown Boston, and opened for business in June 2019. The Encore features 200,000 square feet of gambling space, with more than 2,700 slot machines, 188 table games, and a poker room.

Encore Boston Harbor generated $61.9 million in gross gaming revenue in January and $15.5 million in taxes. Since June 2019, Encore has produced $2.1 billion in gross gaming revenue and $517.9 million in taxes. The property itself is 33 sprawling acres and features a full-service hotel, spa, salon, and more than a dozen places to eat or get a drink. Encore Boston Harbor also maintains a 6-acre park called Harborwalk, which features walking paths along the river, tremendous views, and connections to other nearby bike and walking trails.

In terms of sports betting, the facility has partnered with WynnBET.

MGM Springfield — Region B

MGM Springfield was the first full-service casino to open its doors in Massachusetts. The outpost of MGM Resorts in the Bay State cut the ribbon in August 2018 in Springfield itself. The site is on the north side of I-91 and just a minute or two away from the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

The property features more than 2,600 slots, 180 table games, and a poker room with roughly a dozen tables.

MGM Springfield produced $22.9 million in gross gaming revenue in January and $5.7 million in taxes. Since August 2018, MGM Springfield has generated $1 billion in gross gaming revenue and $225.3 million in taxes. MGM Springfield also offers some distinct amenities. Along with a hotel, there is a Top Golf, a bowling alley, a movie theater, and an ice rink on site.

In terms of sports betting, MGM Springfield features a BetMGM Sportsbook.

Other gambling locations in Massachusetts

Along with legalizing three resort casinos, the Expanded Gaming Act also permitted a single slots-only casino. This means that a third property in Massachusetts touts itself as a casino, but it’s more accurate to call it a “racino” due to the activities that it offers.

Plainridge Park Casino

Plainridge Park Casino is the slots-only venue in Plainville. The location is in the southeastern portion of the state, making it significantly closer to Providence, Rhode Island, than it is to Boston. Onsite, there are more than 1,200 slots available for play, plus a selection of video poker, video blackjack, and other electronic table games.

Plainridge Park Casino generated $12.2 million in gross gaming revenue in January and $6 million in taxes. Since June 2015, Plainridge Park has produced $1.1 billion in gross gaming revenue and $543.1 million in taxes. Plainridge Park is also the only location in Massachusetts with live racing of any kind. Harness races occur between April and November each year, and the venue hosts pari-mutuel wagering on the races.

The facility is owned by PENN Entertainment, and now features sports betting through Barstool Sportsbook.

Off-track horse betting venues

Plainridge Park is also one of only three off-track horse betting locations in Massachusetts. The other two are former greyhound tracks that ceased their live racing operations in recent years. However, they have remained open in order to provide simulcasting for patrons, which they do year-round. You can visit one of these locations to bet the ponies:

• Raynham Park — Raynham
• Suffolk Downs — East Boston

In addition, it would not be surprising to see both Raynham Park and Suffolk Downs offer sports betting in the near future.

Potential casinos in Massachusetts

First Light Casino

The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe has been attempting to construct a resort-style casino on tribal lands near Taunton for several years. The project, dubbed the First Light Resort and Casino, has been aiming for a 150,000-square-foot casino with 3,000 slots, 150 table games, and a poker room.

In other words, the property would be of similar size and scale to the other two resort casinos in the state. The chosen site for the project, which is near the intersection of Routes 24 and 140, would place a major casino about 40 miles south of Boston and less than 20 miles east of Providence.

However, this casino project has been mired in a legal battle for years.

The most recent update is a victory in US District Court for the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe on Feb. 10, when a judge ruled the federal government was correct in moving the 68.8 acres of land (that would be used for the First Light Resort and Casino) into the tribe’s reservation trust back in 2015. The placement of lands into trust is critical for assuring tribal sovereignty and paving the way for many tribal functions, including the construction of gambling facilities onsite.

The Mashpee tribe began building the First Light in 2015, but it was stymied by a 2016 court ruling that found the land placement occurred improperly. The DOI attempted to appeal the ruling, but eventually gave up the fight in 2018 and conceded that the Mashpee land remained out of federal trust.

The tribe did not yield to the decision. It continued to lobby and argue that its reservation lands deserved the same credit and consideration as those of any other federally recognized tribe. After three years, the tribe ultimately prevailed in court.

Still, even two years after that victory, the Mashpee tribe is battling opposition — headed by Michelle Littlefield and a coalition of people who don’t want a casino in Taunton, Massachusetts. Littlefield will likely appeal the Feb. 10 decision.

