Sports Betting in Boston: What is the State of Play?

Wondering if you can place sports bets in Boston? Yes, you can!

Sports betting went live in the state of Massachusetts in 2023, with retail betting taking off first on January 31. Online sports wagering soon joined the party, with the first set of Massachusetts online sportsbooks launching on March 10.

There are currently 6 legal sportsbooks in Massachusetts, including US gambling superpowers, FanDuel, and DraftKings. Other books available to Boston bettors include Caesars, BetMGM, WynnBet, and Barstool.

So after a very long wait, Boston bettors can now join their counterparts in many other states in placing bets on their favorite teams! And when you do join any of these sportsbooks, you will have access to a wide range of Massachusetts betting bonuses to sink your teeth into!

As of the time of writing, Massachusetts was the most recent US state to launch mobile sports betting, joining over 30 states in the business.

Up until 2018, sports betting was prohibited in the majority of American states due to the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA). PASPA was struck down by the Supreme Court in May 2018, allowing individual states to make their own sports betting laws.

Immediately out of the blocks was New Jersey- the first state post-PASPA to legalize sports betting- with Massachusetts being amongst the latecomers.

After legislative disagreements over the legalization of sports betting in MA, the Massachusetts House, and Senate finally reached a compromise as the 2022 legislative session neared its end, agreeing on a bill on August 1.

Governor Charlie Baker subsequently put pen to paper on a bill on August 10, signaling the imminent take-off of sports betting in the state.

MA law puts the legal gambling age in the state at 21, while MA sportsbooks are only available to players physically present in the state.

For the operators, they are mandated to pay a 20% revenue tax on mobile betting and a 15% tax on retail wagering.

Online sports betting made an impressive debut in Massachusetts, pushing the MA handle to $568.1 million in March, according to figures released by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission.

That put Massachusetts at No. 3 amongst all US states handles in March, with New York and New Jersey (both recording over $1 billion) occupying the top two positions.

The MA figures got even better in April, up 2% to $579.26 million. However, there was a decline in May, with the state posting $454.96 million.

Predictably, FanDuel and Massachusetts-based DraftKings have been the dominant forces in MA online betting, although Boston-based Barstool has also impressed.