Massachusetts bettors have a new online sports betting option now that Bally Bet is officially live.
Commissioners voted unanimously to approve Bally Bet’s Operations Certificate for Launch at the Massachusetts Gaming Commission’s July 1 meeting. Following approval, Bally Bet launched its Massachusetts sportsbook on July 2 at approximately 11 a.m.
Bally Bet Sportsbook Launches July 2 In Massachusetts
Bally Bet brings the total number of Massachusetts online sports betting operators to seven, joining these six sportsbooks in the Bay State:
- BetMGM
- Caesars
- DraftKings
- ESPN Bet
- Fanatics
- FanDuel
Bally’s Chief Operating Officer Brett Calapp thanked the commission for its approval during Monday’s MGC meeting, saying:
“On behalf of the entire Bally’s team, I want to say thank you. We’re super excited to go live in Massachusetts, a state with such a rich sports history, a state where sports is part of the fabric of the community. We can’t wait to participate in the entertainment, the fun and excitement of sports in your state.”
Massachusetts Bally Bet launch more than a year in the making
In January of 2023, Bally Bet was one of the first sportsbooks approved to receive a Category 3 sports betting operations license in Massachusetts (for online sportsbooks not tethered to an existing MA casino). But a series of delays pushed back Bally Bet’s launch. Online sports betting in the Commonwealth began in March of 2023.
Massachusetts will be the eighth state in which Bally Bet’s online sportsbook has launched. Bally Bet went live in Colorado, Iowa, Virginia and Indiana in 2021, then in Arizona and New York in 2022.
The Ohio launch of Bally Bet in 2023 was delayed several months by a product revamp as the sportsbook shut down U.S. operations to switch over to Kambi’s wagering platform.
Bally Bet launched in Ohio in September of 2023, but the Massachusetts launch was delayed further. Bally’s Interactive indicated it was first focussing on launching its online casino in neighboring Rhode Island. Bally officially launched its iGaming product, Bally Casino, in the Ocean State in March.
Extended launch timeline frustrated MGC commissioners
This spring, MGC commissioners expressed frustration with the uncertain Bally Bet launch timeline after repeated delays. Bally officials initially gave the vague assurance that the sportsbook would launch in Massachusetts before the end of Q2 this year.
Eventually, the company set a June 26 target date for the launch. But at that day’s MGC meeting, interim chair Jordan Maynard said the company was addressing “one outstanding matter” before it was ready to go live. The commission’s vote to approve Bally Bet’s certificate of operations was rescheduled from June 26 to July 1.
With the additional delay, Bally Bet narrowly missed its previously stated Q2 target date.
Bally Bet has struggled for market share dominance in other states
In the states in which it currently operates, Bally Bet has struggled to obtain substantial market share. Bally Bet has accounted for just 0.5% of the sports betting handle in New York and 0.2% of Ohio’s handle.
Things won’t be any less competitive or challenging for the sportsbook in Massachusetts. Bally Bet is entering a Massachusetts market that is dominated by DraftKings and FanDuel. Q1 2024 in Massachusetts saw those two operators account for 86.4% of the state’s online sports betting revenue.
Bally’s ultimate goal is online casino expansion
Don’t expect a big push from Bally Bet to attempt to challenge the market leaders in Massachusetts. In a May earnings call, senior Bally’s officials suggested that, while the company wants Bally Bet to be a competitive, quality product, its investment focus is on states that allow online casinos (or might sometime in the future) in an effort to ultimately cross-promote its online gaming products.
During the call, Bally’s CFO Marcus Glover said:
“We’ll be very measured with how much reinvestment we actually put on the sports side of things.”
Online casinos are not currently legal in Massachusetts. And industry experts have said bringing iGaming to the Commonwealth could be a long, slow process. For now, MA residents can use online casino apps by crossing the border into neighboring states like Rhode Island, where Bally Casino is available. If Massachusetts does eventually allow online casinos, Bally’s could have an advantage by having Bally Bet already operating in the state.
What to expect from Bally Bet Massachusetts
The mobile and desktop Bally Bet sportsbook offers competitive odds and fairly extensive betting options. Betting markets include top U.S. sports like baseball, hockey, football and basketball, as well as international and domestic soccer, tennis, cricket, rugby, motorsports, cycling, boxing and MMA. Along with straight bets and futures, Bally Bet also offers player props, parlay wagering and live betting.
As far as promos, other markets have seen Bally Bet offer a welcome bonus in which new users receive $150 in bonus bets instantly after their first bet of $50 or more. The sportsbook also features consistent odds and frequent profit boost offers.