The other issue at play is the economic viability of a fourth casino in Massachusetts.

Whether the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe gets underway with the First Light — the most likely scenario — or some other company, like Caesars or Rush Street Interactive, does manage to open a location in Region C, there is concern that the region won’t generate enough income to support the operation.

Critics point to the lower-than-expected revenues at the other facilities as evidence that the market is saturated. However, the selected location for the First Light does open the possibility of substantial overflow coming from Rhode Island.

While Rhode Islanders do have two full-service casinos nearby — including Bally’s Lincoln, which is comparable in size to the MA casinos — the novelty of a new casino property and its particular quirks could conceivably gain the loyalty of Ocean State residents.

At this point, there is no set timeframe for a fourth full-service casino to debut in Massachusetts. If Littlefield’s appeals continue, the DOI policy could change again depending on who’s elected president in 2024.

The other proposed gambling facility

There are two federally recognized tribes that call southeastern Massachusetts home. The other tribe, the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah), has chosen not to pursue a compact with the state of Massachusetts for Class III gambling on tribal lands. Instead, the tribe has sought only to build an electronic bingo parlor on a vacant piece of tribe-owned land near Aquinnah.

In an echo of the situation with the Mashpee Wampanoag, the tribe’s plans have met with numerous legal challenges and roadblocks. However, the surprising aspect is the source of the pushback: the town of Aquinnah itself. Although a Class II facility and bingo seem harmless enough, it’s important to understand that the machines the tribe is proposing to use are more like slot machines than video versions of standard bingo. Thus, town officials have steadfastly opposed the construction of a new gambling venue nearby over fears about increased traffic and crime.

For a time, they found success in arguing that a 1987 land deal negated the ability of the tribe to build the bingo hall. However, the Wampanoags secured a definitive court victory about their right to build the facility in 2017, thus clearing the way for construction to begin.

Unfortunately, there was a catch to the court’s ruling. Though the tribe is clear to proceed with construction from a legal point of view, it must still secure the appropriate zoning clearances and other regulatory licensing — and the town is in charge of those documents. So, unless tribal leaders and officials in Aquinnah can come to some sort of arrangement, the Wampanoag Tribe cannot expand Massachusetts’ gambling profile.

Types of casino-style games in Massachusetts

With three casinos in action in the Bay State, there are many types of games available to people in Massachusetts. The variety means that almost every person who likes to place a wager in the area should be able to find their game(s) of choice.

Should MA online casinos ever become legal, the land-based versions of these games will most likely be available on the real money gambling site. Promotional social casinos usually have similar but not exactly the same games that are equally fun to play. Here are some short descriptions of games you’ll find at Massachusetts casinos:

Slots

Slot machines are a ubiquitous sight at Massachusetts casinos. Both full-service casinos and the lone racino in the state are home to more than 1,000 machines, and the two larger properties have nearly 3,000 each. Slots are popular with casinos because of their near-guaranteed returns and with players because of their chance of a big win.

Types of slots in Massachusetts include the classic reel games (both three and five) and the more modern video slots. Some slots are even linked with one another and feature a progressive jackpot that can put life-changing money into the player’s pocket.

In addition to the traditional slot games, there are other electronic gambling machines available throughout Massachusetts. These machines include selections for video poker, video blackjack, video roulette and other electronic forms of common table games. Video poker, although often lumped together with slot machines, is distinct from reel games due to its elements of choice. Electronic table games are popular because they feature faster gameplay than their live counterparts and usually come with a lower minimum bet.

Blackjack

Blackjack is likely the most popular casino table game in the US and is certainly the most common. The game’s core mechanics are quite simple, and it offers one of the lowest house edges in all of gambling. To be perfectly frank, it is not a game that requires players to be completely sober in order to be successful.

Blackjack players in Massachusetts can find a wide selection of tables available at either of the two casino locations. In addition, there are options for blackjack variants — notably, players can try Spanish 21, which removes the tens from the decks and comes with several side bet options.

