If you are wondering when online gambling will become legal in Massachusetts, the answer may not yet be in sight; however, Massachusetts is making strides forward with sports betting and other forms of legal gambling, which could help gamblers in the state move away from offshore sites where they could place bets on various events and games. This news should come as welcome relief to gamblers in Massachusetts as legal gambling may soon replace offshore sites in terms of wagers being accepted and placed.
Sports betting was introduced at three major Massachusetts casinos in January. Massachusetts will tax sports bets at 20%, potentially generating $60 million annually and contributing significantly to Massachusetts’ already robust economy.
Massachusetts lawmakers took their time navigating through a long path towards legal sports betting, and many considerations could have stopped this project, such as its impact on college sports. Yet after careful deliberation they chose to move ahead with legal gambling landscape in Massachusetts that includes college sports.
Addition of online casino gaming will also reduce the appeal of illegal offshore sites that currently attract many Massachusetts residents. Experts believe that more bettors would transfer from illegal offshore gambling sites to legal Massachusetts-based sites due to gaming expansion – this would boost profits within legal Massachusetts gambling industries while increasing tax revenue even more significantly.
Massachusetts residents can wager on traditional casino games like slots, table games and video poker as well as virtual and augmented reality gambling in Massachusetts. Esports betting could become a significant source of revenue in Massachusetts since it can be regulated just like regular casino gambling; however, its growth will take time before becoming mainstream across Massachusetts.
Massachusetts is making great efforts to encourage responsible gambling and inform its residents on its risks. Massachusetts’ three casinos have established problem gambling centers which employ “gambling sense advisers” who help people understand the odds of winning and losing, counseling services for people struggling to quit gambling as well as counseling services to aid individuals struggling to quit altogether. Massachusetts is leading in researching impacts of gaming on communities and families as well as research.
Massachusetts offers multiple casino resorts, an impressive racetrack and simulcast center, an official lottery, state-run horse racing commission and charity poker clubs – plus, with sports betting and esports now added, there are more opportunities than ever before for legal gambling in Massachusetts – from DFS competitions, regulated sports betting sites and sweepstakes casinos providing similar experiences to real money casino gaming to lottery tickets and charity poker! Plus there’s always sports betting if that is your game!