Other table games

In addition to blackjack, other popular table games at Massachusetts casinos include the following:

• Craps: This dice game continues to be a popular choice for table game players, and it is most likely the source of any eruptions of cheering inside a casino. There are myriad bets available for craps, but the core game mechanic boils down to predicting whether the two dice will add up to seven — the most common outcome — or something else.
• Roulette: This third member of the table game triumvirate (with blackjack and craps) appears in casinos around the world, including in Massachusetts. Roulette dealers spin a small ball around a bowl-shaped wheel with 38 slots — numbers 1 through 36, a single zero and a double zero — and players bet to predict into which slot the ball will come to rest. It is possible to find a few variants of the game, including European roulette, which plays identically to the American version but removes one of the zeroes.
• Baccarat: Baccarat is similar to blackjack in that it involves drawing cards to add up to a particular number. However, in baccarat, all tens and face cards equal zero, all number cards are their exact value, and the goal is to get as close to nine as possible. The two sides of a baccarat game, dubbed the player and the banker, each come with their own unique qualities, and a baccarat player can back either side during a hand.
• Three card poker: This game pits the player against the dealer in a contest to assemble the strongest three-card hand. Players make an ante bet, then decide if they want to fold and surrender their ante or place a double-value “play” bet to compete with the dealer. The dealer’s hand must contain a queen or higher in order to qualify — otherwise, the play bet goes back to the player and the ante is paid 1:1. However, higher-value hands for the player against a qualified dealer hand are worth payouts that are many multiples above 1:1, so it is possible to win big with this game in a short period of time.
• Four card poker: Four card poker is similar to three card poker in that you are once again trying to beat the dealer’s hand with your own. However, in this game, the goal is to make the best four-card hand, and while the player receives five cards in order to do so, the dealer receives six. In addition to the ante and play bets, this game also has a side bet called aces up, which offers extra payouts for four-card hands that contain a pair of aces or better.
• Let it ride: In Let it ride, players are actually working in cooperation with the dealer, so to speak. The goal of the game is to make a five-card hand with a pair of jacks or better. You place three equal bets on the felt and receive three cards, while the dealer receives two cards facedown. If your hand contains a pair of jacks or better or, in some cases, you simply wish to gamble, you can elect to close the action and “let it ride.” The dealer then reveals the other two cards and pays you based on the strength of the hand. However, if you wish, you can withdraw one of the wagers and see one of the dealer’s two facedown cards. If there is still no improvement, you can pull back another bet and, based on the fifth card, win or lose the lone remaining bet.
• Big 6: Big 6 is more commonly known for its distinctive vertical wheel, which is slotted and contains representations of various dollar amounts. Players wager on the dollar amounts and win or lose based on whether the wheel comes to rest on their chosen denomination. The game is often called (somewhat cheekily) the original wheel of fortune, but in reality, fortune usually only smiles on the casino in this game.
• Ultimate Texas hold’em: This is the most deceptively named table game in all of gambling due to its conflation with the poker game of the same name. However, in practice, this game has much more in common with three card poker, four card poker, and let it ride than its namesake. Players must post an initial ante bet and blind bet, then check or raise as their hands dictate. Gameplay goes all the way to the river on each hand, and the dealer’s hand is revealed at the end of the action.

Poker

Poker is the odd bird of casino gambling. It is often tucked away in remote corners of the casino and is a steadfastly nonsmoking area, even if the rest of the property allows players to smoke like chimneys. However, poker players are a dedicated bunch, and there is no shortage of options for them in Massachusetts. Both MGM Springfield and Encore Boston Harbor have poker rooms, and each one features more than a dozen tables for play.

The most common game in a poker room is No Limit Texas Hold’em. You may also find other games, like Pot Limit Omaha or seven-card stud, but if you’re looking for one of those options, call ahead to see if it’s available. Both casinos offer cash games and tournaments, but it is best to get more information if you want to try your hand at a tournament. It is also common to find bad beat jackpots in these rooms, where a lucky hand of poker can be worth thousands of extra dollars to an entire table.

Keno

Keno is a casual casino game that is, in fact, available via the Massachusetts Lottery. It functions in much the same manner as a lottery draw game, with players selecting numbers from a grid and trying to match as many numbers as possible during preset drawings throughout the day. These games often are available in restaurants as a sort of diversion while players eat. Fittingly, one of the primary locations to play keno in Massachusetts is at MGM Springfield’s TAP Sports Bar.

Resources

If you still have questions or want more information regarding Massachusetts casinos, there are plenty of additional resources out there to look at. Below are some of the most informative sites regarding casinos in Massachusetts, both online and retail.

• Encore Boston Harbor
• MGM Springfield
• Plainridge Park Casino
• Massachusetts Gaming Commission
• Massachusetts Lottery
• Massachusetts Legislature
• Massachusetts Problem Gambling

Massachusetts Casinos FAQs

How old do I need to be to gamble at Massachusetts casinos?